(4) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Halsey & Sean Addy. Sources or footnotes would have helped this somewhat disorganized account of the history of Valentine's Day and the ways it's celebrated worldwide. Ideas considered to be legend are stated as facts, though the tidbit-style information is engaging. The attractive design, romantic mixed-media illustrations, famous quotes on love, and craft ideas enhance the presentation.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Joanne Friar. From the evergreen boughs used by ancient Egyptians to celebrate the winter solstice to modern LED lights and pink aluminum trees, Farmer provides a wealth of information about the social history of the Christmas tree. She also traces its development both as plant and as cash crop. Illustrated with warm, cheerful gouache pictures, the book is accessible and well organized.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes. Encompassing apple biology, history, nutritional aspects, storage tips, and folklore, this wide-ranging book is more complex than the illustrations suggest. Pictures of cheerful apple-eating children are interspersed with detailed information about grafting, fertilization, and cultivation. The text is interesting, but the presentation is haphazard. A chart comparing varieties, a list of apple facts, and a pie recipe are included. Reading list.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) K-3 Translated by Eida del Risco. Illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes. This translation of Pumpkins effectively presents the cultivation, uses, and legends about pumpkins to a Spanish-speaking audience. Because of the link between pumpkins and Latino culture, the pumpkin history and lore presented may be especially interesting to readers. The book also includes recipes and pumpkin facts, as well as how to say pumpkin in twelve languages. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes. In this helpful book, the history, growing, uses, related legends (such as the origin of the name "jack-'o-lantern"), and carving of pumpkins are laid out in an easy-to-read and thoughtfully illustrated format. The author includes recipes, websites, a reading list, pumpkin facts, and how to say pumpkin in twelve languages.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Page Eastburn O'Rourke. A thorough, readable introduction to the banana covers such topics as botany, varieties, transportation, history, and nutritional value. Banana recipes and jokes close the well-organized, lighthearted text, which is accompanied by humorous, cartoonlike ink and watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow