(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ed Young. An artist is commissioned by a rich man to paint a picture of his favorite horse. After several years, the artist finally produces a very quickly done drawing. The rich man is angry, but he realizes the painting's vitality after seeing the numerous sketches that have evolved into the simple masterpiece he holds. Young's collages reflect the story's artistry.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dennis Nolan. Charles's toys--the baker, airplane man, soldier--talk to him when no one else is around, and together they share adventures. Years pass, and Charles can't hear the toys anymore. He discards his old friends but then rescues them for his baby brother. Underscoring the text's nostalgia, the misty illustrations are a good match for this story about moving beyond childhood.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Juli Kangas. As photographer Mole studies his work, he realizes that something is missing. He closes his shop and sets out to find the answer; only then will he return. When he does he has a fiancée in tow, and from then on his photos show smiling subjects. This original tale set in an earlier time features a charming all-animal cast in antique finery; sepia-toned "photographs" appear throughout.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jim LaMarche. In this cozy fantasy about the pleasures of reading aloud, a woman reads stories to a bear who lives in the woods by her cabin. When the woman leaves the cabin at the end of the summer, she gives the books to the bear, who brings them back to his cave. Soft, muted illustrations complement the tranquil text.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(2) 4-6 Eight-year-old Patrick and his brother Roy face the Depression without their father, who is away looking for work. Roy's invention of an "amazing thinking machine," which seems to answer the neighborhood kids' questions, puts food on the table and starts Patrick thinking on his own--including re-examining his fear of "bums" who hang around a nearby vacant lot. Thoughtfully written, the novel is alternately poignant and humorous, with a satisfying resolution.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2002