(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. These two cheeky collections of very brief stories (originally illustrated by Victoria Chess) feature realistically self-centered children or anthropomorphic animals with one thing in common: they know how to game the system and/or trick adults. These new editions are sized perfectly for a child's hands. Ruzzier's illustrations are both profuse (appearing on every spread) and understated (pen-and-ink and wash vignettes, with just one color). Review covers these titles: Fables You Shouldn't Pay Any Attention To and Tales for the Perfect Child.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1985; May, 2017

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. These two cheeky collections of very brief stories (originally illustrated by Victoria Chess) feature realistically self-centered children or anthropomorphic animals with one thing in common: they know how to game the system and/or trick adults. These new editions are sized perfectly for a child's hands. Ruzzier's illustrations are both profuse (appearing on every spread) and understated (pen-and-ink and wash vignettes, with just one color). Review covers these titles: Fables You Shouldn't Pay Any Attention To and Tales for the Perfect Child.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1978; May, 2017

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. Spoiled young boy Gideon ponders what it means to be a hero in this amusing, high-minded picture book. Desiring his "name on the front page of the newspaper," self-absorbed Gideon actually seeks fame, a conceit that may at first be lost on some young readers. Still, the story's understated humor and cleverness, greatly aided by Groenink's telling art, make ideal fodder for storytime discussions.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Carson Ellis. His parents galavanting around the world, poor-little-rich-boy Dillweed is left with Perfidia and Umblud (a.k.a., the help); his only companion is his pet Skorped, a pointy, blue iguana-like creature. When Perf and Umb go too far by messing with Skorped, Dillweed unleashes some magical powers. Spiky ink and gouache illustrations accompany this Edward Gorey-esque tale.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kyle M. Stone. Readers will be tickled by the premise: Ernest, an obedient little thing, "always listened to his mother." When new neighbors arrive, Ernest is excited to make a friend--a monster-kid named Vlapid whose bad behavior is encouraged by his Morticia Addams-esque mom. Stone's faux-Victorian illustrations, all swirling fog and dark-clad characters, are mostly humorous and just a teensy bit eerie.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lane Smith. In this frothy book, a princess takes flight if not weighed down. One day she accidentally floats up into the sky--then happily determines to head skyward every day. Heide's voice is confident and sure, using direct address to great effect. Smith's mixed-media illustrations, understated yet witty, communicate the ennui of the princess's encumbered existence and her stratospheric delight in her newfound freedom.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jill McElmurry. In these four tartly funny interconnected stories, stubborn monkey Marigold fights about clothing with her mom and also with her best friend, Maxine, about hurt feelings. Marigold is a refreshingly unsentimental kids'-book protagonist, with equal parts soft spots and hard edges. The matter-of-factly anthropomorphized world (Marigold considers herself a "very loyal person") is rendered in precise gouache.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tony Auth. George brings home a series of pets, but his parents object to the excessive shedding (dog), excessive breeding (mice), and big teeth (shark). After his parents promise him a bird, George acquires a bad-mannered parrot and his folks must stick to their vow. Both text and art are amusing but pale in comparison to Steven Kellogg's funnier Can I Keep Him?

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Holly Meade. Theodore the elephant, who has hurt his leg and can't get across the forest to meet his cousin, asks his friends for advice--"that's what friends are for." After much well-meaning but ineffectual advice, the opossum sets everyone straight: "friends are to help." The cumulative text builds satisfyingly, and Meade's new illustrations, full-bleed double-page spreads in watercolor and cut-paper collage, are striking.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jules Feiffer. This compilation of scary things is little more than a list, but it's a true one, confronting children's fears in an empowering and reassuring way. From obvious bugaboos to more abstract fears, all the entries reflect the truth of childhood emotion. Stomach-dropping scary things are tempered with the occasionally humorous, and overall the tone is more light than dark, thanks in part to Feiffer's energetic, spectacularly expressive illustrations.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2001

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. Ishaq, who longs to be a scholar, travels the world searching for books to add to the collection of the House of Wisdom, a giant library and learning institution in Baghdad in the 800s. The story, based on the life of one of the greatest translators of Aristotle, describes the rich and scholarly culture of the Islamic Empire and is enhanced by vivid pastel illustrations. A pronunciation guide is included. Bib.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cathryn Falwell. Interesting perspectives on time are explored in this collection designed for children who are beginning to understand the concept. Some poems are just right for this age group, while others seem more suited for an older audience. For example, "Wasting Time" describes a child who "excels in the art of inaction." Falwell's whimsical mixed-media collage illustrations enhance the lighthearted tone of the book.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir

(4) K-3 Inviting watercolor and pencil illustrations grace this sentimental month-by-month account of how Lucitita's family life becomes more meaningful once her great-uncle moves in. An optimistic, philosophical man, Tio Armando shares his homespun wisdom with his great-niece, and gently prepares her for his death.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.