(4) K-3 Illustrated by Benjamin Schipper. Each time Cap'n Rex's dinosaur-pirate crew faces a supposedly insurmountable challenge, he asks, "Can't ye?" His question always works, as different crew members devise an inventive solution to each problem. Rex gets his comeuppance when it's time to share the booty. Static illustrations nevertheless add humor, and there's read-aloud appeal in the abundant pirate terms included throughout (and in an appended glossary).

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lisa Woods. Young Mabel is a professional bedtime shirker. But when her mom tells her that "the Queen of the Fae [fairies] won't visit until you close your eyes," Mabel surrenders. Her mom channels the voice of the fairy, whose words, illustrated with fantastical imagery, are inspired by a Romeo & Juliet soliloquy. But Shakespeare this is not, as there's little in the way of a story here.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Abigail Larson. The father-and-sons team melds humor and horror in these grisly rewrites of familiar nursery rhymes ("Zombie rotten, quite forgotten, / How does your graveyard fare?"). The angular Sandman-esque digital illustrations effectively employ disturbing details and appropriately Halloweeny hues, while the text is clever and well metered, if not particularly involved. Elementary horror fans not ready for R. L. Stine will enjoy being in on the gruesome joke.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross