(3) K-3 This creative nonfiction picture book chronicles the Peters family's emigration from Germany to America in the mid-nineteenth century. The account, translated from German, balances straightforward information with genuine investment in the family's experience. Vibrant pencil and watercolor illustrations enhance the story's development. The tale comes full circle 150 years later with Peters descendants traveling to Germany to see their ancestral home.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Astrid Vohwinkel. Bear Nanuk and his mother wander into town looking for food. They get caught foraging in a grocery store and are swiftly imprisoned in "Polar Bear Jail" before being sent home in a "Polar Bear Taxi." Though its combination of realism and fantasy is awkward (e.g., seat-belt-wearing Nanuk gazing out of the helicopter window), the text and illustrations are child-friendly and accessible.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey