(3) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. The title says it all: friends come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and species. Paired with a direct and friendly text, Rotner's intimate color photographs show a diverse array of children at play and at school; using sign language and wheelchairs; hugging each other and pets; laughing together but also experiencing moments of anger and sadness. The last page invites contemplation: "What kind of friends do you have?"

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Twins Crystal and Amber have very different personalities, but both long to graduate from high school and finally escape poverty. When one of them has a baby, the girls' hopes and plans shift to accommodate this new reality, and do so again when Crystal gets into college for automotive restoration. It's an unusual sister novel with an unnecessary, overly contrived mystery about the baby's parentage.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. This book emphasizes the importance of a strong family narrative formed through conversations between family members across generational lines. Illustrating the book with Rotner's always-amiable color photographs of families, some with "one parent" and "others [that] have a grandparent, an aunt, or an uncle living with them," strengthens this emphasis and showcases the diversity of experiences in contemporary family structures.

Reviewer: Breanna J. MCDaniel

(4) K-3 Photographs by Shelley Rotner. Simple headers ("Lunch is ready!") and captions ("I picked a carrot") are an appropriate match for the clean design and engaging color photos of kids involved in food shopping, gardening, food prep, and eating. Images of children actively playing are paired with the repeated (annoying) phrase, "Good food makes me strong!" and boxed text offers nutritional tips for parents.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(2) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. Simple, conversational text and loads of colorful, engaging photos broadly cover how families are formed through adoption. The authors approach the subject in very general terms, allowing children to impose their own experiences. While most of the book is upbeat, the loss inherent in adoptions is also acknowledged. Children touched by the subject will find the straightforward discussion reassuring and easy to understand.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2011

(3) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. Though it's not the most original concept, this title does a good job of illustrating that, "Our skin is just our covering, like wrapping paper." Rotner's well-composed photographs of unremittingly cheerful children display a wide gamut of skin tones. For libraries needing a fresh volume on the subject, this fits the bill.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) PS Photographs by Shelley Rotner. This volume on an irresistible subject features engaging color photos of fraternal and identical twins of a variety of ages. A simple text covers basic facts (some twins look alike, some don't) along with what's special about being a twin and what's not. A note to parents is included.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin