(2) K-3 Illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky & Kate Harvey McGee. Cool-hued illustrations capture the still expectancy of early morning in a mountain meadow as a breeze tickles the ear of a sleeping mouse. His squeak! sets off a concatenation of animal sounds and other noises as the meadow's inhabitants wake up and begin the day. Vivid language and realistic illustrations work together to portray the animals in their natural habitats and create a rich visual and auditory read-aloud experience.

Reviewer: Emmie Stuart | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky & Kate Harvey McGee. Although Big Wolf demonstrates proper technique for howling at the moon, Little Wolf has his own ideas, and the two end up sharing a warm, humorous, very noisy connection. The digitally colored "gouache resist" illustrations lend a rustic feel, and the variety of syllables depicting howling noises make this a natural, entertaining read-aloud.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(2) K-3 In three episodic stories, fox sisters Zelda and Ivy's independent personalities take center stage. The first tale has Ivy worried she'll be scared at the movies; in the second, the sisters (plus pal Eugene) decide to become spies; finally, a thunderstorm thwarts plans for an outdoor sleepover. Bold colors--fox red, deep purple, and gold--reflect the characters' strong, confident attitudes.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2010

(3) K-3 Neighbor Eugene joins fox sisters Zelda and Ivy in two of three episodic chapters about sharing secrets, April Fools' Day pranks, and the effect of opera singing on butterfly chasing. The characters are true to form: older sister Zelda may be bossy, but Ivy and Eugene can hold their own. Kvasnosky's lively illustrations extend the stories.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Bea has nobody to play with until Bingo--a large, talkative, wholly imaginary dog--appears. Bingo's suggestion, "Let's do something we're not supposed to do," leads Bea (who looks like an early Sendak character) to make the most of water, dirt, and her naughty playmate. This book, with its child-sized problem and child-sized solution, is a fresh take on imaginary friends.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2008

(3) K-3 Izzy, a carefree and confident rabbit, convinces Frank, a quiet and timid bear, to set off on an overnight camping adventure. Izzy hurts her paw, but Frank saves the day with his forethought and caring. The overnight erases their differences and solidifies their friendship, suggesting further adventures together. Lively illustrations accompany the story.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(4) 1-3 When baseball-mad, lizard-loving Steven moves next door to would-be ballerina Lucinda, their dissimilar interests surface immediately. But their moms become friends and insist on the families spending a week together at a friend's cabin. Here the ten-year-olds unite to help care for Lucky, a baby flying squirrel displaced by a thunderstorm. The plot is predictable, but the characters are believable and the story is deftly told.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(1) 1-3 This third Zelda and Ivy picture book finds the foxy sisters eagerly awaiting Christmas. Although the anticipation of Christmas-morning booty provides much of the tension, the heart of the story is the close relationship between the girls and their neighbor, the newly widowed Mrs. Brownlie. As always, humor pervades the situations and the dialogue, and the illustrations are full of energy and movement.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2000

(3) 1-3 The second book about the fox sisters once again displays Kvasnosky's understanding of the way children interact. After Eugene, the new boy, asks each sister to marry him, he and Ivy vie for position in the treehouse pirate ship where Zelda is captain. The third chapter features a funny but touching backyard camping scene between the sisters. The drawings deftly capture a wide range of the characters' emotions.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) K-3 In the first two chapters of this dead-on-target expose of siblinghood, older sister Zelda reigns supreme when playing with younger sister Ivy; in the third chapter, there is a power shift (temporary, of course) as Zelda's know-it-all big-sister tactics backfire and she has to be much, much nicer to Ivy than she was ever truly mean. Kvasnosky's illustrations of the two young fox siblings are as spirited and full of life as her very funny text.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.