(4) K-3 Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. If ever there was a pop song whose uplifting sentiment suits a picture book, it's this Beatles classic. And if ever there was a pop song whose lyrics look inane in a picture book, it's this one ("Love, love, love...”, etc.). Still, the jubilant illustrations of a bear moved to good deeds by the sound of music delivers the message.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jean Jullien. Foreword by Yoko Ono Lennon. As a pigeon travels the world--by subway, boat, and sky--it distributes leafy olive branches that have a salvific effect on fellow birds. The pigeon--a bluntly rendered gray figure set against bold colors--is an inspired stand-in for the "dreamer" in Lennon's iconic anthem, which harbors the kid-friendly message that achieving peace starts with setting one's mind to it.

Reviewer: Nell Beram