(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. In each book, a kid visiting an out-of-state cousin receives state-specific gifts, one per day, during the twelve days of Christmas. Chatty, overly explanatory letters written home to Mom and Dad expand the information; additional state facts are appended to the stories. The books' cheerful illustrations get ever more crowded as the presents accumulate. Review covers these titles: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Iowa, The Twelve Days of Christmas in South Carolina, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington, D.C., The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Arizona, and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Shannon. Braid Beard and the rest of the How I Became a Pirate crew stage a reappearance--just in time to help Jeremy Jacob mind his baby sister while Mom's out grocery shopping and Dad snoozes. Long's humorous text will tickle readers' funny bones, and Shannon's boisterous acrylic illustrations are packed with silly details (look for the pirate holding a sippy cup).

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Shannon. While building a sandcastle on the beach, Jeremy encounters a band of pirates who recruit him to help bury their treasure. At first, he loves the rowdy pirate lifestyle--the singing, cursing, bad table manners, and pillow fights--until he misses the comforts of home. Shannon's cartoon acrylic illustrations, which are bursting with energy and salty characters, bring Long's spirited narrative to life.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Thor Wickstrom. Everyone has an idea of how the narrator can get rid of her hiccups, but after being "scared to death...wearing a paper bag...while standing on my head [and] holding my breath," there's no change. When the whole family chants and dances Grandma's wacky "hiccup snickup" cure, the girl finds success. Wickstrom's oil paintings showcase both the silly dance and its results.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Holly Meade. A girl relates the cacophonous sounds of her grandparents' snoring and its effect on their quaking household. The book retains its sense of humor to the end, as the girl's own snoring brings her amazed grandparents to her bedroom. Meade's lively line keeps the simple story moving and gives charm not only to the little girl but also to the overactive household objects, which add their own sound effects to the rousing chorus.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2000