(4) 4-6 Wanderville series. The Wanderville gang is waylaid on their journey to California when they agree to deliver a mysterious medallion to "Mr. Moses McGee" at the St. Louis World's Fair. Some tough older boys, a ruthless smuggler, and a past threat keep the orphans on the run. Some plot elements are overly convenient, but series fans will enjoy the lively pace of this third adventure.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 New York City orphans Frances and Harold are put on a train to Kansas and promised a better life. After they hear of horrible working situations that await, they escape with new friend Jack and find Wanderville, a kids' community fueled by camaraderie and imagination. Based on the early-twentieth-century Orphan Train Movement, this is palatable historical fiction, first in a projected series.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Wanderville series. In this second book, the Wanderville kids hop a train to California to escape orphan trains, cruel adults, and sheriffs. Their scheme is derailed first when they realize they're mistakenly headed east and then when a firm but fair reverend offers them a home. The kids realistically contend with racial tensions, adult hypocrisy, and threats to their shared vision.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tammie Lyon. Regina is excited for her princess-themed birthday. But there's a problem: her best friend Paula's peanut allergy means she can't eat the specially selected cake. Regina thinks Paula's being dramatic, but she eventually realizes what a true friend would do. There's some implausibility to the premise, but the story gets its message across. Pink-heavy illustrations display the girls' (sugar) highs and lows.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz