(3) K-3 Translated by David Henry Wilson. Illustrated by Sebastian Meschenmoser. One rainy morning, dog Pug Man wakes up in a funk: "Wet newspaper, no breakfast, and no coffee." An irritatingly perky fairy appears, offering the customary three wishes. Happily, this rule-fracturing book dispenses with custom--there's nothing cute about Pug Man, who is sitting on the toilet in one of Meschenmoser's deliberate, sketchlike illustrations--and his third wish is a doozy.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Translated by David Henry Wilson. When a wheel of cheese rolls off a cart, over a cliff, and lands in Mr. Squirrel's tree, Mr. Squirrel concludes that someone stole the moon and left it with him. A frantic brown squirrel and an enormous yellow "moon" stand out against intricate black-and-white illustrations, including several wordless spreads that contribute to the quiet tone of this gently humorous German import.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 Squirrel, Hedgehog, and Bear don't want to miss the snow. They're sure to know snow when they see it: it's white, wet, and cold--but so are a toothbrush, a dirty sock, etc. Though the story can be hard to follow, snow-savvy kids will love being in on the joke. Sketchlike illustrations are sparsely colored to match an early-winter landscape.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax