(4) K-3 Illustrated by Andrea Wisnewski. Brother Theophane, a medieval monk, prefers being outdoors to writing in the scriptorium. He enlivens his manuscripts with pigmented inks made from plants he grows in the monastery garden. Millen's text incorporates poems by actual Irish monks, but the rhyming story is bland overall. Wisnewski's hand-colored papercut prints successfully capture the look of early manuscripts.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Illustrated by Holly Meade. The blue bowl is the centerpiece of a mother-toddler bread-making team. Standing on a stool, the child helps sift flour and knead before he is off to bed and the dough is set to rise. The lullaby-like text sings with repeated phrases and words. The large format and type complement Meade's distinctive collages full of warm, homey details.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Christine Davenier. A girl with the "hangin' round," "draggin' down" blues resists her younger sister's suggestions that they play hopscotch or go roller-skating but finally gives in when a clothesline becomes an irresistible jumping rope. Rhythm-and-blues-inspired language and vibrant loose line go from languid to lively in this mood piece of a picture book.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1999