(3) 1-3 Down Girl and Sit series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Dogs Down Girl and Sit learn what happens when they leave fences behind while vacationing with their owners. At a dude ranch they meet Git Along, who explains about the ranch's varmints, including prairie dogs and and "ugly dogs" (coyotes). As in the pups' other adventures, this one features lots of silly jokes, some light adventure, and loads of fun.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 1-3 Down Girl and Sit series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Along with friends Sit and Hush, average pet dog Down Girl tries and tries to train her master, Rruff, to understand that cats are bad and dogs just want food and attention, but it's awfully hard work. Young readers will be amused by this gentle canine story's dog's-eye-view of the world, accompanied by humorous illustrations.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. In four short chapters, Down Girl, a shaggy dog, describes her life with her master Rruff and her next-door neighbor Sit. The dog's-eye view of the world creates amusing misunderstandings as Down Girl does her best to keep the neighborhood safe from squirrels, protect her master from the alarm clock, and deal with strange animals such as the one called "Here Kitty Kitty." Peppy drawings match the tone of the text.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. Farmer Blue comments that Buttermilk Hollow needs a fairy godmother to prevent a toothpick factory from moving in and buying up land; the next day, dairy products begin showing up in strange places. Despite greedy Mayor Clabber's best efforts to thwart the dairy fairy, her magic saves the town and wins the mayor over in the end. The whimsical illustrations add humor to the facile story.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Andrea Wesson. Otis the duck, who is something of a dreamer, dons a disguise and, by virtue of his own clumsiness and some quick talking, becomes the respected hero Jack Quack. The beautiful Violet, longing for a savior, sees through the disguise but falls in love anyway. The watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations endow the ducks with expressive, handlike wings, which add to the story's humor.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Kastner. When a strange Lizard Man reportedly appears in Crabtree County, James Arthur tries to track him down. In the oil illustrations, readers glimpse the Lizard Man, but they also discover what remains unsaid in the text: James Arthur's efforts are adding fuel to the rumors. Though it takes a savvy reader to get the final joke, this author-illustrator collaboration makes for an amusing book.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert