(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ella Bailey. A girl struggles to pick the perfect name for her new cat: Jane? Rambo? Mr. Maestro? Fed up, he runs away; his return improbably involves a trip to the zoo, a (gorilla) replacement, an art heist, and a feline sleuth. The girl's oblivious first-person narration plays it straight, allowing pastel-toned illustrations full of clever cat details to reveal the humorously outrageous story.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Hindley. A young boy receives an invitation to Nigel's "HATTIEST PARTY OF ALL TIME." Armed with a hat-wearing monkey, the boy encounters tight security and faces additional entrance criteria until he learns he's at the wrong address (and party). Detailed double-page illustrations show guests arriving at each side-by-side party. Readers will enjoy noticing the boy's mistake before he does.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) 4-6 Need for Speed series. Each busy double-page spread features color photographs of a different vehicle (for instance, Aircraft showcases the F-117 Nighthawk, the Concorde, and the space shuttle, among others) and a minimal descriptive text. A boxed "stat file" contains facts on speed, size, and other details. Speed demons will enjoy the books, though the photos sometimes lack clarity. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta