(4) K-3 Illustrated by John Butler. Maya and her brother are left alone in the den while their mother searches for water. When Maya's curiosity brings her face to face with a hungry hyena, the maturing cub manages to fend it off. Despite the imposing of human emotions on the tigers, the story is brought to life by softly realistic paintings that, in places, are rendered with such meticulous detail that some animals seem almost tangible.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(2) PS A newborn elephant becomes stuck in the mud at a watering hole, and three fierce lionesses watch for their chance at the vulnerable prey. As Bashi's mother helps free him, the elephant herd closes in, protecting him from harm, and "Bashi had survived his first day." Realistic paintings heighten the drama in this simple, effective tale that conveys a sense of the family relationships and the solidarity of an elephant herd.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.