(4) K-3 Illustrated by Rhode Montijo. Satch, Mo, and Ella (whose uncles are the Three Pigs) compose the Three Swingin' Pigs jazz trio. Big Bad Wolfie pursues them but instead discovers a love of music and joins the band. In a text accompanied by quirky, angular acrylic illustrations, the improvisational rhythm is appropriate to the jazzy theme but makes the story hard to follow, and the hepcat wordplay is overdone.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) K-3 Alligator Ralphie feels jealous when his parents pay more attention to their incubating egg rather than to his mud-wrestling trophy and other accomplishments. When Ralphie nearly breaks the egg he realizes he cares about it, too. Watercolors with humorous details match the tone of the text in this reptilian twist on the new baby story.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty