(4) PS Illustrated by Kelly Canby. A girl off to get a haircut considers various looks but finds that none of them is quite her: "I think I'll get a ponytail, / A swirls-like-macaroni tail, / To twirl while on the phone-y tail... / NO. That's my big sister." The be-yourself message and bouncy rhymes prompt art that, while not fashion-magazine-worthy, gets the job done.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Wendell Minor. Featuring expansive realistic illustrations, this book begins with images of pristine land, water, and sky filled with creatures; progresses to show human expansion and industry resulting in crowded cities and pollution; but ultimately ends with people planting trees and helping sea turtles. Together with its rhyming text, the package as a whole becomes sentimental, but the book's eco point may be well taken.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Owen Smith. Shore and Alexander touch on historical elements of baseball along with highlighting a handful of players including "Dizzy" Dean ("his fastball is mean!"), Babe Ruth ("the Sultan of Swat"), and Jackie Robinson ("This is the Dodger / fulfilling a dream..."). This appealing paean to the "ages-old pastime that captures us all" is illustrated with big-blue-sky, lush-green-grass paintings.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. "This is the Mayflower, sturdy and strong. / Her sails skim the skies as she journeys along." Lilting rhymes present an overview of the Pilgrims' voyage and first Thanksgiving celebration. The text doesn't sugarcoat the Pilgrims' struggles, but it does only skim over the Native American perspective. Autumnal illustrations ably support the story's arc.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Laura Rankin. Little brothers will respond to the humor in this guide to pestering an older sister. The silly tricks (pretending to have lost a non-existent snake, running hot water when she's in the shower, etc.), straightforward storytelling, and funny cartoon illustrations support a title that will surely grab reluctant readers before they even open the book.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow