(3) K-3 Illustrated by David McKee. A king, wondering what he'd find at "the edge of the world," sets out to learn for himself (to the horror of his minions). The text is a case study in clever rhyme, and the pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations--in black-and-white except for the king--show readers that curiosity is like a light in the darkness.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sean Delonas & Sean Delonas. In uneven verse modeled on Clement C. Moore's poem, a mouse emerges from her hole home to complain: "No neat tidy mouse / Would leave such a clutter around her own house." After exploring the Christmas detritus in the hopes of finding appealing tidbits, the mouse is discovered and adopted as a pet by the family. Illustrations with varied perspectives add humor to this somewhat shapeless story.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley. This update of the familiar Christmas song features a girl whose parents give her a "little pine tree" on the first day of Christmas, with ornaments for it each day thereafter. The ornaments increase not only in number but in size, as does the tree itself, so that her hallway becomes a wonderland in time for Santa's visit. Soft, dark hues fill the comic illustrations of this text whose meter only occasionally falters.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian