(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mies van Hout. A bored girl welcomes being kidnapped by a giant until she determines that he's not a "nice villain" but an "ordinary old child cruncher." Readers will be amused by the narrator's initial cluelessness and attempts to win over her captor. The illustrations, featuring dark-outlined figures in the foreground with gauzy, fuzzy-edged backgrounds, reassuringly reinforce the interplay between real and imaginary.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gerdien van der Linden. After his mother discovers five monsters under his bed, a young pig becomes increasingly annoyed at her for pampering them. When the monsters take over his bed, the clever piglet concocts a plan to turn the tables and get his privacy back. Pastel drawings illustrate this funny original tale.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mies van Hout. A ghost appears in Charlotte's bed one night. She's less surprised by his existence than she is miffed by his selfishness ("Mine!" is his only word), which she devotes herself to curing. Due in large part to van Hout's nicely textured illustrations, children will recognize the smiley ghost's behavior as more immature than malicious and will sympathize with Charlotte's plight.

Reviewer: Nell Beram