(3) K-3 Ready-to-Read series. Illustrated by Ag Jatkowska. Roly Poly, Inchworm, Dragonfly, and Beetle try to figure out what the mysterious object in the garden is. They take turns suggesting: is it a tunnel, a hill, or a scary snake? When Roly takes another good look, to her delight, she discovers it's just a hose. Smiley illustrations reinforce the childlike curiosity and enthusiasm at the heart of the accessible story.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read series. Illustrated by Ag Jatkowska. In Hiding Place, Inchworm and Roly Poly, along with friends Dragonfly and Beetle, squish into a hole to hide from a bird. In Make a Wish, the bug friends are at a loss for something to do until they visit a wishing well. The stories are unmemorable, but the cheery illustrations add energy to these beginning readers. Review covers these Ready-to-Read titles: Inch and Roly and the Very Small Hiding Place and Inch and Roly Make a Wish.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Sebastien Braun. Fox takes Crow's cheese, then Crow returns the favor. Enter Mama Bear (cheesemaker extraordinaire), who puts the two feuding animals to work...making cheese. As the three chapters incorporate elements of trickster tales, novice readers have a familiar structure to propel them through the story. Illustrations highlight important points in the text. A solid choice for kids moving toward reading independence.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read series. Illustrated by Ag Jatkowska. In Hiding Place, Inchworm and Roly Poly, along with friends Dragonfly and Beetle, squish into a hole to hide from a bird. In Make a Wish, the bug friends are at a loss for something to do until they visit a wishing well. The stories are unmemorable, but the cheery illustrations add energy to these beginning readers. Review covers these Ready-to-Read titles: Inch and Roly and the Very Small Hiding Place and Inch and Roly Make a Wish.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Erwin Madrid. Louisa Brody is determined to prove her father's innocence against charges of stealing, and when her friend Jessamine tells her about a wee man living in the hazel grove, Louisa knows she's found the real culprit. But who will believe her? Wiley weaves an engaging story with classic elements and a deceptively simple but satisfying plot. Madrid's delicate sketches add depth and humor.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(2) 4-6 Little House: The Charlotte Years series. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. During her eleventh year, Charlotte faces many changes: she eagerly begins finishing school; her baby brother dies; her family is reunited with a long-lost uncle; and a new dam near their home forces them to move. Wiley's gentle historical narrative intertwines these life lessons with everyday events, bringing the era and the characters to life.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. Ten-year-old Martha is excited about her first trip to the city to visit her newly married sister, Grisie, but the actual experience leaves her longing for her manor home in the Scottish Highlands. Unfriendly servants, instructions to act with decorum, and the sudden death of Grisie's father-in-law leave little time for fun and exploration. This book is not as engaging as the previous ones, but the setting and characterizations make it a good read.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Charlotte Years series. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Eight-year-old Charlotte struggles with her teacher's unfair treatment and sulks about being left out of trips to Boston to see the new gaslights and the president. But she also finds pleasure in everyday family life, as well as surprises, such as a new baby in the house and a trip to the fair. This is a pleasant continuation of the fictional story of the sensitive girl who would eventually become Laura Ingalls's grandmother.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Charlotte Years series. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. In this sequel to Little House by Boston Bay, five-year-old Charlotte joins the town's celebration of the end of the War of 1812 and anxiously awaits the return of her father's hired hand, Will, who is a member of the militia. Little House fans will be intrigued with the story of Laura's grandmother, though Charlotte is charming enough to carry this well-crafted series completely on her own.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. Now eight years old, Martha has to study with a governess rather than play on the moor with the other children who live on her father's Highland estate, but she still takes advantage of every opportunity to interact with her friends. This prequel to the Wilder books relates Martha's growing understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of her station in life. Readers will appreciate Martha's candor and her adventurous spirit.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. With her brothers away at school and her older sister acting moody, seven-year-old Martha feels lonely, particularly when her family leaves her behind for a week while visiting relatives. But she enjoys playing with her pet hedgehog and entertaining her young cousins, who spend the week with her. Martha's domestic adventures ring true, and her spirit makes her a likable character in this story set in eighteenth-century Scotland.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. Little House fans will enjoy this charming spinoff, which features one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's ancestors. Young Martha, inquisitive and impulsive, finds her way in and out of scrapes at her highland home. As in the original series, abundant details of everyday life provide a picture of the time--in this case, eighteenth-century Scotland.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) 4-6 Little House: The Charlotte Years series. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Five-year-old Charlotte learns the alphabet in school, makes a friend, plays with her clothespin doll, and helps Mama with her chores. Gradually, the War of 1812 begins to have a noticeable impact on her family's life. Charlotte's small adventures are not as memorable as her granddaughter Laura's--but readers may enjoy this picture of life in the 1800s.

Reviewer: Anne St. John