(3) PS Illustrated by Rachel Oldfield. Leave your indoor voice at home. This book, based on a song (a CD and the score are included), succeeds at its twofer mission: it presents simple "opposite" rhymes ("I can whisper, / or I can... / SHOUT! / I can jump IN, / or I can jump OUT") and offers rollicking illustrations of cute kids enjoying the great outdoors.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Heroes of World War II series. An overview of events and notable persons in World War II efforts, each slim volume is thorough and accessible. They offer good representation among the various fronts--even within the Axis countries--including "heroes" of various nationalities, races, and genders. Pages are evenly balanced with text and archival photographs along with enhancing sidebars. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Heroes of World War II titles: Spies and Code Breakers and Saving the Persecuted.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Benjamin Lacombe. "During the Moon Festival time, many special things can happen." So learns young Lin Yi when, after a day spent gathering festival supplies from the marketplace, he is rewarded for a selfless act. The text employs the rhythmic patterns of a folktale. Flowing, detail-rich gouache paintings illustrate the scenery (though the people call to mind bobblehead dolls).

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sophie Fatus. Primo, the king and queen's eldest son, must marry a real princess, so his mother employs the classic pea-under-the-mattress test. Two contenders sleep comfortably (and end up marrying Primo's younger brothers), but the third tosses and turns all night--proving she's the real deal. The promised math content is tangential to the tale. Rich-hued, round-edged acrylic and collage illustrations add whimsy.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Rosamund Fowler. This book presents information about animal habitats around the world. Boldly outlined watercolor and ink illustrations show realistic-looking creatures in their home environments (forests, rivers, jungles, bushlands, etc.). The singsongy rhymed couplets lack cohesion, but the appended information adds clarity. The last pages, featuring facts about spiders, challenge readers to go back and find the hidden spider in each habitat.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) 4-6 Fusion series. Each title in this series of high-interest books offers an introduction to the lives of ancient Greeks, Vikings, Aztecs, Egyptians, Romans, and the people of the Indus Valley. While the text tends to oversimplify the complexities of ancient life, the plentiful illustrations and graphics and the range of topics make these books useful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fusion titles: Welcome to the Ancient Olympics!, On to Valhalla!, Blood and Celebration, Reach for the Stars, Staying Alive in Ancient Rome, and Trading Up.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 4-6 Fusion series. Each title in this series of high-interest books offers an introduction to the lives of ancient Greeks, Vikings, Aztecs, Egyptians, Romans, and the people of the Indus Valley. While the text tends to oversimplify the complexities of ancient life, the plentiful illustrations and graphics and the range of topics make these books useful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fusion titles: Welcome to the Ancient Olympics!, On to Valhalla!, Blood and Celebration, Reach for the Stars, Staying Alive in Ancient Rome, and Trading Up.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 4-6 Fusion series. Each title in this series of high-interest books offers an introduction to the lives of ancient Greeks, Vikings, Aztecs, Egyptians, Romans, and the people of the Indus Valley. While the text tends to oversimplify the complexities of ancient life, the plentiful illustrations and graphics and the range of topics make these books useful. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fusion titles: Welcome to the Ancient Olympics!, On to Valhalla!, Blood and Celebration, Reach for the Stars, Staying Alive in Ancient Rome, and Trading Up.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Geography Starts Here series. This simply written introduction defines various types of environments and identifies the natural resources that support them. Illustrated with sometimes dark color photographs, the book stresses the importance of keeping the air and water clean, but the overall focus is superficial. A "facts and figures" page is appended. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Environment Starts Here series. Williams presents a conservationist perspective on the sources, production, preservation, and packaging of the foods we eat, including information on organic farming, recycling, and world food consumption. A good deal of information is provided in the captions for the large color photographs and illustrations of people and food. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Environment Starts Here series. Emphasizing pollution and the environment, Williams presents a conservationist perspective on the uses and sources of water, its phases, and the water cycle. The text is brief, but a good deal of information is provided in the captions for the large (sometime superfluous) photographs of children and water and the smaller diagrams of treatment plants and geographical features. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford