(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Skilley the cat finds the "purrfect" job at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn. There he poses as a mouser, but he's actually protecting the large mouse community in exchange for cheese. As he befriends the mice and fights a cruel alley cat, he's drawn into the world of Charles Dickens and even Queen Victoria. Witty wordplay and detailed pencil drawings abound. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Thor Wickstrom. After a boy who lives with his aunt discovers an old man living in the basement freezer, he pieces together that it's her long lost fiancé. The horror-story premise is played beautifully for laughs, thanks to the expertly sustained country-flavored rhymes. Wickstrom's slathered-on oils capture the situation's absurdity--and tenderness, when the geezer is telling his tale of star-crossed love.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Hodge, a hunchbacked young servant, is intrigued when Prince Leo returns to Castle Marlby as an apparent prisoner. Hodge helps the prince escape, then wonders if Leo is a traitor to the kingdom. He also worries about his brother, who has gone off to battle. A clear prose style and shaded characterizations give this old-fashioned novel resonance.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA After the accidental death of his best friend, Elam moves with his family to Arizona. Exploring his new surroundings, he discovers an unexpected desert pool, makes a new friend, and must deal with yet another personal loss. The slow-paced story is rich in metaphor, and the nature writing is fine, but the deeply introspective prose and small cast give the novel a claustrophobic quality.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta