(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Halsey & Sean Addy. Sophisticated poems celebrate elephants, from their behavior to their various roles in human imagination and commerce. Mixed-media collage illustrations combine with the writing--particularly the concrete poems--to create a sense of the complexity of elephants' lives and their relationships with people. Unobtrusive text boxes provide factual information about the creatures. Reading list.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Megan Halsey & Sean Addy. This collection of free-verse poems explores the myriad careers readers can ponder pursuing. Whether describing the wisdom of a janitor ("He senses / all the secret wishes / a building whispers / in the night") or the anxieties of an author, Zimmer's writing is insightful and original. The accompanying mixed-media collages, sophisticated and whimsical, are themselves inspiration for aspiring artists.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Elaine Clayton. This free-verse novel's title refers to the distance between JoEllen's divorced parents' homes: her mother's urban Cincinnati apartment and her father's farm. JoEllen feels split not only between her parents but also between her two very different identities when she's with each of them. The emotionally credible poems are accompanied by collages, doodles, and found art, reinforcing the novel's authentic voice.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old orphan Owen narrates his adventures working aboard a circus showboat in the 1850s. Solomon, a free black man, shows Owen the ropes, and Owen's developing understanding of slavery is portrayed with honesty. Vivid scenes capture the spectacular performances and romance of circus life, also hinting at a darker side--class distinctions between workers and performers, mistreatment of animals, and duping of spectators.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(2) 4-6 Garden imagery wends its way through this eloquent free-verse novel about a seventh-grade girl with cerebral palsy. No one at Josie's school bothers to see beyond her disability until science nerd Jordan moves into her neighborhood. While the portrayal of friendship between misfits is nothing new, Zimmer infuses Josie's story with distinctive auxiliary characters, such as Josie's resilient grandmother.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2007

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Andrew Glass. Linked free verse poems follow a young girl as her anger over her father's abandonment of his family gradually subsides and she begins to accept her mother's new husband. An inveterate sketcher, Anne Marie's art provides an important outlet; her twin sister also helps her gain perspective. Paintings, line drawings, and photographic collages illustrate these emotionally honest poems.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute