(4) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. Kyle of Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break If You Want to Survive the School Bus returns to face the school cafeteria, relying on an older kid's rules: "Don't hold up the line," "Don't forget to pay," etc. Readers will cheer Kyle's determination, but, as with this book's predecessor, the logorrheic text and the creepy illustrations (characters sometimes resemble airbrushed Plasticine insects) aren't for everyone.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. Cowpoke Clyde greets a newspaper advertisement for a bicycle with interest: "It wouldn't eat. It wouldn't stray. / It wouldn't buck or bite or neigh!" But his wobbliness on the vehicle leads to near misses with various animals. The book offers bouncy rhymes, comical illustrations of the rubber-faced protagonist in an Old West landscape, and a lesson in true grit.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. Hissy Fitz the cat really wants to nap, but too many things are keeping him from his sweet slumber: his home is too loud; the kids won't leave him alone; and he can't deny his instincts to eat, prowl, and play nighttime soccer with feline friends. Readers will enjoy accompanying the humorously grumpy cat on his adventures; Austin's black-and-white illustrations capture Hissy's 'tude.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. Plucky rhymes with a Western twang relate a cowpoke's comic attempts to bathe his dog, who's "all caked with mud from end to end." Dawg objects, and other ranch animals--fleas, a hog, cats, and a mule--are caught in the struggle. After considerable mayhem, Dawg eventually relents and joins Clyde in the tub. Children will delight in Austin's colorful, boisterous illustrations.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. Kyle's older brother gives him ten rules to endure the school bus ride (e.g., "Never make eye contact"). It turns out Kyle does just fine by (inadvertently) disobeying them. This spunky tale of self-reliance can be a little wordy. Austin's quasi-realistic, semi-grotesque style shows the theoretical bullies as ferocious beasts while the human characters have rubbery, blue-tinged faces.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Allen Austin. Cummins successfully brings to life the story of little-known nineteenth-century daredevil Sam Patch, nicknamed "the Jersey Jumper," who leapt from such locales as Niagara Falls. Exaggerated sepia-tone acrylics reinforce the folksiness, situating the story somewhere between tall tale and serious depiction of Patch's accomplishments. The excitement and energy will appeal to thrill-seeking readers. A historical note is appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Austin. Martina, a lovely green Cuban cockroach, follows her grandmother's advice and applies the coffee test to all her prospective husbands: when a suitor comes calling, she spills coffee on his shoes and quickly discovers how he'll behave when angry. Humorous wordplay adds spice to this (unsourced) retelling, while the entertaining acrylic illustrations portray the animals' foibles with gusto. Concurrently published in Spanish.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Translated by Cristina de la Torre. Illustrated by Michael Austin. Martina the cockroach has reached marrying age and, with the help of her grandmother's wise advice, she seeks an acceptable suitor. Martina meets with several, none of whom pass muster, until she finally encounters her perfect match. This richly illustrated retelling of a tale from Cuban folklore features sophisticated Spanish-language grammar and vocabulary. Concurrently published in English.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Austin & Michael Austin. In a rollicking verse, Smitty explains how hard he worked to get to school on time--braving a snowstorm, sailing through a flood in Times Square, and avoiding aliens, an escaped gorilla, and giant spiders. It's a one-joke story, but there's a neat extra twist at the end that adds to the fun. The airbrushed caricatures have a sense of exaggeration well suited to the tall tale.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta