(3) K-3 Illustrated by Philippe Béha. City life is the focus of this collection of spirited poems. Subjects include subway trips, fender benders, street performers, and graffiti, among others. Most of the brief rhyming poems are upbeat, but a few tackle more mature topics like the loss of a firefighter in 9/11. Cubist-inspired illustrations rendered in crayon-bright colors suit the verse well.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Philippe Béha. Poor King Boyan: his human head sports the ears of a goat. Barber after barber note this fact, to Boyan's dismay, until young Igor calmly accepts the king's anatomical anomaly in stride. Eventually the secret gets out, but the king, released from his self-consciousness by Igor's attitude, no longer cares. Sophisticated collages accompany this engaging tale of self-acceptance.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Philippe Béha. Recipes by Heidi E. Y. Stemple. Children's literature is rife with food references, so pairing traditional tales with recipes is a natural. Nineteen tales (most hailing from Europe) and one original folktale are followed by related recipes (e.g., "Brer Rabbit" and carrot soup) of varying difficulty. Ample white space, glossy paper, and playful illustrations make this a handsome volume. Sidebars address story origins and main ingredients.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges