(4) K-3 Illustrated by Debra Bandelin & Bob Davey. Retold by Joe Rhatigan and Charles Nurnberg. Vibrant illustrations portray Kipling's famous jungle as an enchanting place exploding with color and energy. Mowgli's childhood among the wolves and monkeys is a perfect idyll. Even Shere Khan, lurking on nearly every page, seems more of a challenge than a threat in this diluted, abridged retelling that follows Mowgli from infancy until he's forced to join the human world.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Stories of Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Bob Dacey & Debra Bandelin. Abigail Adams's strong will and devotion to family, in addition to her independent intellectual life, come through in this simple, easy-to-read biography. Some of the ideas presented are quite sophisticated for early readers; quotes from Adams are woven into the story. The colorful watercolor-washed pages and pictures adequately illustrate the scenes but are somewhat bland and static. Timeline.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Stories of Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Bob Dacey & Debra Bandelin. For emergent readers, this introduction to the life of Theodore Roosevelt focuses on well-known anecdotes about Roosevelt's bravery, compassion, and overcoming adversity. The illustrations break up the readable, if listless, account of the twenty-sixth president. Timeline.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Stories of Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Bob Dacey & Debra Bandelin. Illustrated with realistic paintings that portray Crockett as a heroic figure, the four chapters of this brief biography are introduced with snippets of folklore. Information about Crockett, clearly and entertainingly conveyed, seems to be accurate, but no sources for information are provided. Timeline.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Bob Dacey & Debra Bandelin. This simply written text discusses the origins of the American flag, describes how the design has changed throughout history, and explains how pride in the flag increased after the events of September 11, 2001. The accompanying full-page color illustrations showing the flag in various historical scenarios are well rendered. A final page respectfully refutes the theory that Betsy Ross sewed the first Stars and Stripes.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta