(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin M. Barry. Ghost cat Sailor Boy secretly lives in a remote lighthouse with its elderly (female) keeper. The cat enjoys teasing tourists with "ghostly purrs or a little scratch at an ankle," but when Miss Maggie takes a fall during a storm, Sailor Boy finds a way to save ships from crashing. The story is somewhat bland, but Barry's gently macabre line and watercolor illustrations add atmosphere.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin M. Barry. In this rhyming retelling of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," the lazy, chore-avoiding apprentice invites a sly vampire salesman into the wizard's house to demonstrate a vacuum cleaner. The diabolical machine sucks up the entire house, but the wizard arrives in time to rescue his penitent apprentice. Gray-scale illustrations with touches of color emphasize the creative tale's wild action. An author's note about retellings is appended.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert