(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Anna Laura Cantone. Snail slips out of her shell to take a bath. When she's done--and the shell is missing--she's sure it's been stolen. Snail interrogates everyone, and each animal defensively showcases its own unique home. Finally Snail happily discovers her shell right where she left it. The text's repetition gets a little grating, but the loose, colorful illustrations highlight the tale's silliness.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) K-3 Adapted by Lenny Hort. Illustrated by Anna Laura Cantone. Filomena, "the finest seamstress in Italy," specializes in wedding gowns. She finally gets the opportunity to sew the perfect wedding dress for herself when Filippo, the town mechanic, asks for her hand in marriage. He is soon forgotten as the dress takes up all of Filomena's time, with disastrous results. Sketchy, collage-like illustrations enliven the story and ameliorate the abrupt fairy-tale ending.

Reviewer: Andie Wurster