(3) PS Illustrated by Eric Carle. This lap-size board book's rhyming text follows the familiar pattern of Brown Bear, Brown Bear. A panda, water buffalo, spider monkey, whooping crane, and six other endangered species parade across the pages; at the end, a dreaming child sees all ten animals "wild and free." Carle's striking, brilliantly colored illustrations are as eye-catching as always, making this ideal for use with groups.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) PS Illustrated by Eric Carle. Originally published as a picture book, this large-format board-book edition would work well with groups. Carle's distinctive illustrations are dramatic; the simple shapes and an abundance of white space make this well suited to a toddler audience. The rhyming text, about a python who's so greedy he ends up consuming himself, is less distinctive, but the art is arresting.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Carle. This new edition is essentially unchanged from the original. A lamb and a butterfly compare their lives by asking each other a series of questions. The prose uses repetition and internal rhyme to good effect but it is Eric Carle's reliably brilliant acrylic and collage illustrations that give life to a very simple story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Ready-to-Read series. Illustrated by Eric Carle. Two picture books are repackaged for beginning readers. My Cat has new layout and page turns, but the text is intact. Python's singsongy rhyming text has been simplified: e.g., "scampered" becomes "hurried" and "whatever creature" becomes "all animals." Carle's art is still vibrant in both books, but neither is significantly improved with the changes. Review covers these Ready-to-Read titles: The Greedy Python and Have You Seen My Cat?.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 My First Reader series. Illustrated by Eric Carle. In these somewhat superfluous brand-extending easy reader versions of two more of Martin and Carle's picture books, the trim size is smaller, and the texts are broken into short phrases. Back matter includes a letter to parents and teachers and further activities. Review covers these My First Reader titles: Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 My First Reader series. Illustrated by Eric Carle. In these somewhat superfluous brand-extending easy reader versions of two more of Martin and Carle's picture books, the trim size is smaller, and the texts are broken into short phrases. Back matter includes a letter to parents and teachers and further activities. Review covers these My First Reader titles: Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 My First Reader series. Illustrated by Eric Carle. Teachers and emerging readers have already made Bill Martin's books their own, but these new editions are intended to cement the deal--and extend the brand. The trim size is smaller, and the text is placed uniformly across the bottom of each page and broken into short phrases. Back matter includes a letter to parents and teachers and further reading activities. Review covers these My First Reader titles: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 My First Reader series. Illustrated by Eric Carle. Teachers and emerging readers have already made Bill Martin's books their own, but these new editions are intended to cement the deal--and extend the brand. The trim size is smaller, and the text is placed uniformly across the bottom of each page and broken into short phrases. Back matter includes a letter to parents and teachers and further reading activities. Review covers these My First Reader titles: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 1992

(3) PS Illustrated by Eric Carle. This book by the creators of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? follows the same successful pattern. Readers are introduced to different animals and how they move ("Red Fox, Red Fox, what do you see? / I see a flying squirrel gliding by me"). The text is rhythmically pleasing, and the large-scale illustrations set against white backgrounds are eye-catching.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) PS Illustrated by Eric Carle. Martin introduces ten endangered animals, including a water buffalo, spider monkey, and green sea turtle. The story ends with a child dreaming of the animals "wild and free." The animal conservation message is a bit sophisticated for the board book audience, but Carle's striking, brilliantly colored illustrations are ably reproduced (although the last spread is crowded).

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) PS Illustrated by Eric Carle. Using a now-familiar pattern, Martin introduces ten endangered animals, including a water buffalo, spider monkey, and green sea turtle. The story ends with a child dreaming of the animals "wild and free." Carle's art shows a parade of rather somber animals unsure of their future. Although the volume is more useful than fresh, the large, attractive illustrations are well suited to group sharing.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Translated by Teresa Mlawer. Illustrated by Eric Carle. These Spanish board book editions catch both the rhythm and rhyme of the English-language originals. Translating a rhyming text is an extremely difficult challenge, but Mlawer has brought her magic to bear, giving Brown Bear and Polar Bear their own vivid life in Spanish. Carle's illustrations are well suited to this smaller format. [Review covers these titles: Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí? and Oso polar, oso polar, ¿qué es ese ruido?.]

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) PS Translated by Teresa Mlawer. Illustrated by Eric Carle. These Spanish board book editions catch both the rhythm and rhyme of the English-language originals. Translating a rhyming text is an extremely difficult challenge, but Mlawer has brought her magic to bear, giving Brown Bear and Polar Bear their own vivid life in Spanish. Carle's illustrations are well suited to this smaller format. [Review covers these titles: Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí? and Oso polar, oso polar, ¿qué es ese ruido?.]

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) PS Translated by Teresa Mlawer. Illustrated by Eric Carle. A companion to Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí?, the Spanish version of Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? reads smoothly as the animals roar, hiss, growl, and croak. Carle's familiar double-page spread collages are stimulating companions to the zoological soundtrack.

Reviewer: Elena Abos Alvarez-Buiza

(3) PS Translated by Teresa Mlawer. Illustrated by Eric Carle. The text in this Spanish edition of the classic Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? perfectly mirrors the original, rhyming along from brown bear to blue horse to goldfish with anticipation mounting at each turn of the page. Carle's flat and boldly colored collages on the white background add a solid dimension to the agile text.

Reviewer: Elena Abos Alvarez-Buiza