(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. This book tells a fictional anecdote about young Emiliano Zapata, who gains a social conscience in boyhood after a gang steals his family's horse. Emiliano goes after them and discovers they became bandidos because, growing up, they "never had enough tortillas to eat." Czernecki's bold black-and-white drawings have some visual appeal, but they unfortunately play into the pistol-toting, sombrero-wearing, Mexican stereotype.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. According to legend, mole was accidentally created by monks in Mexico. McAlister's retelling is kid-friendly, and her author's note provides more information about the history of the sauce. Set on a stark white background, the stiff cartoon illustrations are occasionally funny.

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(4) K-3 Translated by Mus White. Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. As in the game of telephone, an anecdote about a loose chicken feather passes from the hen house, to the owls' nest, to the pigeon roost, and so on, until it blows up into a shocking tale of multiple chickens plucking out all their feathers. Though the storytelling is lively, Andersen's anti-gossip moral is rather sophisticated for the young audience suggested by Czernecki's brightly colored, heavily outlined artwork.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. In this generic, vaguely Middle Eastern tale, a rug merchant's son angers his father by listening to a storyteller all day instead of selling his wares. Ultimately, the boy reaps a greater reward when the storyteller passes his profession along to him. Exotic typeface on parchment-colored background is hard to read but adds to the antique look perpetuated by the stylized black-and-white artwork.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. In this original tale, a prince seeks to repay the debt his father had forgotten he owes to the sea king and wins the heart of the sea king's eldest daughter. Although initially striking, the illustrations are flat and fail to enliven this story that plunders Russian folklore (even Baba Yaga makes an appearance) without achieving imaginative depth.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. When a young girl in Baghdad stops smiling, the sun stops shining, so her father, the townspeople, and a hoopoe bird try their best to find something that will amuse her, to no avail. Inspired by an Islamic story, the tale has an unsatisfying ending, but the simple illustrations, which use flat color and a bold, clean line, are lively and interesting.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. A cadenced text tells about the creation of the world and the origin of ethnic diversity. Papa God says, "If everyone looked alike and spoke the same language, it would be very boring . . . . This way they can live their lives learning all about each other." Illustrations in the brilliant colors of the tropics portray Mama God, Papa God, and their human creations with mask-like features.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stefan Czernecki. Competition across the street causes Mr. Belinsky to start selling pastries, cakes, and cookies instead of his beloved bagels. Despite success, Belinsky returns to bagel-making out of loyalty to his less numerous but more cherished bagel customers. Brightly colored folk-art-like illustrations enliven this somewhat stale story, which is followed by a brief history of the bagel.

Reviewer: Jennifer Polshek