(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti. In this third collaboration (How Did That Get in My Lunchbox?; Where Did My Clothes Come From?), informative double-page spreads explain how our homes' everyday "magic"--fueled by electricity, water, and natural gas--happens. Retro cartoons, created in mixed media, include clear diagrams that track the flow of utilities. The author's note and appended tips for saving energy reinforce a message of conservation. Ind.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti. Conversational text and cheery retro cartoons work together to provide a step-by-step look at the ways in which key materials are obtained and processed to produce common articles of clothing such as cotton jeans and rubber boots. The content-packed spreads, which emphasize the manufacturing process (sans politics), reward a careful reading of text and images with abundant substantive information. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti. This appetizing book encourages readers to think about where food comes from "before it was in the store." Taking stock of a typical school lunchbox, Butterworth and Gaggiotti serve up an overview of seven familiar ingredients' journeys, shown on well-designed double-page spreads. Butterworth breezily distills the facts down to their essence while Gaggiotti's retro cartoon illustrations are equally informative and appetite-whetting.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2011