(3) PS Illustrated by Barry Goldberg. In this board book, Grandma Nell, Gabrielle, and Tamir commemorate Kwanzaa with their friend Elmo. Grandma explains the holiday is “when we celebrate our family, community, and culture.” She and the children list and explain the seven principles of the African American cultural holiday, as well as items used to celebrate, and each Swahili word is defined and written phonetically (e.g., the first principle is Umoja (“oo-MOH-ja”) or unity). Elmo’s familiar face and the bright digital illustrations will engage young children with this accessible Kwanzaa primer.

Reviewer:

(4) K-3 Watch Me Draw series. Illustrated by Barry Goldberg. In each book, six step-by-step pictures show kids how to use simple lines and shapes to create eleven drawings of objects that appear in full-color on the preceding page. The accompanying text is supposed to tell a story of the cartoon characters' "adventures" but are of varying narrative quality: SpongeBob's is the least cohesive. Dora includes a smattering of Spanish. Review covers these Watch Me Draw titles: Watch Me Draw Dora's Favorite Adventures, Watch Me Draw Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and Watch Me Draw Spongebob's Underwater Escapades.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) PS Illustrated by Barry Goldberg. Ernie and Bert, Grover, and other Sesame Street characters appear on a talk show hosted by Elmo to address hygiene-related topics such as the importance of regular bathing and tooth brushing. Presented in a lively fashion, the information is basic but useful, though not everyone will agree with the note to parents recommending, among other things, that children bathe every day.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann