(3) K-3 Illustrated by Renée Graef. In seventeenth-century Paris, a talented girl creates a tapestry based on a painting by her father. King Louis XIV commissions a larger version for Versailles, even though females at the king's factory aren't permitted to be weavers. This story reveals the complexity of weaving, while realistic paintings capture the period and help elucidate the artistic process. An author's note and pronunciation guide are appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Renée Graef. This entry in the publisher's familiar alphabet-book series is packed with random facts about time. Each letter page contains a clumsy and/or dull quatrain ("U is for Units. / How to measure / time going by / during work or pleasure") and a softly rendered illustration of the idea, from almanac to pendulum to X (Roman numeral ten); a border-sidebar contributes lengthier scientific information.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Renée Graef. Nonna Lidia teaches her grandchildren to cook fresh seasonal food by regaling them with stories of growing up in Italy and by taking them to the farmers market. Celebrity chef Bastianich's pleasant if slight story, illustrated with sweet, warm-hued pictures of kitchen and market scenes, is followed by nineteen seasonal recipes and tips for getting children to participate in the cooking.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Illustrated by Renée Graef. This book offers a child-friendly tour of common wildlife creatures through a series of playful rhymes (most of which scan well). On each spread, a simple verse provides clues about a creature (caterpillar, bee, worm, crab, spider, etc.) and invites readers to take a close look and identify it. Large, friendly illustrations and light text will keep young listeners engaged.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Renée Graef. This book allows Mackall to vent about an injustice from childhood. In 1961, though she won a writing contest, she wasn't allowed to serve as batboy for the Kansas City A's once they realized she was a girl. The illustrations aptly capture place and time, but stiffly postured figures are ill-suited to depict athleticism. Nevertheless, the story will resonate with contemporary tomboys.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Renée Graef. Tall-drink-of-water Paul Bunyan becomes smitten with larger-than-life Lucette (complete with her giant cow, Nel, to pal around with Babe). But Lucette is no pushover, and she'll have nothing to do with Paul unless he proves himself worthy. This clever tall tale, written in an authentic and playful voice, incorporates an environmental message. Graef's folksy illustrations add warmth and humor.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver

(4) PS Illustrated by Renee Graef. A boy coaxes his puppy to sleep using language that has probably been used with him: "...you'll be too tired to go to the park...." "Little Bear wants you to go to sleep." "Are you out of that bed?" Finally the boy lies down with his dog and falls asleep, but Petey jumps up to play. Static illustrations accompany the simple story.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Renee Graef. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings, this brief biography begins with Laura's childhood and recounts the actual events that inspired the Little House series. Because the text offers no original insight and does not include source notes or a bibliography, it is not an adequate research tool. Nevertheless, it will find an audience among very young fans of the series.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) PS Illustrated by Renee Graef. A book about kids' bedtime struggles humorously explores various desert animals' nighttime behavior; e.g., "Does he hop on the bed and bounce for an hour?" features a gleefully misbehaving rabbit. The subdued shades of brown and green in the soft illustrations and the rhyming text's gentle rhythm invite an end-of-day sharing.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Renee Graef. In three discrete sections, three children (one black, once white, one Hispanic) address their thoughts to a parent off serving in the military, describing what their lives are like at home and envisioning the parent's homecoming. Both the text and tender colored-pencil illustrations have a mildly saccharine quality, but the book should comfort young readers who miss their parents--for any reason.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(4) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. Ten-year-old Martha is excited about her first trip to the city to visit her newly married sister, Grisie, but the actual experience leaves her longing for her manor home in the Scottish Highlands. Unfriendly servants, instructions to act with decorum, and the sudden death of Grisie's father-in-law leave little time for fun and exploration. This book is not as engaging as the previous ones, but the setting and characterizations make it a good read.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Renee Graef. Word for word, an entire chapter from Little House on the Prairie forms the text for this holiday picture book. When the creek rises, Laura and Mary realize that Santa will not be able to make it to their homestead, but their disappointment turns into joy when Mr. Edwards unexpectedly brings their gifts to them. Graef's attractive artwork complements the touching story, which stands well alone.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. Now eight years old, Martha has to study with a governess rather than play on the moor with the other children who live on her father's Highland estate, but she still takes advantage of every opportunity to interact with her friends. This prequel to the Wilder books relates Martha's growing understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of her station in life. Readers will appreciate Martha's candor and her adventurous spirit.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. With her brothers away at school and her older sister acting moody, seven-year-old Martha feels lonely, particularly when her family leaves her behind for a week while visiting relatives. But she enjoys playing with her pet hedgehog and entertaining her young cousins, who spend the week with her. Martha's domestic adventures ring true, and her spirit makes her a likable character in this story set in eighteenth-century Scotland.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Renee Graef. This picture book retelling of the classic Christmas tale is illustrated with numerous small vignettes, as well as larger pictures showing Marie, her beloved Nutcracker, and their adventures. An accompanying CD contains a complete reading of the text, set to music from Tchaikovsky's ballet. Schulman's adaptation has an appropriately old-fashioned tone.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Little House: The Martha Years series. Illustrated by Renee Graef. Little House fans will enjoy this charming spinoff, which features one of Laura Ingalls Wilder's ancestors. Young Martha, inquisitive and impulsive, finds her way in and out of scrapes at her highland home. As in the original series, abundant details of everyday life provide a picture of the time--in this case, eighteenth-century Scotland.

Reviewer: Anne St. John