(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. This time, Lum's three princesses disagree egotistically about who's the prettiest; a beauty contest is to decide the matter. En route, each princess does a physically demanding good deed that ultimately earns her the title "yuckiest," "drippiest," or "muddiest." Lum ties up her fabulous story line too quickly: the reader misses the princesses' reactions. Loose-limbed illustrations depict them as lovable scamps.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. Three princesses are uniquely talented at what each loves to do: baking, building, and gardening, respectively. When they decide to swap jobs--because "Princesses are good at everything"--chaos ensues. The young damsels learn that being a princess doesn't mean they must be skilled in all matters. The playful, motion-filled watercolor illustrations against clean white space are chock-full of silly details.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. Madeleine is the unfortunate niece of restaurateur térrible Monsieur Lard. Though his creations are abominable, he longs to be a renowned chef, so he sends Madeleine to spy at Madame Pamplemousse's appetizing shop. Befriended by Madame, Madeleine emerges confident, and Lard is sent packing. This old-fashioned Parisian fairy tale, illustrated with sketchlike black-and-white drawings, is full of wit and whimsy.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. At school, Jake refuses a hug from Mom. When he asks for it later, he finds she has given it to Dad, who gave it to the cat, who gave it to a witch, etc. Finally, Jake retrieves his hug from a dragon. The comfy tale verges on too sweet, but amusing touches in the fantasy creature–filled watercolors have a mitigating effect.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. Milo the mouse has nightmares about "a horrible, big scary monster." Milo's family suggests various methods to help him sleep soundly (e.g., exercising before bed, opening a window), but the nightmares continue. The story's resolution is a bit of a letdown; the monster is a friendly field mouse. Hellard's soft-hued watercolors temper the story's scary parts.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. Digby is having new-school anxiety, so his mom slips kisses into his pocket, creating a well of confidence for him. It's a sappy premise, but Digby (who's depicted as a mole sporting geeky red glasses) is a gentle soul who invites easy identification. To bring to life the all-animal cast, Hellard uses a loose hand but doesn't skimp on particulars.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard & Sue Hellard. A proud grandfather brags about how smart his two-year-old grandson is. Granddad thinks that the boy's paintings are as masterful as Picasso's and that he will soon get a Ph.D. and be elected president. Although the amusing illustrations show the older man and toddler doing age-appropriate activities, the rhyming text is aimed more at adults than young children.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Hellard. Three bored princesses trade places with their servants for a day and use what they learn to improve the lot of the castle staff. This silly, exaggerated, and fanciful look at class disparity focuses on the spunk of the heroines as they attack a list of chores that includes sheep shearing, making cheese, and dusting the castle. The lively illustrations contain plenty of humor.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth