(4) K-3 Illustrated by Nora Hilb. One day Jake rescues a girl's cat from a tree, then discovers that his hitherto companionlike shadow has stayed on the ground--proof that he's finally ready for a real friend. The delicate images depicting Jake on the outskirts of kid clusters will inspire empathy, but the text is purposive without being convincing.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Translated by J. Alison James. Illustrated by Nora Hilb. When cat Finn and hamster Max move into a new neighborhood, four tough cats tell Finn he can't join their gang unless he stops being friends with Max. Max and Finn's temporary solution leaves both pets unhappy until Max rescues the gang leader and is allowed to join the prowlers. The wordy story is illustrated with kittenlike cats in bright colors.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman