(4) PS Illustrated by Paul Howard. A cub asks questions, receiving gentle affirmations in reply: "'Why does the wind rush around in the air?' / 'To fill you with joy and to blow away care,' 'Why does the path make such wriggles and bends?' / 'To take us on journeys and lead us to friends.'" The dialogue, though sentimental, is reassuring, and double-page spreads displaying the day's outing are warm.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) PS Illustrated by Paul Howard. This book depicts toddler-friendly activities, from playing peek-a-boo to learning to walk ("Stand / wobble. / Sway / wobble. / Bump! / Step / walk / toddle!"). The rhythmic text is less a story than a set of descriptions, perfect for little ones with short attention spans. Gentle pastel and watercolor illustrations show expressive toddlers of differing ethnicities looking as cute as can be.

Reviewer: Meaghan Miller

(4) 4-6 Translated by Oliver G. Latsch. Illustrated by Paul Howard. Two lonely children are befriended by the last true Santa (the only surviving holdout against the Great Christmas Council's heartless commercialization of Christmas) when he crash-lands in their neighborhood. Magic abounds as the three try to save the holiday from evil forces in this saccharine but entertaining tale. Generously dispersed drawings bring the season and characters to life.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) PS Illustrated by Paul Howard. When Nat spends the night at Grandma's cottage, he meets her bears--five life-size growlers who behave like big babies (e.g., one has a hard time sharing). This is more than just a bear story: what's unstated but apparent is the profound affection between Nat and his grandma. Howard's images have an old-fashionably burnished and realistic look, which makes the surreal premise all the sweeter.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Paul Howard. This straightforward story of Jay Jay's Sunday afternoon at Grannie's (he arrives, he plays, he eats, he leaves) is also a tribute to extended families gathering over a meal. The text is brief and bouncy, and the brightly colored illustrations of Jay Jay and his African-American family have plenty of big-hearted personality.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Howard. In a story reminiscent of a folktale, three children are all challenged to fill the barn using just one penny. The brightest child, aptly named Penny, fills the barn with music from a banjo she purchased for a penny from a junk shop, earning a laugh out of their dour father. The lively story is stronger than the illustrations, in which the father's expression is the same when he is being mean-spirited and when he is genuinely pleased.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Kingfisher Modern Classics series. Illustrated by Paul Howard. Although written over forty years after the first two books about the title characters, this novel has the same old-fashioned charm. Summoned by a mysterious note, Gobbolino the cat ventures off to the Hurricane Mountains to help his sister, a witch's cat. He meets up with the little wooden horse, who joins his friend on his journey. Illustrated with black-and-white art, the story is tame but has enough suspense to interest readers.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Howard. A gentle, old-fashioned style and a series of exciting adventures make these two novels, first published in England in 1938 and 1942, perfect for reading aloud. In Horse, a brave wooden horse makes his way back to his beloved master. In Cat, a witch's kitten wants to settle down in a normal, cozy home. Williams's characters are lovable and memorable. Warm black-and-white drawings illustrate the text. [Review covers these titles: Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse and Gobbolino the Witch's Cat.]

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Howard. A gentle, old-fashioned style and a series of exciting adventures make these two novels, first published in England in 1938 and 1942, perfect for reading aloud. In Horse, a brave wooden horse makes his way back to his beloved master. In Cat, a witch's kitten wants to settle down in a normal, cozy home. Williams's characters are lovable and memorable. Warm black-and-white drawings illustrate the text. [Review covers these titles: Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse and Gobbolino the Witch's Cat.]

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Howard. Here's a head-spinning collection of tales begun and interrupted and begun all over again for which Each Peach Pear Plum and The Jolly Postman--which also featured inventively interacting folktale characters--were merely jumping-off points. This is radical change at its most lighthearted, silly best, with the seemingly short attention spans of the interrupted stories belying the detail and interconnectedness of the book design, the illustrations, and the stories themselves.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2000

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Howard. Young Esmeralda performs as a strong woman under the big top, carrying her mom and dad simultaneously on her shoulders. But this tale is poignant and interestingly askew rather than humorous, reflecting the experience of any child who feels out of place, misunderstood, and lonely. Refined pastel illustrations show Esmeralda eventually taking pride in her large body and following her real dream, tightrope-walking.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2000

(3) PS Illustrated by Paul Howard. In this retelling of the familiar folksong "Hush, Little Baby," the whole family fusses over baby all through the day. The turn-of-the-century English setting is charming, and its characters lively. The refreshing watercolors are presented in a variety of manners from double-page spreads to character sketches.

Reviewer: Suzy Schmidt

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Paul Howard. Included are favorite poems from traditional poets ranging from William Shakespeare and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, to Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes. The selections generally provide a representative sampling of each poet's work. Included are both full-page and small, decorative illustrations along with portraits of the poets. Brief biographical profiles and notes on some poems are provided. Ind.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir