(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Richard Johnson. Maria, who lives with her grandfather in a remote village, finds an abandoned wolf pup nearly frozen in the snow. She brings the animal home and names him Shadow. Encounters with a fur trader and a mysterious woman deepen Maria's relationship with her pet. Knight's lyrical text is ably supported by Johnson's varied acrylics, some of which wrap cozily around the pages.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Richard Johnson. This collection of retellings uses traditional characters, themes, and plots from many cultures. The stories are generally only two to three pages long, making them ideal for bedtime or a quick classroom read-aloud. Thoughtful design includes Johnson's soft yet lively illustrations as borders, spots, and full pages, providing lovely visual images related to each story's cultural origin. No sources are included.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Richard Johnson. In loose rhyme that occasionally stretches thin, a boy dreams of adventures with a playful pachyderm who has a penchant for pants that coordinate with his surroundings. For example, the elephant dons star-covered pants for stargazing. Cleverly embedded in Johnson's whimsical illustrations are clues to the activity on the following page, but text inserted into the art on one spread is badly printed.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio