(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jan Jutte. A cat tries making its way onto Old Robert's sailboat, but there's "no room in the trim little boat." When the sailor reluctantly lets the cat board, a string of other cats follow; he finds a place on his vessel--and in his life--for affection. There's not much to the repetitive story, but the text is rhythmic and Jutte's illustrations are playfully imaginative.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jan Jutte. A young elephant sleeps over with her beloved Gramma, who's game for all sorts of fun, from inventing stories to flinging paint. "Gramma silly / silly millie silly millie / 'Let's put paper over the doorway so we can run through!'" Exuberant illustrations show Gramma's distinctive décor and complement the wordplay in the jaunty, occasionally rhyming text.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jan Jutte. A boy's vivid imagination takes him on a late-night bear hunt to protect his mother. Young adventurers will cheer Liam as he outwits his opponent and ends up safely in bed. The text's creativity ("Liam rushed to Mama...but she was snore asleep") amplifies the escapade. Childlike ink, watercolor, and acrylic illustrations blend the worlds of make-believe and reality.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(3) 4-6 Translated by Patricia Crampton. Illustrated by Jan Jutte. Translated from the Dutch, this dreamlike story begins with a baby mysteriously appearing on a swan's back in the harbor and follows the child, Josie, as she is adopted by a carpenter pig into an eccentric village of animals. The book gently and often humorously explores themes of grief and loss, especially after Josie marries a soldier who goes off to war.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann