(4) K-3 Illustrated by Loek Koopmans. Scrooge-like Stella never shares her prizewinning raspberry pies and preserves. After she contends with the bear who starts stealing her berries, she mends her ways. While the story will hold readers' attention, the reason for Stella's change of heart is murky. The sunlit, green-and-yellow-hued watercolors depict a grizzly bear instead of the black bear named in the text.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Loek Koopmans. Because his stable mate the ox eats most of the food and refuses to be friendly, the donkey is unhappy. But after the arrival of Joseph and Mary and the birth of Jesus, the ox has a change in attitude, and he and the donkey become friends. This Swiss import tells a gentle--if somewhat sentimental--tale that, while illustrated mostly in subdued tones of gray and brown, nevertheless has a warm feeling.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) K-3 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Loek Koopmans. Illustrations featuring a mix of styles in both clothing and architecture set the story in an imaginary yet vaguely familiar landscape, lit by a dreamlike haze. The smoothly told story in this Swiss import contains the familiar details and a happy ending in which Cinderella forgives her stepfamily.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander