(4) K-3 Illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin. "Some princesses roll around, / wrestling on the muddy ground." A series of tight rhymes describe plain-clothed modern-day "princesses" playing soccer, wielding tools, etc., each with (let it be noted) "a sparkly crown" set primly atop her head. The book doesn't end memorably, but throughout it makes its ever-important girl-power point with panache and, thanks to Lanquetin's dynamic art, pizzazz.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin. When Sam, a raccoon, picks pumpkins, she doubles the number each time--first one, then two, then four, until she has sixteen. But going home, the pumpkins fall and become "the hill-rolling, bowling-ball kind." Although the slight story is energetic and the illustrations lively and humorous, only some of the sixteen pumpkins are accounted for before Sam makes pumpkin pie.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) PS Illustrated by Anne-Sophie Lanquetin. A lone primate's call for companionship produces nine friends--enough for a monkey jamboree. Because of the narrative's clip and lack of clarity on when to count and when to add the monkeys, the addition lessons herein probably won't prove instructive, but the rhyme scheme and peppy ink and pencil images of monkey hijinks should engage young readers.

Reviewer: Nell Beram