(4) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Paul Mirocha. A female nine-banded armadillo avoids predators (bobcat, human, canine) and sets up her burrow in preparation for childbirth. The easy-reader text provides interesting information (e.g., "Nine-banded armadillos always produce four babies, or quadruplets. These four pups are always exactly alike") but it doesn't flow well. The illustrations have a fuzzy-edged digital appearance.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Paul Mirocha. In this intriguing (if wordy) story, Nizam, a Malaysian honey hunter, prepares to follow in his grandfather's footsteps. Soon he'll be responsible for climbing the towering tualang tree at night to harvest honey from the huge beehives. The dramatic illustrations look digitally flattened but are suffused with glowing light. Appended is further information about Malaysia and the real-life honey hunters.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) YA Stories from Where We Live series. Illustrated by Trudy Nicholson & Trudy Nicholson & Paul Mirocha & Paul Mirocha. This solid collection contains poems, stories, and essays by writers who live in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. Some of the contributors are highly acclaimed (Edwin Way Teale, Margaret Atwood), while others will be new to readers. The quality of the material--which often emphasizes the natural world--is uniformly excellent. A list of Great Lakes habitats, wildlife, and parks is included. Reading list.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Illustrated by Trudy Nicholson & Paul Mirocha. This excellent book of essays, poems, and short fiction includes forty-three selections set along the U. S. Gulf Coast. There is plenty of variety and fine writing in a collection that includes work by Zora Neale Hurston, John Muir, and Edward O. Wilson. This resource is strengthened by extensive notes, maps, and information on the plants, animals, and ecosystems of the region. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA Illustrated by Trudy Nicholson & Paul Mirocha. This collection of contemporary and historical pieces of both fiction and nonfiction all depend on or illustrate their California coastal setting. Rich and diverse, the book includes a story about surfing with sharks, a Gold Rush-era tale, and poems translated from both Spanish and Cantonese. Teachers will find this a valuable resource, although it works equally well for browsing. Bib.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth