(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. "Tough Tom," "Minnie," "Sylvie, the Boss." Each one of these thirteen playful poems profiles a cat, giving readers a glimpse at his or her feline personality. The cats narrate their own verses, and cat lovers especially will recognize their pets' behaviors in these poems. Moser's dynamic watercolors capture each subject's attitude and character.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Skilley the cat finds the "purrfect" job at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn. There he poses as a mouser, but he's actually protecting the large mouse community in exchange for cheese. As he befriends the mice and fights a cruel alley cat, he's drawn into the world of Charles Dickens and even Queen Victoria. Witty wordplay and detailed pencil drawings abound. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Poet Kumin describes, in rhymed couplets, the humorous personality and highly entertaining exploits of horse Harry. The old plug calms skittish colts and--in a satisfying, horse-centric twist--tames the stable owner's ornery grandson. The horse's sly looks break the fourth wall in Moser's realistic watercolors, revealing the goofier side of horse ownership.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Barry Moser. In December 1941, Winston Churchill spent the holidays with Franklin Roosevelt. They formed an alliance to fight the Axis Powers and crafted a charter for the United Nations. Wood's snapshot of this moment in history includes a few humorous anecdotes that add levity to an otherwise solemn text. Moser based his impressive watercolors on photographs from the period.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2011

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Ellie's imaginary friend, Billy Lee, offers her companionship, comfort, and encouragement throughout unspecified hard times. The sentimental story touches on hoped-for snowfall, a grandma who believes in magic, hard-working parents, Christmas gifts, and good news for the future, all moving toward a predictable warm-and-fuzzy conclusion. Moser's detailed, luminous paintings show a loving family in a cool winter landscape.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. In this witty text, complete with amusing invented words, elder mice warn the youngsters against venturing into the night: "If those who swoop or them that pounce / Glimpse just a whisk! an inch! an ounce! / Jaw-claws will trounce a wayward mouse." However, foolish Jam Boy ignores these words of wisdom. Moser's deep-hued, moonlit illustrations are suspenseful and humorous.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. In Palatini's humorous take on Aesop's "The Fox and the Grapes," Fox enlists Bear, Beaver, Porcupine, and Possum to help grab some out-of-reach fruit. Concocting an elaborate scheme, Fox ignores the other animals' simpler, sounder solutions ("'I can give the tree a shake,' said Bear"). Moser's considered watercolors show realistic-looking creatures displaying human responses, from calculating to exasperated.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA Illustrated by Barry Moser. Schmidt's interpretation of John Bunyan's seventeenth-century Christian allegory is as much a story about dedication and perseverance as it is about faith. The skillful retelling manages to create a sense of wonder without heavy-handed moralizing. Moser's richly evocative watercolors depict the pilgrim Christian, those he meets, and trials he encounters. This new edition is a small-format version of Schmidt's 1994 retelling.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(3) K-3 Master Illustrator series. Moser sets his version of the well-known psalm in the serenity of the Caribbean islands, showing a shepherd boy tenderly caring for his flock. Subdued paintings in muted shades of blue, brown, green, and stunning violet extend the text, underscoring its message of peace and assurance. An interlude of serenity in a tumultuous world.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Pig Christopher Hogwood, lured out into the springtime sunshine, can't resist the gardener's juicy lettuces and the rich soil of the neighbor's lush lawn. This results in a great chase that even involves law enforcement. Moser's illustrations display the messy indulgence of this enormous swine, while the story, told from Hogwood's point of view, conveys his genial personality.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) YA A three-page introduction presents the idea of westerns as expressions of American individualism. This collection then features fourteen short stories by well-known authors (Louis L'Amour, Elmore Leonard, Annie Proulx, O. Henry) and excerpts from seven novels (e.g., The Virginian, Shane, Lonesome Dove). Twenty-two of Moser's distinctive, dramatically spare yet expressive woodblock engravings complete the package.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA These twenty short stories include works by classic suspense/horror authors (Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King) and writers known for their work in less creepy arenas (E. Nesbit, Winston Churchill). Some of the stories are just not that scary; the real draw is Moser's satisfyingly dark, emblematic, sometimes gory woodcut illustrations. A brief introduction to the history of horror is included.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Barry Moser. The late master storyteller marshals her prodigious power to relate the life of Moses. The striking watercolor illustrations set on creamy paper are framed and captioned. They are particularly arresting because of the use of light--sometimes blindingly bright, sometimes dark--to effectively magnify moments in the text.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. In this take-off on "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," a modern-day troll charges a dollar to use his bridge. The three goats join forces with several other folktale characters, including the Three Bears, until they have enough coins to pay the toll. Moser's watercolors, full of humorous contemporary details, are a good match for the clever wordplay in this tale.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Taken together, this collection offers an intriguing account of how hummingbirds construct nests and raise their young. Each crisp, brief verse provides a glimpse of a different aspect of the birds' lives. The fresh, delicate watercolors echo the gentle, informative tone of the text.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. This story incorporates some authentically scary motifs from African-American oral tradition. The plot pits a capriciously vituperative witch, Wee Winnie, against Uncle Big Anthony, who's considerably diminished in the process. Moser's fierce illustrations reflect a reality of historical suffering. Give this book to kids who beg to be chilled and thrilled--but be sure they mean it.

Reviewer: Betsy Hearne | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2004

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Barry Moser & Barry Moser. On parchment-colored paper, with Moser's desert-toned, arid-looking art showing the various occupations portrayed, this series of free verse poems speaks in the voices of ancient Egyptian workers--from scribe to embalmer to clothes-washer. The verse is picturesque and apt, signaling an ancient culture without being stiff, and the accurate illustrations complete the portrait. Historical note. Bib.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. A young boy describes coming to terms with his brother's death of an undisclosed illness. The lyrical text, laid out as verse, is disturbing (the narrator learns to "make a bed with your brother / in it, / your brother still / as a whisper") and moving (Gram helps the dying boy stitch a quilt showing things he loved). Moser's remarkable graphite on gray paper illustrations resemble snapshots of this family in happier times.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. When Chucky Ducky feels the ground grumble and rumble, he runs off to warn the other barnyard animals: "The earth is crumbling! Why, it's a quake!" While some of the wordplay may go over the heads of young readers, they may nonetheless enjoy this take on "Henny Penny," illustrated with lively watercolors.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) PS Illustrated by Cara Moser & Barry Moser. Truman is a very large dog who, like a toddler, needs supervision and reprimanding as he gets caught drinking from the toilet, helping himself to a sandwich on the counter, and not sharing his toys with a much-smaller dog friend. While there isn't much of a story, young readers will enjoy the humorous touches in the appropriately large watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey