(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alexi Natchev. In a small village long ago, the once-close Lippa and Galinsky families feuded. With the rabbi, their children (who loved one another) enacted a plan to bring their families together for Seder so that Passover could truly be celebrated. How the whole village participates makes for a warmhearted story of reconciliation and togetherness. Strikingly painted woodcuts illustrate the Passover tale.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alexi Natchev. Urso Brunov, the thumb-sized "Little Father of All Bears," rescues a lost polar bear princess and her brother from wolves, then helps them return to their Arctic home. Jacques's descriptive language brings his picture book epic to life. Natchev's lushly set watercolor illustrations mesh well with the text to heighten the story's adventure.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Alexi Natchev & Alexi Natchev. The thumb-size but still commanding leader of a tribe of tiny bears sets out in the winter to retrieve four of his species who decided they preferred to migrate, like the geese, rather than hibernate. Told in an entertainingly grandiose storytelling style, the saga of Urso Brunov is accompanied by expressive watercolor illustrations of the obstacles and various creatures Urso encounters along the way.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(3) K-3 Road to Reading series. Illustrated by Alexi Natchev. Based on a traditional Jewish tale and presented in easy-reader format, this story of compassion is fully realized. Ella, Bella, and Stella, three kind sisters, work together to use their magic possessions to save a dying prince. The illustrations have a generalized European feeling, but the story isn't set in a specific place or country. An author's note provides information on one version of the tale.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alexi Natchev. The young Tsar Peter rejects the jealous witch Molnya, and she curses him with ruin when he chooses a bride. When Peter courts the Little Sister of the Sun, Molnya transforms herself into a giant baby and proceeds to devour his castle. Exuberant cartoonish illustrations bring out the humor in this deliciously scary tale.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alexi Natchev. When her kingdom's fortified walls are besieged by looting outlaws, Princess Birgitta and five brave children disguise themselves as goats and cleverly trick the outlaws into retreat. Lively acrylic paintings create a medieval setting for this well-told story, which an author's note informs readers is loosely based on an actual event during the Thirty Years War.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey