(3) PS Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. In a prehistoric world, mother dinosaurs and early mammals urge their young ones to soar, snarl, hunt, or hatch. T. rexes, triceratops, and woolly mammoths romp through the full-page illustrations that accompany each verse of this enjoyable reworking of "Over in the Meadow." The end material provides facts about each of the creatures mentioned.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Outraged when his owner brings home a kitten, Bandit the cat runs away. He changes his mind--only to find himself locked out by mistake. After the kitten helps him get back inside, Bandit warms to her enough to provide a satisfying (if predictable) resolution. The illustrations' comic-strip look and Bandit's grumpy reaction are entertaining, though his nicknames for the kitten grow tiresome.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Buzz the bee loves to fly...until she finds a newspaper article claiming that bees can't fly. Convinced, she falls from the sky with a "PLIP." It's not until she's called upon to fly again--and save the day--that she gains her confidence. The text will ring true with the young worrying set; Nguyen's oil and Photoshop illustrations are vibrantly detailed.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Cameron loves Grandma--but no one could love the rainbow-striped, button-bedecked sweater she knit for him. Only after the sweater has survived three creative attempts at destruction does Cameron learn its true meaning--and what he means to Grandma. The text, though didactic, is warm-hearted. The illustrations effectively play with light and shadow. Knitting instructions are appended.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. After their car breaks down, a father and son are towed to the primate-populated Gorilla Garage. In singsongy rhyme, the text describes the humans' surprise at being the only people among a group of apes waiting for their autos. Digitally colored pen-and-ink illustrations work hard to elevate the story above its one-note joke.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. In this Little Black Sambo takeoff, Little Britches, on her way to the rodeo, encounters rattlesnakes who threaten to "s-s-swaller" her up. The clever cowgirl trades them items of clothing, and the rattlers argue over who's finest. Little Britches's resourcefulness is to be commended, and the earthy palette of the funny illustrations of snakes in Western gear complements the desert setting.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Bandit the cat doesn't understand that it's moving day. He runs away (back to his old house) only to realize that home is where your possessions are. Bandit's sarcastic comments and stale puns are forced into text that does little more than describe what's shown in the stylish illustrations. A digital pop-art-style dot pattern adds background texture to the pictures.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. When a boy arrives late for school, his teacher raises her eyebrow in disbelief as he describes his harrowing adventures getting there. Acrylic paintings add humorous details to his escapades battling the wild wind gusting outside. Clever design elements (e.g., the teacher's skeptical interruptions are set in red type: "Now, really..." "I find that hard to believe!") also add spark.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Larger and fiercer jungle animals displace smaller ones ("Elephant was bigger than Hippo, so Hippo splashed out of the pond") until baby Monkey stands up to Leopard, which triggers a ripple effect for sharing and friendship. Textured, expressive pencil and watercolor illustrations aptly depict the jungle hierarchy. The unabashedly didactic text presents a message of empowerment.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Control-freak Hilary can't understand why no one wants to come to her tea parties. Finally, a giant chameleon and her own Stuffy Bear set Hilary straight. This weird, winking tale includes deft details, but the gloomy olive-and-pink art with skewed perspectives may not speak to readers who are uninterested in sour-faced protagonists in quasi-creepy settings.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. Learning that Stella will be the school play's "star," her parents treat her like a diva--only to discover she is playing the part of an actual celestial body and has just one line. Their contrition for their mania goes right over Stella's head--as it may over the young audience's heads. Still, the message is right-on, and Nguyen's images of sweet, guileless Stella are affecting.

Reviewer: Nell Beram