(4) K-3 Classic Fairy Tale Collection series. Illustrated by Bernhard Oberdieck. This retelling of one cat's braggadocio and trickery, while pleasant enough, isn't markedly enhanced by the serviceable paintings to be a necessary purchase. Cech's "About the Story" afterword, a regular series feature, does provide useful information about the tale's background.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Bernhard Oberdieck. This retelling hews close to the traditional Hans Christian Andersen version and might serve to replace worn-out copies of Paul Galdone's out-of-print edition. Oberdieck's illustrations convey the opulence of the palace, though his human figures are occasionally stiff. An author's note about Andersen's life and the history of "The Princess and the Pea" story is appended.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin