(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Ottley. Toby wears a bright orange parachute everywhere: it "made him feel safe." When someone else (his cat stuck in a treehouse) needs the parachute more than he, Toby understands that he is safe, even without it. Striking mixed-media illustrations play with perspective and height in almost-fantastical scenes that, paired with a spare text, allow readers to experience Toby's growth on their own terms.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Ottley. "Once there was a boy who had to leave his home...and find another." So begins a lad's solo journey by boat with few possessions, among them a teacup full of earth that grows into a food-and-shelter-providing tree. Equal parts parable and poem, Young's story, which features stormy seas and creatures seemingly spun from clouds, is tailor-made for Ottley's impasto art.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Ottley. Imaginative Luke feels out of place in art class until he visits a museum and finds that there are others who see the world in an abstract manner. Employing multiple styles, the illustrations move from the sterile images embraced by his discouraging teacher to the brilliantly colored, fantastic visions Luke sees in his mind. Although heavy-handed, this Australian import celebrates individuality.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin