(3) K-3 Fiercely & Friends series. Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. In four tightly connected episodic chapters, Jilli, Jim, and Jilli's dog Fiercely plant seeds for the upcoming Vegetable Parade and fend off a "garden monster" (read: Fiercely) until parade day. First-person narration and onomatopoeia add immediacy to prose carefully written for a new reader. Palmisciano playfully varies the perspective of her oil-pastel illustrations to add drama through visual hyperbole.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) K-3 Fiercely & Friends series. Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Jilli, her dog Fiercely, and best friend Jim are introduced in this early reader series. In four chapters, the kids' adventures involve imagination--and misunderstandings--as they help rambunctious Fiercely avoid a scary snow fox (who's neither scary nor a fox) and a supposed witch building a "Big Red Something" next door (a new schoolhouse). Chipper oil-pastel illustrations adorn the pages. Review covers these Fiercely & Friends titles: The Sneaky Snow Fox and The Big Something.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Fiercely & Friends series. Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Jilli, her dog Fiercely, and best friend Jim are introduced in this early reader series. In four chapters, the kids' adventures involve imagination--and misunderstandings--as they help rambunctious Fiercely avoid a scary snow fox (who's neither scary nor a fox) and a supposed witch building a "Big Red Something" next door (a new schoolhouse). Chipper oil-pastel illustrations adorn the pages. Review covers these Fiercely & Friends titles: The Sneaky Snow Fox and The Big Something.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Although Lulu loves to hear her Greek grandmother's exuberant singing, she finds it embarrassing enough in public that she worries about bringing her yaya to her school's Grandparents' Day picnic. When the picnic-goers enjoy Yaya's singing, Lulu comes to appreciate it, too. Pastel illustrations capture both Yaya's unselfconscious joy and Lulu's discomfort.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Lila and Jane are thrilled when elderly Miss Whitcomb lets them play with her elaborate dollhouse: "Children are what give a dollhouse its life and its magic, you know." Her unexpected death brings sadness, but the girls entertain the tantalizing thought that dollhouse magic is responsible when a young girl moves into Miss Whitcomb's house. Lighthearted illustrations help make the chapter book's Depression-era setting accessible.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Before country-bred Hannah boards the bus to visit her grandparents in the city, she buys her grandmother a present: a whistling teakettle with a little red bird on the top. When robbers arrive in grandma's candy shop, we know the whistling bird will save the day. Skolsky has a wonderful time bringing the mayhem to its climax, and gently caricatured Hannah and her grandparents help keep the outrageous theatrics in comic perspective.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2000

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. When his family leaves him behind while they go on vacation, Montezuma the dog decides to teach them to appreciate him more. He invites a smelly, ill-mannered mutt to greet the family on their return and is delighted to hear them say that they should have taken Montezuma with them. The energetic oil pastel illustrations add to the whimsical tone of the story.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. The Spaldeen Super Pinkie is the object of Annie's obsession. Everywhere she goes, Annie is accompanied by the soft, fuzzy, pink rubber ball, despite the many who prey on it--a teacher, a neighbor's dog, the building superintendent. Tension mounts when the building super catches Annie's ball, but the conflict is resolved satisfyingly. Animated illustrations match the fun of the story.

Reviewer: Charlotte S. Huck