(3) 1-3 Down Girl and Sit series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Dogs Down Girl and Sit learn what happens when they leave fences behind while vacationing with their owners. At a dude ranch they meet Git Along, who explains about the ranch's varmints, including prairie dogs and and "ugly dogs" (coyotes). As in the pups' other adventures, this one features lots of silly jokes, some light adventure, and loads of fun.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. With its cheerful, rhythmic cadence, Myers's rhyming text begs to be read aloud: "We're after a cat, / a soft-stepping cat, / I'm walking with Dad and we're after a cat." Reed's gentle illustrations reveal a young girl who relishes the hunt--and her run-ins with other felines--as much as her reunion with the ever-wayward Luna.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. Poems from the perspective of the little guy: too short for amusement park rides, too small to stand up to bullies--but just the right size to play in a homemade fort or scoot through bigger kids' legs to the front of the ice-cream line. Adoff's writing captures childhood feelings and sensibilities, while Reed's colorful textured art adds action and humor.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) 1-3 Down Girl and Sit series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Along with friends Sit and Hush, average pet dog Down Girl tries and tries to train her master, Rruff, to understand that cats are bad and dogs just want food and attention, but it's awfully hard work. Young readers will be amused by this gentle canine story's dog's-eye-view of the world, accompanied by humorous illustrations.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. Each page shows many thousands of small dots laid out over digital art so that at the end of the book readers have seen a million. Although the methodology is confusing, Clements presents interesting facts (there are more than three hundred thousand kinds of beetles), and Reed's clever pictures effectively relay the scope of large numbers.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. Although the children love him, Morgan the puppy is a nuisance, chewing, howling, and stealing food. Dad returns him to the pound and brings home an older dog, but "she's not fun like Morgan." Morgan is also unhappy in his new home, so the two families swap dogs. The lively digitally rendered illustrations animate the dull text.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. In four short chapters, Down Girl, a shaggy dog, describes her life with her master Rruff and her next-door neighbor Sit. The dog's-eye view of the world creates amusing misunderstandings as Down Girl does her best to keep the neighborhood safe from squirrels, protect her master from the alarm clock, and deal with strange animals such as the one called "Here Kitty Kitty." Peppy drawings match the tone of the text.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. Twenty-one brief poems usher readers through fall and winter. From the first signs--"Fall sets fire / To the tips of trees"--to "Winter's End" when the "days are longer / the sun feels stronger," these poems shimmer like fresh snow with their evocative imagery. Acrylic illustrations nicely capture both the vivid colors of fall and the cool whites of winter. This seasonal collection is just right for primary classrooms.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. Noah's attempts to impress the kids in his new neighborhood don't backfire, exactly, but they land him in water just hot enough to keep readers entertained. Hurwitz gets the summer suburban-neighborhood setting just right. She uses her likable eight-year-old hero's new-kid status to introduce us to a cast of characters who, with any luck, will stick around for a sequel or two.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Reed. When he's pretending to be a firefighter, a police officer, an EMT, a garbage collector, or another worker committed to serving his community, a young boy is too busy to hug his mom. Children will respond to the titular refrain and to the satisfying conclusion, in which the hard-driving little boy shows his soft side. The warm illustrations play a pivotal role in bringing the boy's active imagination to life.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Little brother Mike wants to participate in the fifteen kilometer bike race, but Justin and Marissa say it's too long. Determined Mike practices by biking around the athletic field and the zoo. Diagrams in the pastel-style illustrations showing distances around a perimeter are out of scale, but the mild story and lesson go down easily. Related activities are appended.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Early Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Rhyme and repetition are used effectively to introduce very beginning readers to different types of boats. While ample visual cues are provided to aid in deciphering more challenging words, the illustrations have a grainy, dated look. The text is serviceable, but far from compelling.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) PS Illustrated by Mike Reed. In an effort to escape Shemama the Catcher, the Wild Waiyuuzee runs off into the mango grove. As the lively, rhythmic text follows the spirited chase, which involves nut-nut oil, a pig's tail comb, and beads, observant readers will discern the real story: a young African-American girl is trying to avoid her mother's braiding her hair. Reed's vibrant illustrations extend the spirit of the story, even if at times they overwhelm.

Reviewer: Mary R. Holt

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Mike Reed. Twenty-three brief poems reveal the school experiences from a variety of viewpoints. In "Good Morning," a school building anticipates the arrival of students; "Jack's Pencil" wants release from the dark confines of a desk; a cafeteria hot dog waits so long to be eaten it becomes a "Cold Dog on a Tray." The repetitive language and comic perspective will draw beginning readers in, as will the cheerful illustrations.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute