(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Christine Roussey. Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list. Review covers these Little People, Big Dreams titles: Harriet Tubman, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, L. M. Montgomery, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(3) PS Illustrated by Christine Roussey. A young girl realizes that she can take on any role she can imagine--without even leaving her bedroom. She imagines being a jungle explorer, racecar driver, office worker, rock star, and more. Bright, whimsical illustrations with naive, childlike accents set each scene; die-cut cardstock pages--graduated in size and oriented vertically--emphasize the girl's ever-expanding musings.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) PS Illustrated by Christine Roussey. A large cutout star on the cover invites young readers inside this sentimental book. After a small girl's grandma gives her a special treasure box, the girl thinks about what special things to store in it. As she ponders the things, feelings, and memories she treasures most, the simple, whimsical spreads include lift-the-flaps that reveal drawings related to the girl's joy and happiness.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) PS Illustrated by Christine Roussey. In this French import, a young girl explores human moods by describing her feelings ("I bob along gently like a balloon on a string...lazy and slow"), then identifying the emotion ("my heart is calm"). The colors outlining cardstock die-cut hearts vary appropriately with the emotion, but some illustrations are mysterious: why is an elephant spraying the girl on the "sad" page?

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) PS Illustrated by Christine Roussey. A girl remembers how once she "was afraid of everything!" Now she has coping skills: holding Mom's hand when dogs bark, realizing she had a nightmare. Now she can listen to Dad's spooky story and reassure her little sister when she is afraid. Clean line art pairs with scribbly childlike drawings on thick cardstock; many of the book's die-cuts don't enhance page turns.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) PS Illustrated by Christine Roussey. The story of a little girl preparing to become a sibling is thoughtfully presented on sturdy pages. From the left side, the "mama's belly" (Mama's face is unseen) grows rounder and flaps reveal a growing baby; the right page shows the sibling-to-be in gleeful anticipation. White backgrounds allow the black lines, simple patterns, and spare colors to pop.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson