(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. "Would you like to travel through time?...Would you like to live underground?" This companion to You Choose has the same winning premise: readers take cues from open-ended questions and cheery cartoon illustrations to tell their own stories. The busy but orderly spreads are filled with story-element ideas, offering either concrete choices or detailed scenes as inspiration. This is refreshingly low-tech entertainment.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. The first spread of this inviting board book shows rosy-cheeked baby Sean mid-yawn. Yawns are contagious: Sean transfers his to “a scruffy, fluffy…cat,” who passes hers along to “a cheeping, chirping…bird,” and so on. In each instance, a large die-cut offers a peek inside the character’s gaping maw. Sharratt’s compositions are effectively spare, and Symes’s jauntily rhymed text is pleasingly repetitive.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2012

(2) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. When a monster is born, "there are two possibilities--either it's a FARAWAY-IN-THE-FORESTS monster, or...it's an UNDER-YOUR-BED monster." The pattern is looking at two options, eliminating one, and going with the other, leading to two more choices. The hilarious possibilities and bright mixed-media illustrations against alternating black and white backgrounds make this a great storytime selection. This new edition is slightly smaller than the original.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Having lived with an emotionally manipulative father her whole life, Beauty Cookson's self-esteem is almost nonexistent. When the abuse goes too far, however, she and her mother leave their home and start a new life. Beauty's journey from fear and powerlessness to strength and confidence is inspiringly portrayed.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Gemma's friend Alice is moving to Scotland, and both girls are distraught. They try running away from Alice's farewell party, almost catching the train to London. Gemma is disgraced; Alice moves away; the grownups are unsympathetic. The story manages an ending that is realistic but happy--while new horizons and new friends appear, Gemma and Alice remain "best friends forever."

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2008

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. In Daisy's latest escapade she decides to become a spy, complete with drawn-on mustache disguise. She speaks in secret code ("The ostriches will be swimming in tomato sauce this evening") and ends up feeling lonely because no one understands her--until 0035 and a Half (a.k.a. Mom) saves the day. The geometric art couldn't be more kid-pleasing nor the book's resolution more reassuring.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. When a monster is born, "there are two possibilities--either it's a FARAWAY-IN-THE-FORESTS monster, or...it's an UNDER-YOUR-BED monster." The pattern is looking at two options, eliminating one of them ("that's that"), and going with the other, which leads to two more possibilities. The hilarious possibilities and the bright mixed-media illustrations against alternating black and white backgrounds make this a great choice for storytime.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Pre-teen Floss adores her down-on-his-luck dad and decides to stay with him when Mum, stepfather, and baby brother move to Australia for six months. Some hair-raising adventures, happy coincidences, and a wish-fulfillment ending ensue. Wilson mixes familiar situations and concerns with a brisk pace. Comic-strip panels introduce each chapter, setting tone, illustrating Floss's feelings, and extending the action. Glos.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2007

(3) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt & Nick Sharratt. Don't let the title deceive you: the delightful array of pants celebrated in this bouncy, Dr. Seuss-style rhyme are all of the underwear variety. "Small pants, big pants / Giant frilly pig pants," "Fairy pants, hairy pants / Run away from scary pants!" and other humorous groupings are playfully depicted in Sharratt's black outlined, neon-colored pictures.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(3) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. This bilingual dictionary groups words in categories that will be familiar to children, such as "Let's play in the yard," "What do we like to wear?" and "Let's go to the toy store." A helpful introduction and a pronunciation guide will allow parents and teachers to make the most of this book. Sharratt's bright and colorful cartoon-style illustrations have definite kid appeal.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. A large, colorful format with clear and lively pictures presents a category of words in French and English on each spread ("What's in the park?" shows swing, bench, dog, etc.), while questions in word balloons prompt adults to use the book interactively with children. Nearly two hundred words are presented pictorially while the last three pages provide a pronunciation guide and list each word with its meaning and transliteration.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Tension rises between Spider and his friend Zachary during their school's Third-Grade Olympics. Spider acts like a know-it-all, and Zachary teases Spider about being the worst runner in the class, but the friends manage to work things out. Though the ending feels rushed and a bit anticlimactic, the story is fast paced and funny. Cartoon spot illustrations add to the humor.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Small for her size and overly protected by her frumpy mother, ten-year-old Mandy is the victim of frequent bullying by three girls in her class. When she befriends a brash and sophisticated girl who moves into a foster home across the street, Tanya's friendship gives Mandy the courage to face the torment at school and gain some independence from her mother. Black-and-white sketches help enliven a rather bland story.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Tough-talking ten-year-old Tracy, in and out of foster homes, finds herself back in a children's home once again. An aspiring writer, she strikes up a friendship with a journalist who visits the home to research a story. The diary format works well and provides a surprisingly well-rounded picture of the seemingly callous but lonely young girl. Sharratt's cartoon drawings help lighten the tone.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2001

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. After witnessing her best friend's death in a car accident, Jade finds it hard to make new friends, especially since Vicky's ghost comes back and jealously prevents her from trying. Class clown "Fatboy" Sam and Jade's teachers reach out to help. Set in England (with British-flavored language), this ghost story can be read lightly, yet it grapples with serious issues of grieving and moving on.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Daisy hates peas, so her mom tries to bribe her into eating them. But no matter how elaborate the bribes become, Daisy won't be swayed and eventually triumphs in this battle of wills. Bold cartoon illustrations enhance the tension: Daisy grows larger and angrier while her mother grows smaller and more desperate. Though the resolution is too easy, the story is funny.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. When mischievous Tom finds a can of red paint, he decides to coat the entire living room and all its contents. After Mom calms down, the cleanup and redecorating ensues. This well-paced tale, working in conjunction with the cheery, vibrant illustrations, demonstrates the relative difference between seconds, minutes, hours, and to a lesser degree, a day, weeks, months, and years.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) PS Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. This humorous look at the life of a knight answers a series of questions including "Do knights have TV?" and "What does the Fiery Dragon do?" The rhyming answers are silly and gentle, and, in the final cartoon-style illustration, the knight is falling asleep sucking his thumb. The rhymes are somewhat forced, but preschoolers will enjoy this introduction to knighthood.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Twelve brief poems by contemporary British authors celebrate various facets of the season. Subjects of the mostly rhyming verses include Christmas trees, school festivities, the birth of Jesus, Father Christmas, bells, and angels, but the selection seems curiously flat. Brightly colored and cheerful pictures accompany this slim volume of holiday poems for younger readers and listeners.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Spider Storch begs his annoying classmate Mary Grace Brennerman not to blab to the entire school that he's in a wedding with her. She agrees on the condition that he stop calling her names. Of course, her demands continue until Spider can't take any more. Willner-Pardo's writing is snappy, fast-paced, and funny, and Sharratt's cartoonlike spot illustrations add to the humor.

Reviewer: Mark Adam