(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood Smith. Old MacDonald has a farm; Señor Pancho has a rancho. You'll hear "cock-a-doodle-doo" and "peep" on the farm; Pancho's gallo says "quiquiriquí" and his pollito says "pío." But when the cow and una vaca get together: "Here a moo, there a muu. / Everywhere a moo muu." The energetic illustrations are a good match for the lively reworked lyrics, which include Spanish words and animal sounds.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood Smith. One lazy Sunday at the zoo, the Snow Leopard sneezes ("Ah-chooOO!"), and the African Elephant follows suit ("RRRrrr-eeeEEE-ahh- / PHOOOO!!!"), setting off a chain reaction of noise and flying debris that the tireless zookeeper finally stops. Readers may or may not note the story's ultimate pointlessness (other than to amuse). Smith gets the mood right: equal parts mayhem and merriment.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. When bedtime comes, young Dan has other plans. His list of stall tactics rolls on and on with such wacky diversions as, "Wrap my tummy like a mummy!" and "Walkie-talkie with Milwaukee!" The raucous rhyme is matched by high-energy mixed-media illustrations depicting a victorious Dan who finally triumphs when Mom and Dad fall asleep first.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. This exuberant look at the 523-year-old (give or take) hot dog provides a historical backdrop to the economical, no-fuss food. The text describes the frank's evolution from sausage and examines its enduring popularity. One senses that Sylver and Smith, who supplies gag-filled cartoony art, could make the history of lint entertaining. Sidebars share additional facts; two recipes are included. Reading list, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. This young readers' version of Watanabe's Problem Solving 101 lays out child-friendly strategies for facing life's challenges. After introducing the topic of problem solving, the text examines three cases along with suggested step-by-step solutions. Charts, logic trees, lists, and graphs are among the visual aids that, along with Smith's humorous cartoonlike illustrations, drive messages home.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. Catfish Kate's all-girl band is disturbing Skink and his Skunktail Boys, who are trying to read. So begins a swamp war ultimately squelched by Kate's clever thinking. Young readers will get a kick out of this lesson in conflict resolution (Skink: "What's a compromise?"), while older kids may observe a gender war peacefully quelled. The art features pint-sized characters with jumbo personalities.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. School-related puns abound in this early-reader collection of riddles and other goofy jokes. While there is nothing particularly new here, young children will enjoy the obvious, goofy jokes and may get valuable reading practice as they deliver their standup. Playful muted illustrations and italicized punch lines add context and clues to help young readers get the jokes.

Reviewer: Betsy Murray

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. Under silly headings such as "War and Pees," Goodman gives readers the poop on, well, pee. Included in the informative text are facts about humans (astronauts urinate in funnels nicknamed "Mr. Thirsty"), animals (female elephants poop and pee simultaneously), and uses for pee (WWI soldiers used "urine-soaked cloths" as gas masks). Smith's cartoonish illustrations nicely complement the potty humor.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 Viking Easy-to-Read series. Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. In three simply written episodes, pirates Pete and Joe visit their rambunctious mom, the Pirate Queen; share a meal of eels, crabs, and jellyfish; and go bowling at Disco Dan's House of Pins. There's not a lot of plot, but the cartoony color illustrations are bright and comical and the prose has a freewheeling, rollicking quality ("Yo ho ho and away they go!") that will engage young readers.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. This volume briefly describes the biological function of human elimination, recounts the history of toilets and toilet paper, and explains what happens to waste after it's flushed away. A breezy tone and comical illustrations keep things fairly tasteful, even when exploring such topics as the amount and frequency of animal elimination and the souvenirs one can buy at Alaska's Moose Dropping Festival.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(2) PS Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. Written in concise, catchy verse and illustrated in a retro-cartoon style, this upbeat picture book has a fresh charm and an easy sense of humor. With tools, plans, and cheerful expressions, a man, a woman, and a dog set off to build a house. The humor of the dog's participation is played up by the similar shapes of all three builders--round bodies, long heads, and skinny limbs. Builders big and small will be most satisfied with the results.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2003

(3) K-3 Viking Easy-to-Read series. Illustrated by Elwood H. Smith. With just the right amount of gusto and enthusiasm, this likable duo humbly embraces the pirating life. Inherent goodness and a fear of the water, however, keep Pirate Pete and Pirate Joe on dry land in these three stories. An accessible text combines effectively with cartoonlike illustrations, presenting a high-energy adventure for early readers.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale