(3) K-3 Illustrated by Britt Spencer. What do you get the king who has everything? In 1924, the ruler of Egypt promised the king of France a giraffe. The only problem was the creature's transport. St. George smoothly tells the story of young giraffe Zafara's voyage from Africa to Europe. Watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations in sun-kissed yellow and lush green hues depict the journey, based on actual events. Bib.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Britt Spencer. Good-natured yokel Quantz gets fleas from a dog. He then trades them for a passerby's annoying uncle, whom he trades for some Limburger cheese, and so on, until he's left with what he thinks is a worthless bone. Told with a rural twang and illustrated with comical down-home mixed-media illustrations, the story stays one satisfying step ahead of readers to the end.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Britt Spencer. This picture book biography focuses on FDR's boyhood. It describes how specific people and events in early life helped shape his presidency, particularly his commitment to social programs. Though the text's focus on Roosevelt's bourgeois hobbies (sailing, horseback riding) may alienate some readers, the story gives a human face to this historical figure. Lively caricatures don't go over the top. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter