(2) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Vivas. Saxby combines a single koala's narrative with explanatory, expository prose that provides information about the species as a whole. Vivas's light-filled watercolors provide a buffer...even when a rattlesnake appears in a clearing, prompting an explanation of the ways koalas escape from danger. The narrative arc concludes with our protagonist finding a permanent home among the eucalyptus trees, while the expository portion extends to a scientific afterword. Ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Vivas. As Puffling grows and yearns to explore, his puffin parents assess his readiness ("When you are strong enough and tall enough and brave enough, you'll leave the burrow all by yourself"). The text conveys a sense of warmth and love (and a wee bit of melancholy). Beautifully textured, simply composed pastel and watercolor-pencil illustrations stretch across the double-page spreads.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Vivas. The concept of reincarnation is introduced through the many lives of a dog--some long, some short, some difficult, and some happy. Vivas's soft watercolor illustrations (more successful in portraying the playful, beloved pup owned by doting children than Dog in his wild incarnations) are more compelling than Manos's ambiguous text, which might have benefited from an explanatory author's note.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(2) PS Illustrated by Julie Vivas. In this bilingual edition of I Went Walking, the simple, repetitive text and bold illustrations make this guessing-game concept book (a child goes for a walk and collects a procession of colorful animals) work perfectly in a lap-size board book format. The text finds its own natural rhythm in Spanish. An excellent choice for early literacy efforts with Spanish-speaking toddlers.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1990

(2) PS Illustrated by Julie Vivas. Early in the morning, two siblings head down the hall to the "monster's cave," a tangle of blankets and snoring and hairy feet--and, when parents wake up, lots and lots of cuddling. The compact, rhythmic text is laden with ear-pleasing assonance and internal rhyme. Vivas's cherubically drawn children and soft lighting evoke the cozy morning hours.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2004

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Vivas. Woolf's imagination and Vivas's interpretation make a felicitous combination in this short tale--probably written in 1924 and first published in 1965--about the patterns on a curtain that come alive after Nurse Lugton, who is sewing it, falls asleep. Vivas's soft palette imaginatively reinforces the magical elements of the story in this slightly redesigned edition.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 1991

(4) PS Illustrated by Julie Vivas. A girl worries when an abandoned newborn pup she's been feeding won't open his eyes. Her uncle gives her silly instructions, but she can't remember them. After many tries, she finds the right combination, and the puppy opens his eyes. The unrealistic premise leaves the whole book feeling drawn out and pointless, but the rhythmic text and Vivas's distinctive, highly physical illustrations are humorous and appealing.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Vivas. While this Australian import describes a home birth, its focus on warmth and safety should comfort any child expecting a new sibling. Art and text convey emotion and action, and details in both concentrate on young Jack's point of view as he tells how he and his sisters, dad, and aunt are there as the midwife helps Mum deliver a healthy baby boy.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) Illustrated by Julie Vivas. In this simple, repetitive counting rhyme--just right for toddlers--a child and a dog go visiting, gathering a cheerful parade of baby animals along the way: one brown foal, two red calves, three black kittens, four pink piglets, five green ducklings, and six yellow puppies. After cavorting across the spacious white pages, everyone settles down for a nap in the hay.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert