(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elsa Warnick. Using poetic language, Spinelli describes the daily routines that led up to Althea's bath when she was a child in the early 1900s: in summer, she used a washtub containing sun-warmed pump water; in winter, she bathed behind a sheet in the washtub in the kitchen. The book somehow manages nostalgia without sentimentality. Fittingly, the accomplished, soft-hued watercolor illustrations seem of another era.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Elsa Warnick. This loosely organized, text-heavy book looks at the migration patterns of various animals, focusing on caribou, lemmings, polar bears, elephants, bison, and nomadic humans. The profiles often explain general life cycle information in greater detail than migration habits. Warnick's soft watercolor illustrations decorate the discussion and add some sense of progression to the narrative.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Elsa Warnick. Spinelli celebrates the lives and migratory patterns of this rare species. Although her respect for these majestic birds is clearly evident, the poetry is inconsistent, with varying rhythms and rhyme schemes that make the book challenging to read aloud. Delicately hued watercolor paintings soar across the pages, mirroring the reverential tone of the poetry.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Elsa Warnick. Photographs by Elsa Warnick. In addition to the three objects mentioned in the title, the lively text discusses the history and development of many familiar conveniences from refrigerators to paper clips. The book is readable, with solid grounding in research, and the appeal of the amusing trivia is well supported by the historical underpinnings. Black-and-white photographs and illustrations accompany the text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1999

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Elsa Warnick. Soft watercolor impressions of ocean life accompany Simon's brief introduction to the constant movement of the earth's water and the plants and animals inhabiting it. The essay text explaining the migration journeys of nine animals offers interesting examples, but the overall concept gets rather lost in the smattering of information.

Reviewer: Margaret A. Bush