(4) K-3 The familiar story of the birth of Christ is paraphrased from the New Testament and combined with movable pictures. Four illustrations in the book feature vertical slats that shift to reveal a new scene when a flap is lifted or a page is turned. With pastel illustrations, it's an eye-catching, if gimmicky, presentation.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sophy Williams. Pullman adds his own original and often witty flourishes, through both language and story detail, to this retelling of Aladdin's adventures. The handsome paintings also contain many imaginative details, but oddly enough the locales in the illustrations don't always match Pullman's introduction, in which he sets the story in China. Still, this oversize volume is appealing, especially for reading aloud.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Sophy Williams. The stories of how the moon and sun came to be, how the big bear and the little bear were placed in the stars, and how Orion was killed by Scorpio are retold in this volume illustrated with plentiful color vignettes (but no star maps). McCaughrean takes tales from every part of the globe and stamps them with her signature mix of poetic language and slight playfulness.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sophy Williams. Young Jamie misses his parents while waiting at home for the arrival of his baby sister. Aunt Isabel tells him how she and his uncle had waited for Jamie's own birth years before. Rich in detail, the story intrigues him, distracting him from his loneliness and helping him look forward to meeting the baby. Soft illustrations deftly capture the range of emotions in this reassuring, well-told story.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale