(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. In this whimsical how-to, a young child in a red dress with white polka dots follows­ the offstage narrator's instructions, beginning with how to shrink: "Put a rose petal in your pocket at sunrise, near a riverbank where dragonflies live." The girl is cautioned to return to the same spot by sunset or the spell will be permanent. Next, she uses a blade of grass to lasso a well-dressed dragonfly named Priscilla. Together, the two joust with a bumblebee ("thistle spears make good jousting lances"), meet the queen bee, and enjoy tea with fairies since "dragonflies are often invited to parties." There are some close calls: an angry fairy attempts revenge for her stained clothes, and a hungry frog nearly catches Priscilla. Soft watercolor and ink illustrations match the text's fanciful tone; the engaging pond creatures bring liveliness to this magical world.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) PS Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. A toad inadvertently sets off on an adventure--and encounters trouble with a bee, cricket, dog, and gust of wind--before finally latching on to a pair of sneakers that return him to his original spot, bringing the story full circle. Chantable rhymed text pairs well with brightly colored art, and the side-of-the-road landscape and its small creatures provide big comedy, excitement, and personality.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(2) PS Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Unhappy about starting school, Sophie (Sophie's Squash) insists her squash Bonnie and Baxter are "all the friends I need." Over time, cracks appear in Sophie's resolve to keep all nonsquash at arm's length, to the benefit of tenacious Steven Green. The text and loose-lined watercolor and ink illustrations treat quirky-kid behavior respectfully, rooting the story firmly in a child's world of small dramas and big feelings.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Lula Mae wants a dog, but her hardscrabble farming parents say no. In an innovative workaround, she not only designates a chicken as her pet dog but sets out to show Pookie's worthiness for the role. Pookie and the other chickens, with their personalities and anarchic demented energy, steal the show in Wilsdorf's illustrations. This is a lively celebration of making-do.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Sophie loves her friend Bernice. But Bernice is aging, and it's clear her life is nearing its end. Sophie is sad. What saves this from being saccharine is a single, brilliant narrative stroke: Bernice is a squash. It's a good joke, fully supported by Wilsdorf's disheveled, lumpy, personality-rich characters and rooted in kids' loyalties to their stuffed animals and other endowed objects.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Three short tales center on a spunky bunny family: the little bunnies must cope with a spilled berry pie on a trip to Grandma's; they're thrilled when baby bunny takes a first hop; and big sister must settle the younger ones down for their naps. The bouncy, playful language and energetic, humorous watercolor illustrations make these stories delightful read-alouds.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Accustomed to peace and quiet, house cat Homer suddenly finds himself out on the street, bounding from post office to firehouse to train station until he discovers his owner reading aloud to children at the library. Watercolor and collage illustrations, alongside satisfying rhymed text, picture the feline's erratic journey and his "purr-fect" new daytime haunt.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. "Thelonious was some cool cat--for a mouse." While his parents tiptoe around feline Fat Cat, Thelonious can't stop dancing and scat-singing. Patient readers (and the text does go on) will be rewarded with the revelation that cat and mouse make beautiful music together. This tribute to jazz great Thelonious Monk features bebop-ish lines of text and comparatively subdued art.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. When tomboy Emma receives a pink ballerina costume from her uncle, her efforts to float, flutter, and twirl land her in a petunia patch, birdbath, etc. The story's "be yourself" message is common enough in the picture book world, but this tale feels fresh because Emma is so sympathetic: as the illustrations of her loose-limbed pratfalls show, she's giving it her all.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Loizeaux stands Kafka on his head, as young cockroach Clarence awakens as a roach-sized human. Shocked, the other cockroaches quarantine him. When they're spotted in the kitchen and an exterminator is called, it's up to Clarence to work out a truce between the cockroach colony members and their human hosts. Amusing black-and-white illustrations enhance this quirky and amiable adventure.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Humorous watercolors match the tongue-twisting text in this laugh-out-loud tale of what happens when too many dogs leap, pounce, jump, and snuggle their way on and off the family bed--displacing their human companions. The story's amusing conclusion offers a comforting solution that keeps everyone warm and happy.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. To win a writing contest, a young author consults her family for ideas. She tries out each suggestion--action, humor, pathos, romance--in turn. But it isn't until she follows her mother's advice and writes from the heart that she pens a story to be proud of. Lively energy and imagination permeate both the watercolor and ink illustrations and the warm text.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. She's got the sticks and the rhythm--all Maybelle needs is a drum. When she brings home eleven crocodiles (as drum substitutes), her parents beg her to "choose any drum, my dear... / Just get them out of here NOW!" The staccato rhyming text has energy but can be tongue-twisting; the action-packed illustrations enhance the silly plot.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Every Halloween Bernadette seems to pick the perfect costume, but her hand-me-downs never quite work for her younger sister, Angela. When Angela decides to make an original costume, she finally has an outstanding Halloween of her own. The humorous watercolor illustrations are a treat, with detailed Halloween scenes that will help kids come up with costume ideas for themselves.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Seven-year-old Ruby Lu practices her magic tricks, attends Chinese school on Saturdays, and prepares for the arrival of relatives newly emigrating from China. Ruby is a spunky child--and Wilsdorf's angular sketches are as full of life as Ruby herself. The text is more difficult than the format suggests because the language is peppered with Chinese words and poetic expressions.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf & Anne Wilsdorf. Reading the colorful Cajun expressions aloud with a genuine accent may help hold a young audience's attention through this lengthy tall tale. Comical illustrations chronicle the plucky protagonist's adventures as she survives the hurricane that separates her from her Bayou home and family and deposits her into the midst of a growing alligator family that welcomes her as their own.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr