(4) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Wilson. The young narrator's grandfather, with whom she shares a love of fishing, gives her a spinning rod and takes her on a trip to try it out. She catches a large muskie but ends up releasing the beautiful creature; her grandfather's reaction reveals the warm relationship between the two fishing buddies. Despite a few awkward places and inconsistencies, Wilson's watercolors offer sensitive portraits of both setting and characters.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Wilson. In a sentimental story of war-torn Eastern Europe, Anna's parents are refugees in a foreign country, doing factory work to get by. A gift of a nanny goat provides milk and warmth for Anna and her sister. The story lacks a narrative direction, but the loose episodes clearly depict the family's love of the goat. Wilson's Conté crayon drawings are old-fashioned and somber during the wartime scenes and grow more colorful in peacetime.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Wilson. After Ian's parents break up, Ian and his mother leave their farm for the city. Ian feels lonely and homesick, but then he gets to know Mr. Mah, an elderly Chinese man who has also suffered losses. Mr. Mah starts Ian on a garden, and their friendship helps them both make the transition to a new life. The realistic watercolor illustrations for this Canadian story include sensitive portraits of Ian and his older friend.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Janet Wilson. Sarah May secretly longs for a red dress to replace the practical navy blue one her mother has sewn. When the young girl gets caught in a rainstorm that washes away the dark dye, she gets to choose a new bright dye for her dress. In a sentimental frame, the story is told by an elderly Sarah May looking back at her rural childhood. Though occasionally stiff, Wilson's illustrations deliver the setting and action with skill.

Reviewer: Jennifer Polshek

(3) K-3 A young boy helps his grandfather harvest maple syrup from the maple grove that's been in their family for generations. The simple story, which takes readers through the process--from drilling holes in the trees to collecting the sap to sampling the finished product on pancakes--is filled with plenty of sensory details. Quiet oil paintings depict the first signs of spring in the woods.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.