(4) K-3 Illustrated by Andrés F. Landazábal. In this brightly illustrated retelling of the Judeo-Christian creation story, spanning from pre-existence up to the world of today, Adam and Eve's brown skin offers a welcome shift from typical Eurocentric depictions. However, a preachy author's note makes for an uninviting start, and the text, which struggles to follow the format of "This Is the House That Jack Built," feels stilted.

Reviewer: Rachel Marsh

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sonya Abby Soekarno. Accompanied by colorful cartoonlike illustrations, half-page first-person narratives introduce fifteen Old and New Testament women, including Eve, Hagar, Miriam, and Mary Magdalene. Each entry ends with the refrain: "God did great things for me--and I did great things for God." The relevant biblical verse is taken from the New International Version. The whole is slight, but religious or home settings may find this useful.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) PS Sing-It! series. Illustrated by Ande Cook. A traditional German carol and an African-American spiritual have some of their lyrics slightly reworked and an additional stanza added to make the religious message totally clear for children. The illustrators interpret the lyrics literally; Tree is rendered with bright color, the art in Mountain resembles woodcuts. Appended to each are activities, the song in sign language, and the score. Review covers these Sing-It! titles: Go Tell It on the Mountain and O Christmas Tree.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) PS Sing-It! series. Illustrated by Fiona King. A traditional German carol and an African-American spiritual have some of their lyrics slightly reworked and an additional stanza added to make the religious message totally clear for children. The illustrators interpret the lyrics literally; Tree is rendered with bright color, the art in Mountain resembles woodcuts. Appended to each are activities, the song in sign language, and the score. Review covers these Sing-It! titles: Go Tell It on the Mountain and O Christmas Tree.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 In drawings and words, children describe their fears (school, dogs, accidents, death, etc.) and the various ways they can overcome them (prayer, common sense, parents, etc.). The naive art is monotonous, and the book offers little that kids can't figure out for themselves; still, it's always nice to know you're not alone.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stacey Schuett & Stacey Schuett. Text and art work together well in this story of faith and love. On Tessa's sixth birthday, everyone is there but her father, snowed in at an airport. Tessa's birthday wish to celebrate with her father is answered--he arrives home and wakes her up for a snowy middle-of-the-night birthday surprise. Although the story may be too sweet for some, the richly colored illustrations capture the disappointment, then the joy of the reunion.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(4) K-3 Each of the Old Testament stories in this collection is retold and illustrated by children ages five to twelve. The book includes twenty of the best-known Bible stories, such as Adam and Eve and Noah's Ark. The tales are unevenly told: sometimes they're endearing, sometimes they're too thin. The guileless paintings by children may help kids in Sunday-school classes approach this material.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Alison Jay. The small format and soft pastel illustrations give a private and warm feel to this book of simple prayers. The prayers range from traditional to biblical to original. There are prayers for many needs and occasions, including ones for home, the world, animals, death, seasons, festivals, environment, quiet times, and nighttime. Several of the illustrations are repeated throughout the different sections.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Susan Field. Filleul retells the French folktale about an acrobat who decides to serve God by entering a monastery. Both he and the other monks eventually recognize that being a tumbler is also a way to glorify God. The storytelling is a bit choppy, but the curved lines and brush strokes of the illustrations convey the movement and spirit of the acrobatics. No source note is included.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stacey Schuett. Although her ornithology is questionable, Ketcham imbues this Christmas story and pourquoi tale with the feeling of a legend. A robin singes her feathers while fanning the fire in the stable to help warm the baby Jesus, and forever after she has a red breast. In thanks, Mary gives the robin directions so she and her descendants can fly south for the winter. The dark, earthy illustrations have a warm feeling that conveys the reverent mood of a quiet Nativity.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gail Newey. Adept illustrations in jewel tones accompany simple, accessible retellings of seventeen parables. No explanations of the stories are offered, other than the commentary that Jesus himself presented to his disciples, but Rock includes some background information about Jesus' ministry and introduces some of the parables by describing the situations that prompted Jesus to tell them.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) PS Illustrated by Liz Pichon. These verses, rhymes, and prayers and blessings to lull little ones to sleep include such classics as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Wee Willie Winkie," as well as less familiar offerings. Everyone and everything--sun, moon, animals, and even sleeping children--sport smiles in the color-saturated pictures decorating the pages. This is a sweet and pleasantly uncluttered collection of bedtime verse but not an especially outstanding one.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute