(4) K-3 Asian Hall of Fame series. Illustrated by Juan Calle. Ethan and Emma follow their noses to a restaurant serving noodle soup. Then, red panda Dao, "guide to the many fabulous creations from Asia," takes them on a rather hokey tour of ramen's history, popularity, manufacture, and transformation into the instant variety. Calle's matte candy colors with grainy lines create a slick but energetic anime-esque style. Romanized Japanese words appear throughout the text. Glos.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) K-3 Translated by Carissa Duan. Illustrated by James Yamasaki. In the English/Chinese bilingual edition (Chinese translation not evaluated) of an original fable, a hungry ghost in Beijing sets his sights on a plump little boy. The clever kid convinces the ghost to follow a recipe for "boy dumplings" ("1 chubby boy, 10 pounds stinky garlic..."), which requires many distracting errands for supplies. Ghoulish watercolor illustrations occasionally veer into garish territory.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Julio is afraid to go to sleep until his papa explains to him that every culture has heroes to battle monsters. Though non-rhyming, the simple text has a pleasant rhythm in both Spanish and English. Many cultures and time periods are represented by the brightly colored heroes battling the multitudes of cartoonish monsters that clutter each spread.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie

(4) K-3 In the "eat-or-be-eaten world" of the (pre-dinosaur) Permian Period, a lizard-like reptile humorously engages a huge Dimetrodon in a series of silly games to distract the creature from devouring it. Different-colored fonts scattered across busy spreads may confuse some readers, but dinosaur fans will enjoy extending their interests to this earlier prehistoric era. The endpapers feature a Permian field guide.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 A young crocodile and a tiger cub bicker over who's the scariest. Each page builds upon the last, with the little beasts one-upping each other, progressively adding fearsome traits to their laundry lists. Adorably, it turns out they're both bluffing ("wait, where did our moms go?"). Derrick's watercolors are inviting but unpolished. The endpapers feature a field guide of India's jungle animals.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Translated by Akiko Hisa. In a playful story presented in English and Japanese, a boy climbs onto a cloud and flies high above the city. Delicately drawn mixed-media art contains amusing details--the people below don't just look like bugs, they are bugs; cars are toy cars; construction workers build with giant wooden blocks. Speech bubbles contain common Japanese phrases, translated at the back.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) K-3 Sid, a squid, tries his tentacles at a variety of jobs--traffic cop, line cook, dog walker--none of which works out. Finally, his friend Alice brings him to a place that could use a marine-cephalopod employee: the aquarium. Humorous and dramatic illustrations from DreamWorks animator Derrick are the book's highlight; the text drags.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden