(3) 4-6 Magnificent Book Of series. Illustrated by Simon Mendez & Val Walerczuk. After a brief introduction, double-page spreads portray thirty-six breeds of horses from the well-known (Thoroughbred) to the relatively obscure (Konik). Along with a large, realistic color portrait of each breed, the spreads contain chatty bullet points detailing the breed's history and a few other facts, usually emphasizing how tough and well-adapted to their environment the horses are; a "Fact file" gives further information on the breed's height, color, character, origin, and use (e.g., driving, riding, hauling, etc.). This browsable volume includes a world map pictorially indicating where each breed originated.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 4-6 An evil-genius French bulldog finds a secret laboratory that gives him the technology to start his plan of world domination. The canine supervillain's tale is told mostly in prose, with some insert pages of graphic-novel storytelling. Readers may wish the whole book was a graphic novel: the hilarious and energetic comics add originality to a silly yet tired plot.

Reviewer: Jessica Costello

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Roland Garrigue. From "Alphabeast" to "Zzeworries" ("They appear when least expected"), forty-nine (mostly male) monsters fill this monsterpedia's pages. Creepily craggy illustrations help the book achieve maximum blech-factor: "Creepinpoop," who "throws himself under your shoe"; the "Gickiegoober" is "a yucky bit in the middle of your plate of food"; etc. That the comical profiles grow cumulatively monotonous won't faze kids who like being grossed out.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Emma V. Moore. This is a straightforward retelling of a traditional Sanskrit tale that teaches "the biggest treasures come in packages that are very, very small." When King Bali's greed gets out of hand, Vamana, the Supreme Being, arrives and helps put things in perspective. Colorful and intricate if unpolished illustrations add a sense of place. A brief author's note provides context.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Roland Garrigue. This book offers silly advice to children looking to rid themselves of pesky zombies. As with previous series entries (How to Mash Monsters, etc.), the text occasionally stumbles in rhythm and reason, which could be attributed to the translation from French to English. Garrigue's illustrations, heavy on shades of zombie green, capture the comically grotesque subject matter. Sticker sheet included.

Reviewer: Shara Hardeson

(4) K-3 On each spread of this guess-the-animal book, several first-person sentences and natural-hued realistic illustrations give clues to an animal's identity. Readers open the flaps to reveal the species inside the egg (e.g., alligator, emu, butterfly), with text labeling and describing it. The book's fairly obvious visual and verbal hints are best for a younger audience.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Guy Troughton. A few simple sentences on the verso describe an unnamed animal's nesting behavior, while a large flap on the recto asks "Whose nest?"; the answer, and basic facts about the animal, lay beneath. Exquisitely composed and detailed watercolors in rich hues are the highlight of the book, whose eight varied subjects include a dormouse, eagle, bumblebee, clownfish, and gecko.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Small World series. Illustrated by Francesca D'Ottavi. "The little honeybee settles in the heart of a daisy's unfurling petals." In elegant text that verges on poetic, this is the story of a worker bee's life through the seasons, with information about queens, drones, diets, and structures along the way. The factually accurate narrative is illustrated with zoomed-in, neon-bright photorealistic illustrations; sidebar bubbles on each spread give additional information.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Small World series. Illustrated by Francesca D'Ottavi. Behavior, defense mechanisms, and life stages--from egg through larva, pupa, and adult beetle--are accurately explained as readers follow a single ladybug. Though information is clear, the poetic narration personifies the insect ("the brave little beetle"), and almost always uses the diminutive "little" before the noun. Bright, zoomed-in digital illustrations of a small world in large scale follow the text closely.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dominique Amendola. In the Indian village of Vrindavan, Krishna, "a child who did amazing mystical things," outsmarts god Brahma after he steals away children and their calves. Adapted from a Bhagavata Purana tale, the picture book may appeal to Hindu families. The storytelling is staid, but Amendola's lavish paintings and the ornamented book design make for a gorgeous package.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Roland Garrigue. Each of these books is a how-to meant to help children get the featured fiend to flee. The advice is original and quirky ("Ghosts...hate it when you sneeze, ACHOO! / And use them as a tissue!"), and the illustrations, some wordless, can be hilarious, as when a wolf is confronted by an army of minuscule Red Riding Hoods. Review covers these titles: How to Get Rid of Ghosts, How to Outwit Witches, and How to Ward Off Wolves.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Roland Garrigue. Each of these books is a how-to meant to help children get the featured fiend to flee. The advice is original and quirky ("Ghosts...hate it when you sneeze, ACHOO! / And use them as a tissue!"), and the illustrations, some wordless, can be hilarious, as when a wolf is confronted by an army of minuscule Red Riding Hoods. Review covers these titles: How to Get Rid of Ghosts, How to Outwit Witches, and How to Ward Off Wolves.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Roland Garrigue. Each of these books is a how-to meant to help children get the featured fiend to flee. The advice is original and quirky ("Ghosts...hate it when you sneeze, ACHOO! / And use them as a tissue!"), and the illustrations, some wordless, can be hilarious, as when a wolf is confronted by an army of minuscule Red Riding Hoods. Review covers these titles: How to Get Rid of Ghosts, How to Outwit Witches, and How to Ward Off Wolves.

Reviewer: Nell Beram