(4) 4-6 Eight tall tales relate the misadventures of young Mark and his friends, including a stink-bomb war, a cookie catastrophe, an epic boogie-boarding wipe-out, and a Halloween dare gone wrong. Nostalgic for a time "waaaaaay back," not particularly politically correct, and frequently featuring gross-out humor, this collection definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea. But with its strong pacing and preteen-boy sensibility, it's undeniably entertaining.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 Translated by Jeannette Squires Okur. Illustrated by Erdinç Semen. These fables culled from the writings of thirteenth-century Persian poet Rumi stress virtue, good will, understanding, pragmatism, and respect for the human spirit. Like Aesop's, many of these tales involve animal characters whose actions instill reflective and moralistic interpretations of behavior and life. Each concludes with a moral. Unremarkable black-and-white sketches illustrate the text.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. In this very simple story, Daniel takes care of his pet, a baby chick. Warm illustrations show the dedicated boy and his growing pet ("Daniel fed Jen every day. Jen got very big"). The Spanish translation is fairly accurate, though there are a few omissions from the English and a wrong word in the second appended activity.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. Illustrated by Christopher Denise. In this "Little Red Hen" takeoff, Digger Pig's friends refuse to help her make a turnip pie. Since they did not help, Digger Pig doesn't share the pie. Though the pages are crowded with both English and Spanish text, the use of repetition and simple vocabulary will encourage new readers. Cheerful textured illustrations show a cozy farm environment.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. Illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee. When Mom and Pop Nash find their hens' eggs are missing, they hide in a shed and catch a wolf in the act. They trap him and learn he's been painting the eggs not eating them...which gives them an idea. Yee's animated illustrations help play up the humor. This bilingual edition has some minor flaws in the translation from English to Spanish.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. Illustrated by Daniel Moreton. In this bilingual edition, Gill's friends lead him to believe that they forgot his birthday only to surprise him with a party. The story is slight, but the vocabulary is accessible(though there is one incorrect Spanish translation). The bright, eye-catching digital illustrations provide visual cues for early readers. An art activity is appended.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Daniel and his friends wonder what will hatch from the egg Daniel finds. In this bilingual edition, the text on a few of the pages is hard to follow, as the English and Spanish seem to run together and the pages look cramped. The translation itself is fine, but a separate Spanish edition might have worked better.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. A charismatic alligator describes his feelings and personal attributes. The brief sentences such as "I like who I am" and "I like what I do" are easy to translate, and where appropriate, the translation takes liberties that preserve meaning ("Sometimes I am blue" becomes "Sometimes I am sad" in Spanish). Expressive jewel-toned illustrations show the alligator's many sides.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(4) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. As Big Brown Bear tries to paint his tree house, he gets knocked off his ladder not once but twice by a little bear. The rhyming English-language text creates humor with statements that require the illustrations for full comprehension ("Bear was up. Bear comes down"). Unfortunately, the Spanish translation can't replicate the simple rhymes that make the English work so well.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) K-3 Colección Luz Verde series. One little dinosaur isn't afraid of the big T. rex as all the other dinosaurs are. The little dinosaur taunts the larger one with the refrain "Catch me if you can!" We discover at the end that the big dinosaur is the little one's grandfather. Both the Spanish translation and the bilingual format work well.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Joung Un Kim. Sid the snake panics when he begins to molt, until his mother explains he's not sick but growing. He then happily shows off his new rattle to his friends. Though the book is unnecessarily split into two chapters, the text's word repetition will encourage new readers, while bright pastel illustrations will keep them engaged. Superfluous reading questions and activities are appended.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David McPhail. Nicholas wants his "own place": he feels cramped in his house, his yard, and his room, which he shares with his younger brother, who valiantly creates a space that Nicholas can call his own. Newly emergent readers will be seduced by McPhail's unmistakable sketchy-line-filled art recalling Sendak at his cheeriest. Two rather tired activities are appended.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 On a windy day, Pam loses her red hat. With her dog at her heels, Pam gives chase, but she needs her friend Dan's help to get her hat back. Playful illustrations add interest to the simple text. Superfluous wind and hat activities follow the story.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barbara Hranilovich. When Lisa draws a mouse, it runs "skimper scamper" off the paper and makes a mess. She draws a cat and then a dog, but the mess gets worse until she bribes them to stop. Playful illustrations accompany the story. This imaginative idea is weakened by the book's short format. An unnecessary craft idea (with poor instructions) is appended.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Sam the cat wants to play with his friends Max and Hap as they jump into a bag, but the smaller cat finds it is harder to do than it looks. With playful illustrations that help tell the story, this one-sentence-per-page text with lots of repetition is perfect for those just starting to read. Superfluous activities and reading questions are appended.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Joe Cepeda. Even though she lacks confidence, Ann finds that she can play soccer, climb a rope, and run a race with encouragement from her coach and friends. Illustrated with richly colored art, the thin plot is supplemented by back matter that includes questions based on the story, a step-by-step "I Can Do It" art activity, and tips to help a child read.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 After rabbit Jack helps his sick friend Rick, Jack decides that a nap is in order--and climbs into the bed with Rick. This story about friendship contains barely fifty words, but they add up to more, and McPhail's gentle images of his anthropomorphized-but-still-dignified protagonists are winning. The book ends with an activity and "Think about It" questions.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst. Lucy, a quiet girl with six rambunctious brothers, escapes to the peace of the library. When the librarian gives her a special book, Lucy uses it to calm her noisy brothers. Short sentences and simple dialogue make this story, with cartoonish illustrations, engaging. Superfluous reading questions and activities follow the text.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Two short chapters, each containing less than fifty words, describe the activities of a couple of friends. The first is a simple rhyme about apple-picking. In the second, one friend surprises the other with a snail found on the garden path. In textbook fashion, the pleasantly illustrated beginning reader also includes questions to consider and two superfluous activities.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. Todd's mother pesters him to keep up during their walk through the park. When he presents her with a box of park artifacts (e.g., leaves, a pine cone, an acorn) he has collected, she is thrilled. A more charming story couldn't have been crafted from sixty-four simple words, and Westcott's art in springtime hues is effervescent. The book ends with "Think about It" questions and two activities.

Reviewer: Nell Beram