(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sakshi Mangal. On busy spreads, cartooned "seed students" learn from teacher Ms. Petal how each of them grows at its own rate and into its own type of plant. One "little lost seed" (an acorn) eventually learns he's both like the other seeds and ultimately different. A hokey but effective enough kindergarten botanical lesson that can easily be applied to a child's own development.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Clover Robin. This attractive book outlines, in very broad terms, the origins of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. The brain child of conservationist Frank Chapman in 1899, it's grown to become the "longest-running citizen science project and wildlife census in the world." Collage is used to great effect to portray a host of different bird species, their habitats, and the humans who count them every year.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bob Hansman & Jovan Hansman. Fourteen poems in various styles by twelve poets, including Jane Yolen, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Paul Janeczko, reflect on human sea migration from the fifteenth century to the present day. The moving collection focuses on migrants' struggles during significant historical events (the Middle Passage; Mediterranean refugee crisis). Sea-related quotes throughout and appended notes provide additional context. Evocative and beautifully designed mixed-media illustrations mimic archival images.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Theo Cobb. Vicki Cobb begins with in-depth discussions of the physical science underlying hurricane development and formation (air pressure, states of matter, and energy). She then turns to the technology used to model hurricane formation and the research that investigates the possibility--and potential downside--of tinkering with hurricanes to minimize their impact on developed areas. Many quality photographs and illustrated diagrams are included. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Twenty double-page spreads cover all things related to eyes: anatomical details, range of sight, color perception, vision correction, medical conditions, optical illusions, and more. The richer content focuses on human eyesight, but there are tidbits on animal eyes. The presentation includes engaging color photos and some hard-to-decipher diagrams. The intriguing if scattered information may spark further research. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) PS Illustrated by Alea Marley. "Everybody's somewhere, / Where are you? / I'm right here, / I'm somebody, too." Rhymes with little regard for meter describe where people might be, in terms concrete ("Somebody is flying, / Someone's in a car") and abstract ("Nowhere is somewhere"). Cut-paper-like illustrations, showing an ethnically diverse cast of kids in a variety of settings, accompany this well-meaning but murky object-permanence lesson.

Reviewer: Nell Beram