(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott. After umpteen haphazard return trips home to retrieve forgotten items, a family of seven finally makes it to the beach--just as a storm hits. Short lines of rhymed text let the hilarity unfold as the saga grows increasingly preposterous. Lively illustrations capture the silly fun and the frenetic pace of a good day gone bad, then good again.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Doug Chayka. After their seaside home is destroyed by a storm, a family comes to terms with their loss by spending the following summer in a tent at the same site. The melancholy tale brightens only slightly as the children learn to appreciate new traditions. Luminous paintings capture the contemplative mood.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 It's 1950s Brooklyn, and Luke desperately wants to play baseball. His grandmother takes him to Ebbets Field for inspiration. Unfortunately, a sweet and promising tale turns saccharine when a ghostlike Jackie Robinson appears to Luke, proclaiming, "Your grandma was right. You can't give up." Nuanced illustrations of urban scenes evoke nostalgia for family, childhood, and baseball in a bygone era.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) PS From "one / little tickle / on a lovely, sleepy head" and onward through ten, a baby is awakened and prepared for the day as family members each discover a new place to tickle. Virtually identical to Katz's Counting Kisses--and just as cloying--the playful text, warm palette, flattened perspectives, and cheerful patterns depict a family doting on their wriggly, delighted baby.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. In a uniquely designed picture book biography, an exploration of the life and motivation of the renowned escape artist is periodically interspersed with depictions of his most famous stunts, narrated by a spirited impresario. Lush oil paintings capture everything from nuanced facial expressions to dramatic outdoor scenes, extending the well-crafted account. Bib.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by C. F. Payne. A larger-than-life Babe Ruth hovers over the Boston Red Sox at critical moments from his sale to the Yankees after the 1919 season through eighty-six years of World Series drought. Despite some affected dialogue and an awkward tale-within-a-tale format, an entertaining story is made more so through humorous illustrations featuring a wryly grinning Babe triggering Boston's most notorious losses. Bib.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) PS Illustrated by John Segal. "I am yours / You are mine. / Mama loves you, / Porcupine," begins this series of rhymed quatrains expressing the love of animal mothers for their little ones. While some verses are better constructed than others, mothers and babies will appreciate the genuine warmth throughout. Segal's art features large-scale animals rendered against plain backdrops, suitable for the young audience.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) PS A family of dogs in a red car, two pigs on a tandem bicycle, and a menagerie of other animals head to the beach in a parade of vehicles. Taylor's illustrations depict friendly dot-eyed animals reminiscent of Inkpen's Kipper; each spread is full of action and clever detail without becoming cluttered. Unfortunately, the accompanying brief text is extremely disjointed.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) PS Illustrated by Jill Barton. In a warm tale, Duckling, his parents, and his loving extended family all await the day "their" pale blue egg reveals a new baby duck. Jealousy plays no role here; rather, inquisitive Duckling learns about his own birth and truly feels responsibility for and pride over his egg sibling. Barton's expressive watercolor and pencil illustrations are appropriately full of life.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli. In a story combining themes from three northern European folktales, a princess accomplishes nearly insurmountable feats in order to rescue her beloved prince. The long but compelling narrative features an imperfect but spirited heroine, a bevy of well-chosen magical elements, and well-crafted prose. Romantic illustrations in hues of pink and blue capture the enchanted northern landscape.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by James Proimos. When Dad goes out of town, the family dog assumes not only his shirt and tie but also his responsibilities and personality. The narrative deflates an intriguing premise by relying on tired puns and stereotypes ("Like Dad, he wouldn't give up the remote") for its humor, which is more effectively conveyed by the large-scale book's full-page cartoony illustrations, featuring a blue dog with human proportions.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Places in American History series. The construction and significance of six American monuments are explored through stock photos and unexceptional text geared to the second-grade student. Each volume introduces noteworthy figures involved in the building project and describes each structure as it appears today. First report writers will find adequate information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Places in American History titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of Liberty, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Places in American History series. The construction and significance of six American monuments are explored through stock photos and unexceptional text geared to the second-grade student. Each volume introduces noteworthy figures involved in the building project and describes each structure as it appears today. First report writers will find adequate information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Places in American History titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of Liberty, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Places in American History series. The construction and significance of six American monuments are explored through stock photos and unexceptional text geared to the second-grade student. Each volume introduces noteworthy figures involved in the building project and describes each structure as it appears today. First report writers will find adequate information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Places in American History titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of Liberty, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Places in American History series. The construction and significance of six American monuments are explored through stock photos and unexceptional text geared to the second-grade student. Each volume introduces noteworthy figures involved in the building project and describes each structure as it appears today. First report writers will find adequate information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Places in American History titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of Liberty, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Places in American History series. The construction and significance of six American monuments are explored through stock photos and unexceptional text geared to the second-grade student. Each volume introduces noteworthy figures involved in the building project and describes each structure as it appears today. First report writers will find adequate information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Places in American History titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of Liberty, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Places in American History series. The construction and significance of six American monuments are explored through stock photos and unexceptional text geared to the second-grade student. Each volume introduces noteworthy figures involved in the building project and describes each structure as it appears today. First report writers will find adequate information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Places in American History titles: The Golden Gate Bridge, The Liberty Bell, Mount Rushmore, The Statue of Liberty, The Washington Monument, and The White House.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) PS When Sally's pet Scoot, a dog, chases a red balloon into the "big wide world," he enjoys his first taste of freedom, but is soon eager to return home. Boxall uses a few well-placed lines--a gleeful grin, perky ears, a raised tail--to depict a canine character who preschoolers can easily appreciate. The simple, sweet tale perfectly captures the bond between child and pet.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) PS Illustrated by Stephanie Boey. When Little Duck hatches and finds himself all alone, a variety of animals help him make his way to the pond, where his mother eagerly receives him. The tale is bland, but many of the softly detailed illustrations are framed with rich borders of meadow flowers, feathers, eggs, and insects; embossed highlights invite exploring by little fingers.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa. "Night is to moon / as day is to sun," begins two siblings' rhyming, seaside romp through the world of analogies. A day at the beach serves as a suitable backdrop for exploring linguistic relationships, but, while the analogies are correctly constructed, the device grows a bit tiresome. Energetic, brightly hued illustrations add a hint of whimsy to each word pair.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin