(4) K-3 A young girl is annoyed when a ghost elephant takes up residence in her home. When her parents turn a blind eye, she seeks advice from her quirky, ghost-loving grandmother, who leads her to "purveyor of oddities" Mr. Spectral and a secret box. The comical ending and vibrant, detail-rich watercolors help offset the young protagonist's overly sophisticated language.

Reviewer: Cyrena Musset

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Brian Selznick. Bothered that she hasn't seen her aunt Sarah for forty-five years, Annabelle Doll embarks on a search that takes her out of her protective dollhouse. She braves dangerous territory beyond the nursery to discover not only the answers to family secrets but also a whole new family of dolls. Black-and-white pencil drawings illustrate this lively addition to the doll-fantasy genre.

Reviewer: Cyrena Musset

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Susan Jeffers. In this edition of the well-loved and award-winning novel, the art both decorates and extends the text. But as Wells trims Field's prose and adds plot and character to make the story more active, Hitty loses her distinctive voice and her place as the story's primary subject. Better that readers return to the pleasures of Field's original Hitty.

Reviewer: Cyrena Musset | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Karen Dugan. The twin brothers of Lucas Cott (of the Class Clown series) are put in separate kindergartens in the same school. Marcus and Marius decide to switch places to settle an argument about who has the better teacher, but on the same day, their teachers decide to switch places to settle their own argument. This is irony at its humorous best for young readers, who will delight in anticipating the inevitable chaos.

Reviewer: Cyrena Musset | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 1998