(4) K-3 Translated by Jill Davis. On a rainy day in the country, the unnamed and ungendered narrator wants only to play a handheld electronic game. Forced outside, the child encounters talking snails then discovers the wonders of nature. The didactic story is further weakened by its unnecessary fantasy element, but beautiful mixed-media illustrations evoke the mood and strikingly contrast a bright orange rain slicker with the damp, dull woods.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino. Elderly Harry recounts a remarkable boyhood run to child runner Liam before Liam's own race. The old Brit vividly describes the day's heat, the pain, the meeting of a girl who would become his sweetheart, and the rewards at race's end: the sea and a giant ice cream. Rubbino's charming illustrations are in grayscale for the present and full color for the well-remembered past.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 Barnard profiles six marine species--jellyfish, orcas, sea turtles, tuna, corals, and blue-green algae--and speculates on these creatures' fates in light of climate change, overfishing, and pollution. The discussion touches on how science and innovation can help slow down or counteract damage, but Barnard doesn't sugarcoat the situation. Detailed (uncaptioned) paintings accompany the dire warnings. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sébastien Mourrain. As a toddler, Little Pea is so tiny he bathes in a bowl and sleeps in a matchbox. The boy discovers at school that he is too small for the real world. But all ends well: grown-up ("but not much") Little Pea ultimately finds his niche as a stamp artist. The story's message is forced, but charming illustrations create an appealing world in small scale.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) K-3 This British import purports to show what is above and below in several habitats. Spot illustrations with one or two facts per animal/plant face a full-page spread with a horizontal flap. The conceit succeeds in cases such as "The River," where trees are above and fish are below, but for others the format makes less sense (are rhinos really below the savannah?).

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) 4-6 This overview of insects has solid information, interesting facts, logical organization, and excellent photos, most by the author. However, the jokey tone and lame slang (e.g., Collard urges "shouting 'righteous exoskeleton, dude!' next time you pass an insect on the street") won't be for everyone. A useful survey for readers with a tolerance for cheesy humor. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 How Nature Works series. Well designed and illustrated with captivating photos, this volume introduces animals that glide, including rodents, frogs, lizards, and snakes. Most live in forests and gliding helps them move from tree to tree without descending to the ground. The engaging text includes the evolution and adaptations of gliders and a discussion of gliding vs. flying and gliding vs. parachuting. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Jacoby. In rhymed text that sometimes misses the mark, parent-child animal pairs flee dangers to go home. Hardship is emphasized in the refrain: "This road is hard, this road is long, / this road that leads us home." Watercolor and digital-media illustrations of barbed wire, prowling wolves, and dark shadows contribute to the feeling of fear, slightly mitigated by softly colored final pictures of safety.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) PS Sometimes-bumpy couplets take readers through a Goodnight Moon–type bidding of goodnights to things around the world, from ships and trains to animals and plants to stars, finally ending with a toddler in bed. The bedroom scene reveals that the objects are actually toys in the room. Charcoal and watercolor illustrations use rounded shapes and soft colors but include some jarring compositions.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) K-3 A small boy celebrates being different and solitary in this small sweet book. His best friend Bertolt, an old oak, serves as a place to climb, hide, and play. When the tree dies after a harsh winter, the boy is at first devastated but then devises a clever plan to honor his friend. Scribbly line drawings with impressionistic color details add character.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 In the third Lemoncello title, Kyle and other trustees of the Lemoncello Library attempt another challenge: "The Fabulous Fact-Finding Frenzy." Traveling by bookmobile, plane, and bicycle, the teams race around digging up facts on famous Americans. When negative information on Mr. Lemoncello surfaces, the kid-researchers dig deeper into the truth. Built-in book recommendations and an emphasis on real facts make this a standout literary adventure.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe. A fable with an unexpected ending. In the spring, a gold leaf appears in the forest. One animal after another snatches the leaf for itself, resulting in its destruction. When the next spring brings another gold leaf, the animals are delighted one has returned and allow it to just be. Lovely stylized illustrations with gold-leaf accents softly depict the forest wildlife and the changing seasons.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 Dog Chronicles series. Illustrated by Michael G. Montgomery. Leo, a tough ratting dog aboard Magellan's ship Trinidad, tells the harrowing tale of the quest to sail around the world. Details of the filth, hunger, vermin, mutinies, cruelty, and death that plague the expedition create a vivid picture of Magellan's voyage. Human characters include scribe Antonio Pigafetta, whose scrupulously recorded notes remain today. End notes add context. Reading list. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) PS Illustrated by Sean Julian. A paean to parent-child love through the eyes of a (not gendered) adult polar bear and cub. In calming rhymed text, the parent takes the child through the year, explaining what will change with each season as well as what will not change: the parent's love. Gentle illustrations in a soft, snowy palette reinforce the sweetness and togetherness. Nice treatment of an overdone premise.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) 4-6 In alternating chapters, twelve-year-old Lily and her grandfather's circus elephant, Queenie Grace, tell how Lily's grandfather's death affects both child and animal. The prose can be awkward and the plot predictable, but circus-life details are engaging, and readers will feel empathy for both the child (who has abandonment issues courtesy of her distant trapeze-artist mom) and the elephant (whom Lily fights to protect from mistreatment).

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisa Cinar. Not-so-humble fourth grader Clara (Clara Humble and the Not-So-Super Powers) is thrilled to discover that her favorite TV game show, Smarty Pants, is coming to town. Confident she'll win, Clara begins training. But best friend Bradley is acting strangely, and Clara is uneasy with the show's girls-versus-boys set-up. Humor, ethical issues, and Clara's comics-style doodles are a winning combination in this second book.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 School is tough for eleven-year-old Matthew: he is bullied and may fail math. To earn extra credit, he creates a business plan, relying on his passion for sled-dog racing to create a sled school for other kids. Matthew's growth is believably gradual, while Johnson skillfully incorporates math into the text; animal lovers will welcome the information about dogs and racing.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) K-3 Translated by Kathryn Bishop. Illustrated by Eve Tharlet. Even though marmot Bruno knows it's time to hibernate, he doesn't want to sleep. His animal friends suggest Bruno spend the winter (awake) with them, but he reluctantly hunkers down. Then, as Bruno hibernates, his winter dreams have him flying alongside swallows, climbing mountains with goats, etc.: "Anything is possible in dreams." Full-spread, earth-toned paintings create an attractive rural landscape for the heavy-handed story.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Melissa Castrillón. This engaging fictionalized account of Mary Anning's scientific curiosity begins in 1807 Lyme Regis, England, where eight-year-old Mary lives with her poor family. Mary shares her father's passion for finding fossils, and after his death she finds, at age twelve, what is later called an Ichthyosaurus. Extensive end notes are appended to the well-researched novel. Reading list.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) K-3 When lonely Panda spies another panda, he tries to make friends the way he sees other animals doing so (dancing like flamingoes, bouncing like lemurs, etc.). Each attempt fails until he offers to share food. An unoriginal story is bolstered by the book's spare art and elegant design: silver and white pages are offset by the bright colors of other animals and leafy-green bamboo.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene