(4) K-3 All Aboard Reading series. Illustrated by True Kelley. An unrepentant cat spills milk, eats plants, and performs other acts of feline destruction to a constant but ineffective chorus of "bad, bad cat!" His family worries when he strays from home one day; when he eventually returns, they welcome back their "good, bad cat." The story describes realistic cat behavior but lacks charm. The cartoonlike illustrations provide clues to help new readers decipher the text.

Reviewer: Kathleen Smith

(4) 4-6 Creative Lives series. Suitable for report writers, the books in this series depict their subjects as sometimes flawed individuals with realistic hopes and fears. Sidebars provide quotations and historical context. Photographs and illustrations enliven the text, but the busy page design is distracting. Each book includes a timeline. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Coco Chanel.]

Reviewer: Kathleen Smith

(4) 4-6 Creative Lives series. Suitable for report writers, the books in this series depict their subjects as sometimes flawed individuals with realistic hopes and fears. Sidebars provide quotations and historical context. Photographs and illustrations enliven the text, but the busy page design is distracting. Each book includes a timeline. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Coco Chanel.]

Reviewer: Kathleen Smith

(4) 4-6 Creative Lives series. The books in this series effectively relate the cultural relevance of these two subjects and don't shy away from depicting unflattering or controversial events in each artist's personal life. Sidebars provide relevant quotations and historical context. Ample photographs (and in Picasso, reproductions of paintings) enliven the text, but the busy page design is distracting. Each book includes a timeline. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Frank Lloyd Wright and Pablo Picasso.]

Reviewer: Kathleen Smith

(4) 4-6 Creative Lives series. Suitable for report writers, the books in this series depict their subjects as sometimes flawed individuals with realistic hopes and fears. Sidebars provide quotations and historical context. Photographs and illustrations enliven the text, but the busy page design is distracting. Each book includes a timeline. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Coco Chanel.]

Reviewer: Kathleen Smith

(4) 4-6 Creative Lives series. The books in this series effectively relate the cultural relevance of these two subjects and don't shy away from depicting unflattering or controversial events in each artist's personal life. Sidebars provide relevant quotations and historical context. Ample photographs (and in Picasso, reproductions of paintings) enliven the text, but the busy page design is distracting. Each book includes a timeline. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Frank Lloyd Wright and Pablo Picasso.]

Reviewer: Kathleen Smith