(2) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Pitschi, dissatisfied with being a kitten, decides in turn to be a rooster (but doesn't like cockfights), a goat (but doesn't want to be milked), and a duck (but nearly drowns). Fussed over and given a party, at last she is happy to be herself. Six-color lithographs capture the acrobatics and attitudes of cats and are replete with child-appealing details.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: October, 1953

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. In this heavy-handed fable, Milo the mouse finds a glowing stone on his rocky island and learns environmental stewardship from a wise elder mouse. In a cleverly divided format, other mice either learn the same lesson ("The Happy Ending") or succumb to greediness ("The Sad Ending"). Soft greens and grays act as foils for Pfister's signature glitter, sprinkled this time on magical stones.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Friederike Groβekettler. Simon's excitement about learning how to ski evaporates after he falls and his older brother, Michael, teases him for "kissing the snow." But Simon soon learns that Michael is a newbie, too--at snowboarding. Basic skills (snowplowing, sidestepping) are reinforced by a snow elf character. The serviceable illustrations play up the having-fun-while-learning-something-new message. A few transitions in the translated text are jarring.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(2) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Annemarie van Haeringen. When Little Donkey and his mother shop for a birthday present for his friend, he selects a red kite. Loose pen-and-ink sketches capture Little Donkey's playfulness and his mother's mild nature, while the text's spare language spells out Little Donkey's dilemma: he wants to keep the kite. This friendly, honest tale of childhood covetousness is wrapped up with enormous affection.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2007

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Rabbit Daisy insists that she can dress herself for an outing to the park. After trying on everything (and trying her mother's patience), she ends up in the outfit her mother originally picked. Though the text can be choppy and the plot is as thin as Daisy's "favorite flowery summer dress," readers will enjoy the bright illustrations' humorous details. A paper doll is included.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Anna Laura Cantone. Snail slips out of her shell to take a bath. When she's done--and the shell is missing--she's sure it's been stolen. Snail interrogates everyone, and each animal defensively showcases its own unique home. Finally Snail happily discovers her shell right where she left it. The text's repetition gets a little grating, but the loose, colorful illustrations highlight the tale's silliness.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Duck's pompous friend, Toad, is busy reading and doesn't have time to talk about the pen Duck found. Duck decides to write his life story and have Toad read it aloud. The illustrations show that Duck's story is just scribbles, but Toad does a fine job interpreting the mess. A comforting message of friendship is embedded in this quirky tale.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Daniel Sohr. Readers will empathize with Tony, who becomes disenchanted with his old toy riding tractor after seeing his neighbor's fancy new one. He doesn't mind--at first--when he wrecks his tractor, but life is pretty boring without his favorite toy, so he asks Uncle Bob to help fix it. Expressive, homey illustrations offer a glimpse of Tony's life on a farm.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Xavière Devos. Just when Sunny the squirrel is most missing Milly, her hibernating marmot friend, a snowman comes alive and keeps Sunny company. Before melting he promises to come back next winter so she will have a friend whatever the season, an ending that is a bit too pat. The snowy illustrations, showing Sunny in snappy striped outfits, are easy on the eye.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Kathi Bhend. Twin humpbacked brothers, Morris and Boris, bear equal burdens with opposite attitudes. Morris, the kindly optimist, is in tune with nature and rewarded by the removal of his hump; selfish Boris rejects nature's invitations. Some of the illustrations are in color and some black and white; sharp eyes will spot the hidden animals in the tangled forest picture.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Alexandra Junge. Because her chick wants to hatch on Easter, Hilda the hen must figure out exactly what day that will be. Max the owl helps her keep track of time until Easter arrives--"the first Sunday after the first full moon that comes after the first day of spring." The illustrations give Hilda and her chick plenty of personality, but the story feels contrived.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Uli Waas. Three lonely snowmen try joining groups of people celebrating on Christmas Eve but are deterred by the heat and crowds they find indoors. Spirits are low until they are found by children who build a street full of snow people to celebrate together. While the illustrations are cheerful, the snowmen characters aren't developed enough to gather sympathy for their plight.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Buttons, angry at younger brother Bo, runs off into the forest, but Bo follows and they get lost. Buttons cleverly devises a game that Bo can play with him that will get them safely home. The overlong text tells a typical story of sibling rivalry--and love--but the illustrations featuring wide-eyed bear characters are full of atmosphere and feeling.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Alessandra Roberti. This story describes young Abel's budding friendship with a greedy wolf. Abel has left his parents' home to seek his future alone, and the cherished if prosaic gifts they bestow upon him allow him to eat well and befriend the angry wolf. Although the story has an abrupt ending, Roberti's illustrations are lush and moody, showing the forest as a mysterious place.

Reviewer: Sherry Eskin

(3) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. In the mountains of Bolivia, Felipa searches for the soul of her recently deceased grandmother but cannot find her. She finally does on the Day of the Dead, when the souls visit their loved ones. Illustrated with bold blocks of color and some Bolivian details of clothing, the story is quietly told, without mawkish sentiment. An explanation of the traditional celebration is appended.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Rolf Siegenthaler. When a gold coin falls from Santa's sleigh, the forest animals decide to give it to a kindly woodcutter who lives nearby. The woodcutter turns out to be Santa himself, who appreciates the return of his lucky coin. Originally published in German, this abruptly ending story has attractive illustrations that depict Santa living in a snowy wood instead of at the North Pole.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Ono, a curious piglet, gets into one kind of trouble after another. He starts the morning stuck in a rabbit hole and ends his adventures by knocking down a haystack. Each double-page spread tells a complete small story through a series of paneled watercolor and ink illustrations and facing text. Better suited for individual sharing than story hour, this is a predictable but cheerful book.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Felix Scheinberger. Rabbit Timmy wishes he were fearless like his bold and reckless friend Rocket. After misleading his mother about some missing carrots, Timmy learns that truthfulness requires courage. The didactic story's message of the merits of honesty is clear. The scratchy illustrations depict the bunny's family and friends in their woodland environs.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Filbert is flying along nicely when a seagull reminds him that penguins can't fly. Embarrassed, Filbert crash-lands and mopes. A seal reminds him about the things he can do (elegant waddling, ice dancing) and says "you can do anything you want to, if you just set your mind to it"; then the seal flies off. The silly conclusion and cartoony pictures of chubby animals soften the pointed lesson.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Birte Muller. Two ravens sitting in a tree grouse about winter, but a third longs to join the children below making snow angels. After the kids leave, his artless attempts earn his peers' derision, but the next day, the kids are convinced that a real angel has been there. Because Hächler doesn't sentimentalize, the story and close-ups of the guileless raven's clumsy maneuvers are unexpectedly moving.

Reviewer: Nell Beram