(4) 1-3 Calico Kid: Carlos & Carmen series. Illustrated by Erika Meza. In these transitional readers, twins Carlos and Carmen Garcia celebrate the Fourth of July, try unsuccessfully to train their cat for a pet show, compromise on a Halloween costume, and go shopping for piñatas. The purposeful but cheery series boasts engaging-enough texts (with a smattering of Spanish words) and slick illustrations that pop with bold colors and vibrant energy. Glos. Review covers these Calico Kid: Carlos & Carmen titles: The Costume Contest, The Perfect Pinatas, The Pet Show Problem, and The Sparkly Night.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) 1-3 Notebook of Doom series. The members of the Super Secret Monster Patrol are at it again when they find mysterious footprints in the ground and random piles of candy everywhere. The trio suspects several monsters, but the kids eventually discover the real culprit of the destruction: the massive P-Rex ("Piñata-saurus Rex"). This fifth laugh-out-loud story includes black-and-white illustrations that will keep readers in stitches.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) PS A fine introduction to piñatas, this appealingly designed book uses mixed-media collage illustrations in vibrant colors to show all the toys, trinkets, and candy that go into a piñata. The bilingual text in English and Spanish is simple, straightforward, and attractively placed on the page. Included at the back are directions for making a piñata.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Claire B. Cotts. Manuela is deeply disappointed when she receives an altered dress of Mama's for her birthday instead of a new party dress. Out in the barn she sees her birthday party piñata and daydreams it's filled with "all the things her family needed." In a too-neat resolution, Manuela comes to appreciate what her family has done for her. Expressive, textured acrylic paintings enhance this story set in rural Mexico.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin