(4) PS Illustrated by Marco Bucci. These bedtime books employ the familiar structure of wishing others goodnight. Santa says goodnight to each of the reindeer, elves, and toys, but Rudolph needs an extra reminder to turn off his bright red nose (Reindeer). And readers follow a variety of forest animals from rising to "sleepy time" in Forest. Rough but simple rhymes are coupled with blurry detailed illustrations. Review covers these titles: Good Night, Forest and Good Night, Reindeer.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Willow's uncle hasn't danced since he was ostracized for it as a child. With his wedding to partner David fast approaching, sunny and energetic Willow helps Uncle Ash regain his love of the pastime. Though the narrative arc is uneven, Willow's relationship with her "two favorite uncles" is conveyed with warmth and dimension. Smiles dominate the cheery, colorful illustrations in this third Willow tale.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) PS Illustrated by Marco Bucci. These bedtime books employ the familiar structure of wishing others goodnight. Santa says goodnight to each of the reindeer, elves, and toys, but Rudolph needs an extra reminder to turn off his bright red nose (Reindeer). And readers follow a variety of forest animals from rising to "sleepy time" in Forest. Rough but simple rhymes are coupled with blurry detailed illustrations. Review covers these titles: Good Night, Forest and Good Night, Reindeer.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ruth McNally Barshaw. When two siblings adopt Leopold, a runaway circus lion, he becomes so lethargic that the circus won't take him back. With a new health regimen, Leopold returns to his former acrobatic self. The health messages are shoehorned in, and the circus situation is unclear. However, the secret-pet narrative is well executed and appealing, bolstered by dynamic visual depictions of Leopold and his transformation.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) PS "Teach me to run / with speed and grace. / I love the feel / of wind in my face." Singsongy rhymes serve as captions for a series of color photographs of baby animals. Most of the animal behaviors--swinging, hopping, playing, sleeping, etc.--are instinctive and not taught, but young children will likely find the crisply reproduced photos engaging.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Overhearing his mother say, "he's been a monster all day," gets a young boy thinking about doing things monsters do, like ignoring rules and manners. But monsters also scare people away, and loneliness helps him resolve to be a little boy instead. Moore's colorful, imaginative, and not-too-scary illustrations leaven this familiar tale told in lackluster rhyming couplets.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tim Bowers. Stu loves the chorus of sounds he hears emanating nightly from the zoo. When a developer threatens to tear it down, Stu conducts an emergency plan to save it: a concert performed by the zoo's residents. Expressive paintings outshine the text, which is a vehicle for a stream of idioms that do little to enhance the story. An "understanding idioms" guide is appended.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. When Willow and her family move to a new neighborhood, she involves everyone--including reclusive Mr. Larch--in gardening activities and the school charity drive. As spring and summer pass, the neighbors are asked to help Willow, who's "in need of snow!" Larch's turnaround strains credulity in this second feel-good story starring Willow. Detailed illustrations extend the text.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Creative Willow is out of place in severe Miss Hawthorn's art class, where uniformity and order are the rules. After Willow gives the teacher her favorite art book, Miss Hawthorn suddenly cuts loose and lets her artistic imagination run wild. The exuberant illustrations suit Willow's style, but the lesson about creativity, though worthwhile, is too heavy-handed.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Glenn Monroe. Strong-willed Grady is the last to hatch from a clutch of twelve eggs. She repeatedly wanders off, ignoring Momma goose's reminders to "stick together," and is left behind when the family migrates south. Painterly landscapes capture the shades of the changing seasons, as Grady finds her way back to her family. An author's note gives more information about Canada geese.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Monroe Donovan. Common English expressions--idioms, proverbs, adages, and clichés--are the subject of these poems. The illustrations show a modern American classroom with bland but realistic-looking children acting out sayings such as "please button your lip" and "do you have ants in your pants?" The explanations and the sources of these sayings are put in print too small for the intended audience.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt