(4) K-3 Illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb. Rose doesn't like the pigeons "crazy Birdman" feeds in the park. Birdman gives Rose some seeds, and when she lays them out on her windowsill sans soil and water, birds as colorful as flowers come to eat them. The story's ending is somewhat confusing, but its vernacular dialogue and vibrant, broad brush-stroke illustrations add interest.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) 4-6 Celie's best friend has moved away, and her family is entrenched in various war-at-home (its 1943) projects. Lonely, Celie befriends a visiting neighbor and spends the summer caring for a monkey her father brought home. Characterization is sacrificed for an overabundance of plot lines. However, the problems with keeping a wild animal are well-portrayed, and Celie's struggles in this arena are intriguing.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Leslie Bowman & Leslie Bowman. Nine-year-old Meggie resents the time her mother puts in helping smelly Old Sam, a needy former mental hospital patient who showed up at church one day and stayed. While Buchanan rarely lets up on her heavy-handed message about empathy, Meggie's frustration with her mother and her guilt about her own feelings toward Sam are realistically depicted.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn