(3) 4-6 Fifth grader Celia Chow has always been messy and disorganized, which is why her scientist father builds her a high-tech robot for her birthday. Chang deftly combines the story's sci-fi elements (i.e., Celia's interaction with her robot) with the endearing narrator's everyday problems, from wanting to spend more time with her workaholic parents to dealing with the school bully's teasing.

Reviewer: Marika Jeffrey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lori McElrath-Eslick. Da Wei, a poor farmer, inherits a beautiful mountain-shaped rock from his father. The rock's magic enables him to visit an undersea world and bring back a kitten, which is later transformed into the woman he marries. The fanciful story has traditional elements that strongly resemble crane wife folktales. The atmospheric oil paintings are expressive, but the artist's depiction of Da Wei isn't consistent.

Reviewer: Chyn Feng Sun