(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jana Christy. In this heartstring-tugger, a mother who has cancer describes to her daughter everything that will be of comfort during treatment. The direct-address text, while reassuring, resorts to clichés ("...we will look back on this time and remember that love and kindness really are the best medicine"). Pleasant pastel-hued illustrations reflect the narrator's focus on the positive.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) PS Illustrated by Nadeem Zaidi. Each letter of the alphabet introduces a familiar word represented in a large, well-reproduced image of a famous artwork (e.g., G is for the girls in Renoir's Reading). Some children may find the accompanying questions stimulating (e.g., "Can you find two snakes?"), but others may prefer to look without mediation. Baby Einstein's trademark garish cartoon characters disrupt the format.

Reviewer: Nell Beram