(4) PS Illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell. Adar, adopted from Ethiopia (per the flag on his "Gotcha Day" scrapbook), goes to the airport with his brother and father to meet Mommy and his new baby sister from China. The rhymes are sometimes strained and the messages on birth and adoption rather muddled, but spirited illustrations offer humorous glimpses of family life and make good use of "photos" from the children's adoption scrapbooks.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) PS Illustrated by Joseph Cowman. This alphabet rhyme/activity book mash-up walks preschoolers through what to expect when starting kindergarten. A generic rhyming text with awkward irregular rhythms is paired with pleasant-enough illustrations featuring a diverse group of children getting ready and looking excited; "Kinder Countdown" and "Kinder Challenge" sidebars (tangentially related to the letter) contain some useful activities and school-preparation ideas for families.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nick Ward. "Feed the dog our peas and carrots. / Fa la la la la la la la la! / Food tastes better when you wear it. / Fa la la la la la la la la." The lyrics of the familiar carol have been rewritten to capture the chaos of a holiday family gathering, with a houseful of rowdy cousins and overworked grownups. Fresh and funny.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013