(3) K-3 With new illustrations by four Minnesota artists (Cheng-Khee Chee, Janice Lee Porter, Mary GrandPré, and Stephen Gammell), this collection of seasonal poems will pull in readers with its mixture of simple and sophisticated rhyme schemes. Each section has its own visual flavor, ranging from the mystical pieces by GrandPré (known for her Harry Potter illustrations) to Porter's bold, fluid illustrations of a small American town.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Helen K. Davie. Esbensen's poem in celebration of the northern lights incorporates images from the aurora borealis legends of many ancient cultures, including white geese, dancers, whales, and battles. Luminescent illustrations in a subdued palette attempt to interpret the evocative descriptions. Notes about the legends as well as a scientific explanation of the northern lights are included.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(3) PS Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler. "Hey, Sun! Jump out of the dark. / Jump into the morning sky." A young girl jumps her way through the day, stopping long enough to appreciate those things--a cat, a frog, raindrops--jumping around her. The mixed-media illustrations rely heavily on the smooth, vivid tones of pastels and the fluid curved lines of both text and picture composition to convey this energetic romp in rhyme.

Reviewer: Suzy Schmidt

(4) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. The natural sponges people use for washing and bathing were once living animals, explains Esbensen in this book about sponge habitats, anatomy, and how they're harvested. However, the primarily descriptive text does little to explain how sponges are indeed animals. A helpful comparison to factory-produced artificial sponges is found near the back of the book. Cartoonlike illustrations accompany the text.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.