(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. Thirty-four poems cover the highs and lows of big sisterhood. Fourth-grader Jess describes life with almost-four-year-old Emma, who adores and simultaneously annoys her sister. The straightforward, honest poems contain a range of feelings: embarrassment, fury, affection. Likewise, Carpenter's illustrations capture both the endearing and irritating qualities of preschool-aged girls, while the expressions on Jess's face capture every nuance of her emotions.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Stringer. "Folding a snake? / Need advice? / Be precissssssse." Thirty-two very short poems celebrate origami animals. From morning to bedtime, a young boy adds to his menagerie and attends to his creations (in "Rabbit Complains": "Unbend my ear! / I can't hear / a word / you are / saying"). Stringer's acrylic illustrations bring the creations to life.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir

(3) PS Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. "Lift me up! / A flying feeling. / I can almost / touch the ceiling." A toddler describes her day spent in the arms (or within easy reach) of her loving father. The book will have great appeal for the littlest readers, who will enjoy its rhythms, energy, and spring-hued watercolors. Readers-aloud will appreciate its merciful brevity.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Moser. Taken together, this collection offers an intriguing account of how hummingbirds construct nests and raise their young. Each crisp, brief verse provides a glimpse of a different aspect of the birds' lives. The fresh, delicate watercolors echo the gentle, informative tone of the text.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(3) PS Illustrated by Maggie Smith. A young girl can find only one of her mittens, but she cleverly invents plenty of uses for it. "One mitten is a hat / for a rooster's head, / or a very small / mitten-bag bed." When the lost mitten turns up, she finds "lots of / two-mitten things" to do as well. Cheerful illustrations with well-chosen details complement this sprightly rhyme.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(1) PS Illustrated by June Otani. In this follow-up to Little Dog Poems, Little Dog hosts a sleepover when big dog Duncan, a rangy Irish wolfhound, comes for a visit. As in the first book, the verses themselves could hardly be shorter, but they are just the right size for Little Dog and little kids. The layout of the poems is harmoniously designed both for sense and for interplay with Otani's beguilingly casual watercolor sketches.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2002

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Debbie Tilley. This accessible collection traces a girl's journey through the first year of middle school. In short poems in a variety of forms, the girl faces the challenges of making friends, figuring out the mysteries of her locker and the "endless corridor[s]," getting dressed in the un-privacy of the locker room. Though the too-young illustrations don't help, the poems are unpretentious and down-to-earth; the voice is believably that of a twelve-year-old.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2003

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Kiesler. The pleasure and surprises of going camping are conveyed in eighteen brief poems. Familiar camping experiences--including pitching a tent, sleeping in a sleeping bag, and watching a chipmunk--are described, in addition to more unusual experiences like walking through a field of mustard, seeing a moose, and discovering a cave. Richly colored paintings enhance the verses.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(3) PS Illustrated by Maggie Smith. When the young narrator receives a book as a gift, he discovers its many functions: he can read it himself, wear it like a hat, and entertain the baby. Finally, it inspires the cuddling session that precedes his nap. The meticulous, candy-colored illustrations are inviting, and preschoolers will enjoy tracking a busy cat and stuffed elephant who appear on nearly every page.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) PS Illustrated by June Otani. From waking to bedtime, a cycle of brief poems follows a busy little golden brown mop of a dog through the day. The poems are voiced by the dog's constant companion, a self-possessed little girl, and the language is simple and concrete enough for the youngest listeners. Otani's pen and watercolor illustrations make a fine complement to the verse, characterizing the pair as curious and alert as well as affectionate.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 1999

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Kiesler. This uneven collection offers a variety of perspectives on trees and how they touch our lives. Some poems describe trees as everyday objects for play (a stout limb becomes a tree horse for the young rider) while others aim for more ethereal imagery ("I hear its heartbeat. I breathe tree"). Keisler's soft oil paintings complement the introspective tone of the poetry.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir