(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. A bunny, two mice, a bird, a squirrel, and an owl emerge from a hollow tree to enjoy a snow storm. When too much snow piles up ("Snow is heavy"), a branch breaks, causing the bird to fall into a deep drift. Oh, no! The cartoonlike illustrations show the other animals gathered around a bird-sized hole: "Friends try to help." An effective page turn resolves the tension as the bird pops out of the hole: "...birds can fly." Subtle details in the illustrations (the sky changes from pale morning colors to vibrant sunset orange and pink) extend the story and enhance the wintry atmosphere.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 I Like to Read series. As boating elephant Mike naps, his pet fish jumps out of his fishbowl and into the ocean. Fish Pat enjoys the adventure until a shark arrives; "Pat needs help," which arrives in the form of Mike (who himself later needs help to resurface). Told in a combination of expressive paintings, simple sentences, and speech-bubble interjections, this rather unexciting story is nevertheless suitable as an easy reader.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 "Here is a tail. / Here is an ear." Glimpses of what is revealed to be a parade balloon at book's end ("Here is Big Bunny") float past windows and rooftops while personified animals bustle about the city. A very simple, repetitive easy-reader text relies heavily on Henry's vibrant ink and paint illustrations, which include plenty of details to pore over.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 I Like to Read series. Cat leaves his apartment to buy fish...and returns home with gifts for each of his quirky neighbors. The narrative arc and repetitive text are simple, geared toward the newest readers, though the sentences get lost on the busy pages. The overstuffed apartments and shops in the vibrant watercolor and gouache-ink illustrations give Cat, his neighbors, and the town engaging personalities all their own.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. A city cat out in the snow lets himself into the basement of an apartment house, where he meets Rat. Going upstairs, he then meets, progressively, Dog, Rabbit, Bird, and Elephant--until he arrives at the top of the building, his own snug home. The simple story and very limited vocabulary combine with cheerfully cluttered illustrations to create an engaging easy reader.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) PS Bo has a great life as an only cat, until a kitten named Tiger shows up. Resentful at first, Bo grows to like his new little brother, so he's alarmed when Tiger goes missing. In the lively illustrations, Henry uses a heavy black line that works well with the typeface. His knowledge of cat behavior, evident in both text and artwork, enhances the story's humor.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert