(3) K-3 Eureka!: The Biography of an Idea series. Illustrated by Aaron Cushley. This concise history starts with German Karl Drais's 1817 invention of a wooden two-wheeled "running machine." It wasn't until 1865 that "someone in France" added pedals to the front wheel. Pedal placement improved over time; original wooden wheels evolved into wood and iron, then solid rubber, and finally rubber tubes in 1888 (developed by Irishman John Dunlop). Houran follows further design refinements and innovations, culminating with "a bicycle for just about everybody" today. The lively illustrations keep pace with the accessible and engaging text. A few more "Bike Facts" are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) PS Illustrated by Sydney Hanson. "So here's the thing. I love you." In this funny valentine (successor to Next to You: A Book of Adorableness), an unseen parent narrator expounds on unconditionally loving a child as humorously nostalgic illustrations show animal babies doing not-so-lovable things (e.g., a young skunk surrounded by a dark cloud moves the narrator to say, "I can't lie--some things are a bit tough to take").

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Wanda and Albert have various adventures with their friends. Each purposeful story serves to illustrate a math concept--patterns (Bravo), adding doubles (Doubles the Fun), counting money (Helps Out), and counting and skip counting (Where's Albert?); some allow more variety of examples than others. The cheerful mice are illustrated in softly colored, well-delineated art. Two pages of "fun activities" are appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: Bravo, Albert!, Albert Doubles the Fun, Albert Helps Out, and Where's Albert?.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Lovable third-grade alien Spork is back in the continuation of this character-education series. Here Spork and classmates Trixie, Adam, Piper, and Jack learn about citizenship (May the Votes), kindness (No Place), perseverance (Alien), and self-control (Money). This funny series delivers character-building lessons without being trite or too didactic. Back matter contains a personal characteristic quiz and a space-related word problem or activity. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: May the Votes Be with You, No Place like Space, Alien in the Outfield, and Money Doesn't Grow on Mars.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Lovable third-grade alien Spork is back in the continuation of this character-education series. Here Spork and classmates Trixie, Adam, Piper, and Jack learn about citizenship (May the Votes), kindness (No Place), perseverance (Alien), and self-control (Money). This funny series delivers character-building lessons without being trite or too didactic. Back matter contains a personal characteristic quiz and a space-related word problem or activity. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: May the Votes Be with You, No Place like Space, Alien in the Outfield, and Money Doesn't Grow on Mars.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) PS Illustrated by Sydney Hanson. "Lambs. Pandas. Koalas. Penguins. / Cute, cute, cute, and cute. Until you came along. Now? Sorta so-so." A parent addresses her child in lovingly funny text accompanied by illustrations of baby animals out of Golden Books central casting. This offering succeeds at both of its gambits: one look at each old-fashionedly guileless animal will inspire the "Aw..." reflex, and the modernese-tinged narration is somehow genuinely heartwarming.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Spork, an Amelia Bedelia–like extraterrestrial, joins Mrs. Buckle's third-grade class to learn all he can about Earth. Along the way, the class learns character-building lessons that help both them and Spork grow. Accompanied by fuzzy black-and-white illustrations, these easy-to-read chapter books deliver their messages with a light touch. An activity reinforcing the lesson and a true/false space-fact quiz are appended. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: Earth's Got Talent, Greetings, Sharklings, Take Me to Your Weeder, and Spork Out of Orbit.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 How to Be an Earthling series. Illustrated by Jessica Warrick. Spork, an Amelia Bedelia–like extraterrestrial, joins Mrs. Buckle's third-grade class to learn all he can about Earth. Along the way, the class learns character-building lessons that help both them and Spork grow. Accompanied by fuzzy black-and-white illustrations, these easy-to-read chapter books deliver their messages with a light touch. An activity reinforcing the lesson and a true/false space-fact quiz are appended. Review covers these How to Be an Earthling titles: Earth's Got Talent, Greetings, Sharklings, Take Me to Your Weeder, and Spork Out of Orbit.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Francisca Marquez. This lightly rhymed text uses the imperative voice to explain how a tracking robot can follow a shark ("Grip the pup and flip it over / Tag it. Let it go"), while the softly colored illustrations show a research team of one adult and two young people performing the task. Though simplified, this is an engaging introduction to field research in marine biology.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sam Usher. Anna's twelve male cousins single her out for pranks, but the playful ink and watercolor illustrations make it clear that the tricks are as much fun for her as for them, long before the smooth rhyming text reveals that she "wouldn't trade them for the world." Though the boy-girl distinctions may seem old-fashioned, the unremarked-upon racial diversity among the cousins is welcome.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Mouse Math series. Illustrated by Deborah Melmon. Mouse siblings Albert and Wanda find a shoe in the People's yard and want to bring it into their playroom--will it fit? Albert has a birthday party and gets presents of all shapes and sizes. Accompanied by cheery illustrations of friendly mice, the stories are unsubtle but effective vehicles for introducing nonstandard units of measurement (Shoe) and 3D shapes (Wish). Activities appended. Review covers these Mouse Math titles: If the Shoe Fits and Make a Wish, Albert!,

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Stepping Stone: Totally True Adventures series. Illustrated by Wesley Lowe. Houran focuses on Lindbergh's preparations for and execution of his famed solo flight from New York to Paris in 1927. Readers will be gripped by this accessible account of the dangers he overcame on his successful transatlantic journey. Short chapters and rather dark black-and-white paintings help break up the text. Historical notes are appended. Timeline.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Francisca Marquez. Although scientifically slight, this book adeptly captures some of the key personal experiences of astronauts on the International Space Station, from blastoff to zipping themselves into stationary sleeping bags at bedtime. Understated verse is illustrated with approachable illustrations that reinforce such details as straps to hold down food. Additional information on each rhymed heading ("Whipping through space"; "Flipping in space") is appended.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Francisca Marquez. From "dig, dig, dig..." to "rig, rig, rig those dinosaur bones" (to a final figurative "dig" as kids enjoy the display), this book uses a simple repetitive refrain to explain how paleontologists collect, ship, and mount a dinosaur exhibit for a museum. Though somewhat static, the pictures extend the text nicely. Back matter adds factual details to each step.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) PS Illustrated by Petra Brown. Ten animal mothers and their offspring shelter in their respective dwellings in this comforting but slight tale. Following every third rhymed verse introducing animals ("Dolphins in the cove / While the wild waves pound") comes the reassuring refrain, "I will keep you safe and sound." Soft watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations offer a sentimental perspective on the natural world.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Joe Mathieu. A cellist's playing draws cats from around the city ("Black cat. / Gray cat. / Rich cat. / Stray cat"). The catchy rhymes and rhythmic pacing are effective in teaching simple (and some challenging--slinky, purry) vocabulary. Lively, colorful illustrations show the many different types of cats briefly described in the book.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) K-3 Little Dogs Rock! series. Each title covers background, physical and "personality" traits, and breed-specific skills and talents. Real-life anecdotes keep readers engaged and, along with pop-culture references, speak to that breed's popularity. Information about the pleasures and challenges of raising each type of dog will be useful to potential pet owners. Large captioned photographs and dog-tag-shaped sidebars break up the sometimes choppy controlled texts. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Little Dogs Rock! titles: Pomeranian, Yorkshire Terrier, Toy Poodle, Pug, Chihuahua, Dachshund, Jack Russell Terrier, and Beagle.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Gross-Out Defenses series. Each book begins with a predator-versus-prey anecdote describing the featured animal's means of self-protection. Though defenses are the focus, standard animal facts (habitat, diet, young) are also covered. The short sentences of main text, accompanied by large and vibrant photographs, are easy to read; sidebars are a little less accessible to the intended emergent reader audience. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Gross-Out Defenses titles: Deadly Poison Dart Frogs and Bloody Horned Lizards.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi