(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ed Young. Following a mild earthquake, the sea withdraws and villagers run out to explore. But Japanese rice farmer Ojiisan remembers his grandfather's tsunami tales. Desperate to save everyone, he ignites his fields, and the villagers rush to his aid. In Kajikawa's simple adaptation of an 1897 story, the dramatic events carry the narrative gracefully, much abetted by Young's gorgeous multimedia collages.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(4) PS It's hard to resist photographs of polar bears cuddling and porcupines brushing noses. Twelve double-page spreads include mostly vivid (a few fuzzy) pictures, each with a line about the animals ("Dolphins whistle, click, and clack"). Photos of humans displaying affection end the book on a sentimental note, though appended information about the signs of love (both human and animal) is interesting. Websites.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Yumi Heo. Miserly Yoshi has no intention of paying for the eels his neighbor Sabu broils each day to sell; and though Sabu lacks customers and always has leftovers, he refuses to share. Yoshi contents himself with the eels' delicious aroma, but when Sabu suggests that Yoshi owes him for the smell of his eels, Yoshi "pays" with the jingle of coins. Told with memorable humor, visually harmonious, this perfectly paced tale is a feast indeed.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2000

(4) PS Rhyming couplets describe how and where various animals slumber: "Orangutans doze in a bed of leaves. / Lions sleep wherever they please." Each line is paired with a large color photograph on a double-page spread, but the photos vary in quality, and often they are cropped too closely or simply don't depict what the text states. Additional information about the animals' sleeping habits is appended.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli