(3) PS Illustrated by Jon Agee. A small boy, seeing possibilities in a large box, settles in with his book on wild animals. Animal after animal joins him until a flea drives them all out of the crowded box. Imaginary play with strong, dark illustrations.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) PS Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. Nightingale begins to sing a comforting song to a crying baby, but Crow, Goose, Owl, and Swan intercede in turn. In the end, the birds beg for a lullaby and Nightingale obliges. The crying baby looms large in the gouache illustrations and returns to more normal proportions when calm. Both rhyme and rhythm are irregular, but the overall pattern is ultimately soothing.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) PS Illustrated by Bernadette Pons. A rabbit in a hot-air balloon lets loose a net full of balloons, which drift down and fill the streets: "Balloons Balloons Balloons / Blanketing the town." Young rabbits chase their favorites until the rabbit collects the balloons and flies away "to other suns and moons." Pons's illustrations fill in the holes in the scant text, showing the festive atmosphere and the young bunnies' delight.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev. Lively verses describe various vehicles, including a sailboat (a "white-sailed / wave dipper") and a truck who returns home "wagging his tailgate behind him," all propelled by anthropomorphized animals. The title of each poem is also the name of the vehicle, but, confusingly, sometimes the titles are part of the poem and sometimes not. The whimsical illustrations are reminiscent of Richard Scarry.

Reviewer: Aishah Abdul-Musawwir

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Susan Guevara. One hot day in the jungle, a bored young boy finds a magic feather and conjures up a playmate--a tiger. When the tiger grows hungry and threatens his village, the boy stays in control and uses his magic feather once again. Told in poetic, lilting prose, the tale pays homage to the power of imagination. Boldly colored illustrations evoke the sights and sounds of the jungle; they allow the reader to watch the action yet remain safely apart.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Don Carter. As in Wake Up House!: Rooms Full of Poems, Lillegard creates small, rhyming word pictures of everyday items. In this book the setting is school; crayons, books, the wastebasket, and water fountain are all given personalities in the verses. While the bright three-dimensional artwork is appealing, there is little variation in the format and rhythm of the poems.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Don Carter. From "Sink" ("All mouth / wide open, hollow. / Will hold water / or--swallow") to "Corners" ("They are the reason / walls meet, / and rooms consider themselves / complete"), these very short poems about anything one might find in a house will delight and surprise the reader with their playful images and metaphors. The brightly painted three-dimensional artwork creates a cheerful setting to complement the poems.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 This lively fantasy told in rhyme and set in Bombay is marred by a rather half-hearted ending. Otherwise, this humorous story of a mischievous old man who creates mayhem with a magic stick will certainly delight readers. Hawkes's illustrations are filled with the color, energy, and details of the Indian setting. A brief glossary of terms such as 'rajah', 'nabob', and 'dervish' precedes the text.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.