(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tom Goldsmith. "Ben was short. Zip was shorter." While strolling on the boardwalk, young Ben loses Zip. Readers follow the search for what they assume is a child, but there's a well-played surprise at book's end: Zip is a dog. The somewhat ungainly illustrations show the world through Ben's eyes, which means that one spread is devoted to knees, another to bellies.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Laurie Caple. From spring to winter, fourteen watercolor scenes with strong black lines illustrate leaf attributes and enhance this appreciation of leaves' variety. Distinctive features of different leaf types (e.g., floating, droopy, prickly, heart-shaped) are celebrated with a poem and some accompanying information. This treatment offers more aesthetic value than informational content. Joyce Sidman's similarly structured nature poetry books are richer selections.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo