(3) PS Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Things-that-go fans will be thrilled with this vividly illustrated ABC book that describes the various functions of each machine. From an ambulance and bulldozer to a yacht and "zooming rocket," each vehicle gets an energetic, sometimes-rhyming quatrain with read-aloud-ready sound effects: "Shiny red fire engine / dash, dash, dashing. / Nee-nar! Nee-nar! / Bright lights flashing."

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(3) PS Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Preschoolers will be attracted to Ayliffe’s brightly colored collage illustrations, which combine a friendly cartoon style with recognizable details. Mayo's descriptions of space exploration technologies from lunar rovers to the space shuttle, as well as the astronauts who work them, emphasize repetitive action verbs ("robot spacecraft are good at speed, speed, speeding").

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Mayo highlights different dinosaurs through rhythmic descriptions including repeated verb patterns that emphasize the species’ behavioral characteristics: "Tough Ankylosaurus loved whack whack whacking, / tail-club swinging, battles winning..." The cut-paper collage illustrations favor bright, eye-catching colors and patterns over more realistic ones (the creatures' basic anatomies are accurate).

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) PS Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Each double-page spread focuses on a wild animal (e.g., lion, elephant, zebra). Four lines of rhythmic text describe the animal's characteristic behavior: "Stripey zebras love fast galloping, / dumm-dd-dum! Hooves drumming..."). Youngsters will enjoy listening, looking, and repeating each animal's action in this solid read-aloud choice for preschoolers. Playful blocky illustrations add to the book's appeal.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) PS Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. This large-format picture book introduces a variety of common modes of transportation, from trains to race cars to hot-air balloons. While the text is uninspired ("Buses are great at go, go, going..."), it includes a lot of sound words ("Vroom, vroom!") and the child-friendly, collage-like illustrations convey energy and motion.

Reviewer: Amanda Sullivan

(3) PS Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. "Tractors are good at pull, pull, pulling, / plowing up the field with a squelch, squelch, squelching. / Round go the wheels. See the dirt flying! / They can work all day." Colorful cut-paper artwork shows various vehicles involved in the specific activities mentioned in the bouncy rhyming text. A final spread in which all the vehicles "rest all night" after a busy day makes the book good bedtime reading.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) PS Illustrated by Alex Ayliffe. Children who enjoy vehicles will appreciate this book, in which every spread features a different emergency (traffic accident, forest fire, etc.) and the vehicle and crew that will deal with it. "Help is coming. It's on the way!" is the reassuring refrain. The simple rhyming text explains each problem, and brightly colored cut-paper collage clearly shows the action.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) PS Twenty-four different artists provided illustrations for this collection, which includes a few traditional verses sprinkled among original pieces and new versions of well-known tales. Mayo's folktale retellings are fairly bland, but the book's bright colors, large typefaces, and cheery rhymes make the volume appropriate for toddlers.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Peter Malone. This simple but appealing book opens with a section that concentrates on the essential facts of St. Francis's life. The biography is followed by engaging retellings of familiar legends such as that of St. Francis taming the wolf of Gubbio, and introducing the first Christmas crèche. Malone's illustrations employ the rich palette of medieval illumination reminiscent of books of hours. A short author's note indicates sources.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2000