(3) K-3 Illustrated by True Kelley. A straightforward second-person narration focuses on a teddy bear's adventures while his human friend is away from home. Teddy explores the house, finds breakfast, and visits the great outdoors, while the household pets get blamed for his mobility. Colorful cartoon-style illustrations, the bear's many falls, and the creatively repetitive text in this upper-level easy reader will attract young readers.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(3) K-3 Illustrated by True Kelley. Written in second person and designed to be read aloud to a pet, the three short episodes perfectly capture feline eccentricities. The cat enjoys wrapping paper more than his real presents, changes his mind about whether snow is fun, and discovers a lot of interesting--and noisy--things to do while waiting for his human friend to wake up in the morning. Humorous artwork illustrates this upper-level easy reader.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by True Kelley. This third collaboration by Miller and Kelley contains stories about a dog's adventures at the vet, finding a turtle, and getting a bath. The stories are addressed directly to the dog himself--a conceit that serves neatly enough as the raison d'être for the text's use of repetition and simply structured sentences. Illustrations on every spread extend the humor.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Cicadas and aphids are two members of the order Homopteran, which also includes mealybugs, whiteflies, and spittlebugs. Fourteen homopterans are pictured and briefly described. The clear color photos capture some of the stranger traits of these insects, and the concise text explains some of the more interesting characteristics. A final chapter contains tips on observing these creatures. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Perching birds, classified as birds that have three forward-pointing toes and one backward-pointing toe, are briefly discussed in a clear, concise text. Fourteen birds, including the titmouse, the blackbird, the chickadee, and the bluebird, are described and pictured in close-up color photos. A chapter on birdwatching closes the book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Turtles are all members of the same order within the animal kingdom, which is called, conveniently enough, Turtle. Fifteen examples of this order, including the musk turtle, the snapping turtle, and the gopher tortoise, are described in three or four paragraphs and shown in a color photo. A note about conservation closes the well-organized, clearly written book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Traits of this animal group and a section on animal classification introduce this book. Specific members of the order, including newts, arboreal salamanders, and sirens, are presented in double-page spreads that include a large color photo. The information is well organized and clearly presented. A chapter on how to observe salamanders in the wild concludes the book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Traits of this animal order and a section on animal classification introduce this book. Specific members of the order, including various kinds of geese and ducks, as well as less familiar waterfowl (southern screamers, king eiders), are presented in double-page spreads that include a large photo. The information is well organized and clearly presented. Two pages on observing waterfowl in the wild are appended. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Traits of the perissodactyl group (hooved mammals with an odd number of toes) and a section on animal classification introduce this book. Specific members of the order, including zebras, horses, rhinos, and tapirs, are presented in double-page spreads that include a large photo. The information is well organized and clearly presented. A chapter on perissodactyls and humans concludes the book. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Howard

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Accessible texts define these two orders of mammals and explain where they fall in the animal kingdom. Primates features fifteen animals (but doesn't include humans as the subtitle suggests), while Rodents looks at fourteen. Though brief, the books provide basic information. The bright color photographs add interest to the introductory texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Miller defines flies and "true" bugs and explains where they fall in the animal kingdom. Each book features fourteen insect profiles, which, though quite brief, provide basic information. Concluding chapters offer suggestions for studying flies and bugs outdoors. The bright color photographs give perspective to the accessible texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Animals in Order series. Miller defines flies and "true" bugs and explains where they fall in the animal kingdom. Each book features fourteen insect profiles, which, though quite brief, provide basic information. Concluding chapters offer suggestions for studying flies and bugs outdoors. The bright color photographs give perspective to the accessible texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 First Choice Chapter Book series. Illustrated by Michael Chesworth. Published spring 1998. When a storm knocks out the electricity, Chris and Erin can't figure out what to do without the television. At their grandfather's suggestion, they make up some funny programs and dramatize them for the rest of the family, realizing that they can have fun without TV. The easy format and cartoony illustrations will attract readers not put off by the predictable story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth