(3) 1-3 Rainbow Street Shelter series. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. In Abandoned! (a prequel to this series) young Mona raises a needy lion cub, which leads her to open the Rainbow Street Shelter as an adult. In Stolen!, horse-obsessed Amy finds abducted pony Pebbles ditched in a park and brings her to the loving shelter. Simple, illustrated chapters will appeal to young readers, and the engaging plots will resonate with animal lovers. Review covers these Rainbow Street Shelter titles: Abandoned! and Stolen!.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) 1-3 Rainbow Street Shelter series. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. At the animal shelter, Sam finds the perfect pet, a fat black guinea pig. She loves and takes excellent care of Henry but soon realizes he is lonely whenever she's not home. Solution: a second adoptee, this time for Sam's little brother, Liam. An accessible book for emerging-reader animal lovers, with tips on care and treatment an added bonus.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) 1-3 Rainbow Street Shelter series. Illustrated by Patricia Castelao. In Abandoned! (a prequel to this series) young Mona raises a needy lion cub, which leads her to open the Rainbow Street Shelter as an adult. In Stolen!, horse-obsessed Amy finds abducted pony Pebbles ditched in a park and brings her to the loving shelter. Simple, illustrated chapters will appeal to young readers, and the engaging plots will resonate with animal lovers. Review covers these Rainbow Street Shelter titles: Abandoned! and Stolen!.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 1-3 Rainbow Street Shelter series. Illustrated by Susan Boase. Logan's dog gets lost when Logan moves; Hannah wants a pet more than anything (Lost!). When old Mr. Larsen becomes ill, his quirky cat runs away; Josh, grieving the loss of his rabbit, claims he doesn't want another pet (Missing!). The coincidences that bring the stories together are contrived, but the appealing subjects and frequent sketches may attract young readers. Review covers these Rainbow Street Shelter titles: Lost! and Missing!.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 1-3 Rainbow Street Shelter series. Illustrated by Susan Boase. Logan's dog gets lost when Logan moves; Hannah wants a pet more than anything (Lost!). When old Mr. Larsen becomes ill, his quirky cat runs away; Josh, grieving the loss of his rabbit, claims he doesn't want another pet (Missing!). The coincidences that bring the stories together are contrived, but the appealing subjects and frequent sketches may attract young readers. Review covers these Rainbow Street Shelter titles: Lost! and Missing!.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Stringer. Two sisters, one dressed as a princess, the other as a panther, prepare for a backyard campout. "The princess was brave, and the panther tried to be" in the face of nocturnal animal sounds: "Too-whit-too-whoo...screechy hoo-hoo." Deep-hued, textured acrylics ably reflect the imaginative story's drama and its nighttime setting.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kerry Millard. This follow-up to Nim's Island finds the main character venturing from her isolated home, stowing away on a cruise ship to save Selkie from a scheming scientist seal-napper. Nim ends up in New York City in a twist that is both humorous and heartwarming. Easygoing line art illustrates the adventures of Nim and her friends, both old and new.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Jonathan Bean. Freewheeling twins Mokie and Bik continue their seafaring adventures in this second installment. Along with dog Waggles and turtle Slow, the kids get underfoot and finish each other's sentences. Walking a fine line between whimsy and nonsense, the tongue-twisting prose is fun to read aloud but can be hard to follow. Black-and-white drawings bring a modicum of calm to the storm.

Reviewer: Betsy Murray

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Jonathan Bean. The title characters are freewheeling twins who live on a boat. Their adventures are told using both mixed-up (their mother rides a "botormike") and made-up (they catch "fisk," not fish) words. Less confident readers will likely be confused by the book's nonsensical language, though more adept readers may delight in it. The jaunty rhythm is well suited to reading aloud.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kerry Millard. Nim is content living on a deserted tropical island with her scientist father and a friendly sea lion and iguana for company. When her father's boat is temporarily stranded at sea, Nim begins an e-mail correspondence with Alex Rover, a very unadventurous adventure writer. Their letters, full of humorous misunderstandings, are a delight in an evenly paced narrative. The whimsical illustrations match the story's light tone.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Kerry Millard. When Sophie, who longs for a pet, visits the big, boat-shaped pet store in the park near her city apartment, she meets Mr. and Mrs. Noah, who long for grandchildren. Sophie's visits to help at the store answer both her and the Noahs' wishes for "someone special to love." Ebullient line drawings on every page capture the whimsy of this affectionate tale.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli