(4) K-3 Illustrated by Wade Zahares. In concise couplets, Ransom recounts the legend of Chincoteague ponies ("Big ship wrecks. / Stormy sea. / Cargo horses / Swimming free") and the first Pony Penning Day. To maintain rhythm, the text occasionally sacrifices meaning or creates non sequiturs. Nevertheless, pony lovers will thrill to the story's drama and pacing, also captured in Zahares's blocky, slightly abstract pastel illustrations. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jenny Mattheson. A father and daughter do errands in their trusty old pickup truck. The daughter narrates the simple and mildly patterned story, recognizing new purposes for Old Blue (restaurant, garden, toolshed, etc.) each time they take on new cargo. Saturated colors and rounded shapes in the art and design establish the mood of a happy and easygoing day with dad.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. A father and his little girl spend a sunny day on the tractor, readying their farm's fields for planting as the family dog and neighborhood crows look on. Some awkward rhymes make an initial read-aloud difficult and the ending is abrupt, but the soft, detailed illustrations provide plenty of interest to young tractor fans.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) 4-6 Trailblazers series. This serviceable biography tells the story of the real Maria von Trapp, although the prose is uninspired, especially when applied to such an energetic subject. Spanning Maria's childhood, the events familiar to viewers of The Sound of Music, and her family's emigration to America and success in performing, this account contains occasional quotes, black-and-white photos, and a timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 On My Own Biography series. Illustrated by Elaine Verstraete. Mother Teresa's extraordinary life, vision, and humanity are conveyed in this straightforward biography. The text's simple language will encourage newly independent readers, though the frequent line breaks, while also appropriate for the reading level, sometimes hamper comprehension. Earth-toned illustrations capture the tranquil mood of the story. A time line highlights important dates.

Reviewer: Mary R. Holt

(2) K-3 Carolrhoda On My Own Books series. Illustrated by Den Schofield. In 1925, an experienced spelunker was trapped while exploring Crystal Cave in Kentucky. Ransom introduces young Arly Dunbar--a fictional character who hopes his small size will help him find his friend Floyd in the caves--but commendably sticks with the historical conclusion of the event. Schofield's illustrations on each page reflect the action and convey a strong sense of the setting.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2000

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ellen Beier. With their mother, Addie and her brother struggle to make ends meet during the Civil War, as soldiers plunder their farm, and afterward, when they learn their father has died. Addie gives up her last memento of her father--his shirt--so that her mother can finish a quilt that will pay for books for their ravaged school. Beier's expressive watercolors capture both the rural Southern setting and the vulnerability and strength of the characters.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Picture the American Past series. Brief but informative texts explain children's roles in the Civil War and in factory and agricultural work during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and describe the benefits they gained from the settlement house movement. An oversized duotone photograph featuring children of the period is shown on each page. Time lines and notes to teachers and parents are appended. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne