(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lynne Avril. In each book, a kid visiting an out-of-state cousin receives state-specific gifts, one per day, during the twelve days of Christmas. Chatty, overly explanatory letters written home to Mom and Dad expand the information; additional state facts are appended to the stories. The books' cheerful illustrations get ever more crowded as the presents accumulate. Review covers these titles: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Iowa, The Twelve Days of Christmas in South Carolina, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington, D.C., The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Arizona, and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 Accompanying her parents on a medical mission to Nepal, twelve-year-old Annie quickly befriends Nirmala, a local village girl, who teaches Annie about Nepal's beauty and inequities and to appreciate her younger sister. Stewart relies heavily on Annie's often corny inner thoughts to convey character development, but she creates a realistic and detailed adventure.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(3) 4-6 Thematically like The Secret Garden and stylistically like a crisp sitcom script, this novel is told by twelve-year-old Phoebe, orphan daughter of Chicago's late millionaire Bean King. Involving her stepmother Vicki, her butler Henry, and assorted people from a ranching community where they go to avoid publicity, the story zigzags between illuminating insights and unexpected revelations as Phoebe comes to terms with her legacy.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian