(4) K-3 Illustrated by Carles Ballesteros. Wagner presents fifty unusual (and random) facts about animals. A brief introduction explains that behaviors that seem wacky to us actually help the animals, and this idea is loosely reinforced throughout the text. Each spread also includes a "More About..." paragraph providing additional information about that animal as well as a cartoonish illustration--which emphasizes the silly factor and unfortunately downplays the science.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Carles Ballesteros. A family celebrates the Day of the Dead by eating sugar skulls and visiting the cemetery, where they listen to a band and let their ancestors know that they remember them. Ballesteros's colorful art recalls the traditional cut-paper papel picado associated with the holiday, while the rhyming text, which incorporates Spanish words, gives broad generalizations of the traditions. Glos.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth