(4) PS Illustrated by Kelly Canby. A girl off to get a haircut considers various looks but finds that none of them is quite her: "I think I'll get a ponytail, / A swirls-like-macaroni tail, / To twirl while on the phone-y tail... / NO. That's my big sister." The be-yourself message and bouncy rhymes prompt art that, while not fashion-magazine-worthy, gets the job done.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kelly Canby. Phil, a pickle, wants more from life than to end up "next to a burger and fries on a plate," so he auditions for--and ultimately wins--a spot in a TV commercial. Everything here seems crisper-drawer fresh: there are pickle-related jokes (Phil fights back "briny tears"), pop culture references for grownups, and visual gags in the sometimes overstuffed layouts.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kelly Canby. Despite her name, Fuchsia Fierce is meek, so her parents ship her off to Camp Confidence. Once there, she makes excuses to avoid doing the activities ("I forgot my swimsuit," "I hurt my finger," etc.). Readers will see the "Try it, you'll like it!" message coming for miles, but they'll also root for the cartoonishly rendered pinkish-purple bundle of nerves.

Reviewer: Nell Beram