(2) K-3 Illustrated by Remy Charlip. First published in 1963. A playful, singsongy, almost stream-of-consciousness-like text (“He said / Mmm / He said / Umm / He said / Humm / He said / Hum-de-dum”) and bold, minimalist­ illustrations in a lim-ited palette tell the story of a boy who tries to impose his will on his cat (dressing him up, giving him a ride in a wagon)—but the cat has other ideas. He wants to climb trees, listen for bees, sniff the air, etc. The boy then begins to consider his own sense of self—and the book ends happily with the cat choosing to sleep at the end of the boy’s bed. This is a very effective communication of the concepts of boundaries, identity, and autonomy, presented in a child-friendly way.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Remy Charlip & Tamara Rettenmund. Two cowboys lose their beloved cow Grace. After much fruitless searching, both cowboys start crying. Luckily, Grace finds them before Little Old Big Beard drowns in their tears. Using repetition, comparison, and hyperbole, this humorous tale highlights physical characteristics. The book's lanky trim size and watercolor illustrations accentuate the height differences between the two friends.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Remy Charlip. Elegant graphics contrast nicely with the action: against a backdrop of William-Morris-style wallpaper, silhouettes of a top-hatted doctor, a long-gowned mother, and a grossly rotund boy demand attention. As the doctor extracts a series of improbable objects, the boy's stomach diminishes. The text generally rhymes, but sometimes not, and mixed meters occasionally jar.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian