(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. Mermaids Beattie and twins Zelda and Mimi are called to stop bad mermaids who have fishnapped the mermaid queen, Arabella Cod, and taken over the Hidden Lagoon. With the help of the Lagoon's eccentric residents, the trio won't stop until they've saved the kingdom. This cheeky under-the-sea mystery is bursting with inventive language; a creative, fully imagined world; and lively black-and-white illustrations.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) PS Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. An old and gentle ox welcomes a series of stray animals into his barn for shelter. When Mary and Joseph arrive to give birth to their "little one," the creatures extend their hospitality. The gold, brown, and blue hues in the soft illustrations match the dreamy, repetitive text. Preschoolers will enjoy the warmth and love conveyed in this familiar story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. This simplified version of a classic allegory tells of Christian's pilgrimage to the City of Gold and the many trials he faces in the course of his journey to salvation. The story is related in accessible language for contemporary readers; full-page color illustrations, as well as smaller vignettes in black and white, add to the drama of Christian's story.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) PS Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. An old and gentle ox welcomes a string of stray animals into his barn for shelter. When Mary and Joseph arrive to give birth to their "little one," the creatures extend their hospitality. The gold, brown, and blue hues in the soft illustrations match the dreamy, repetitive text. Toddlers will enjoy the warmth and love conveyed in this familiar story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. There still aren't as many books featuring daddies crooning bedtime songs to babies as there are those depicting mommies, so this is a welcome portrait of a father coming home one night to find only the house's youngest inhabitant awake. The prose is spare and informal ("Still not tired? Well, we'd better go elsewhere"), and the paintings are realistic yet idealized enough to create a magical mood.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft. A grandfather and grandson share a joy-filled day at the beach, the memory of recently deceased Grandma underlying all they do. The first-person text is lyrical but unconvincing as the voice of a child; the pointillist art is equally evocative but occasionally makes the overlying text difficult to read.

Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne