(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Gordon. When a storm fells Big Tree, a feature of a neighborhood park, it hits a power line. While the power is out, neighbors share food and memories of the tree. These neighbors make community-improving use of its wood and plant Little Tree in its place. Quietly dramatic art fits the animated narration, which, it's eventually revealed, is by a neighborhood kid.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Gordon. Rhyming text relates Flip the Kid's experience with his new (robotic) dog: "MOTORDOG THE PERFECT PET! Buy it on the internet!" While out for a walk, the mechanical dog goes haywire when it spies Scoot the Cat. There's humor, but some of it and some of the rhymes are forced. The computeresque font works well with the digital-looking illustrations.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by David Gordon. "Digger's teeth / bite the ground. / Crunch, crunch, scoop! / Tracks skid around." Familiar construction vehicles in bright colors shove, lift, chug, and push "all day long." The rhyming text describes the activity; eventually the illustrations pull back to show children playing with toy trucks in a sandbox. The simple text and engaging illustrations should draw in new readers. Two sticker sheets are included.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Gordon. Friends Benny and Sam are determined to get the most out of the visiting circus, despite their empty pockets. The book, set in the early 1900s, is both a glimpse at tradition--Benny's breathless, old-timey narration walks readers through the circus's train car arrival and setup--and a fully fleshed, gently suspenseful story. The illustrations are historically loyal and lovingly detailed.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by David Gordon. A taxi's passengers watch different service vehicles in action. After a satisfying day of work, each is retired for the night, lulled by the title refrain, which is then echoed when the boy from the taxi goes to bed. Boxy illustrations of vehicles with smiling faces are shown in a clean, idealized, nostalgic city locale.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) K-3 Jon Scieszka's Trucktown series. Illustrated by David Gordon & Loren Long. Also illustrated by David Shannon. After a big snowfall, Trucktown has a snow day. Jack and friends (all trucks) have fun slipping and sliding, building a snow truck, and having snowball fights. In the end, all the streets have been cleared. Frenetic illustrations feature trucks with personality. The text, though full of word repetition and simple sentences, is printed in a type and design that may be difficult for newer readers.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) PS Illustrated by David Gordon. Each double-page spread features construction vehicles at work. The spreads count down from ten "mighty dump trucks" to two "skid loaders," with the final two pages revealing that they are all toys in "one gigantic sandbox." This counting book's unoriginal rhyming text is less effective than the simple illustrations of the vehicles, some of which appear in unusual colors such as purple and turquoise.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Gordon. The rich, textured illustrations of various aspects of an airplane ride steal the show from the somewhat uneven rhyming text as a young boy takes a plane trip. But due to the sound words and enticing art, this will still be an appealing choice for children readying for a first plane ride or for young aviation fans. A final spread gives more information about airplanes.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Gordon. When the big kids pick on Benny Antonelli, "no bigger than a peanut butter sandwich," he climbs trees, drainpipes, and street signs to escape. At the block party, however, Benny becomes a hero when he climbs the greased pole to claim the prize on top. The slightly irreverent humor and the bold illustrations featuring dramatic perspectives make this tall tale a delight to read aloud.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley