(4) PS Illustrated by Jill Kastner. In unfailingly cheery couplets, a preschooler with three siblings tells about her daily activities--from waking up and getting ready for school to her bedtime routine. "One more story? / Please, please, please? / Tuck us in so we / won't freeze." Despite a few awkward places, the scribbly, expressive illustrations draw readers in with their bright colors and close-up views of children.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Kastner. Based on the father-son authors' own adventure, this story follows a boy and his dad on a white-water rafting trip, where the sights of the setting thrill as much as do the breathless rides through the rapids. The tale doesn't have much depth, but it does vividly capture the rafting experience, the froth and spray almost palpable in Kastner's lush, impressionistic oil paintings.

Reviewer: Erica L. Stahler

(4) PS Illustrated by Jill Kastner. Beginning with changes in the earth and with animals preparing for winter, this paean to the cozy, tucked-in feeling at the end of the year builds up to "a special November day," Thanksgiving. Although the story, complete with horses out by the barn and Labrador retrievers lying by the fireplace, suggests an idealized rural portrait, the mood blends well with the full-page, rough-textured oil illustrations.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Kastner. While camping, a boy, his brother, and their parents hike up a creek until they come to a huge waterfall. Although Dad says "it can't be done," the brothers scale the cliff next to the waterfall and, from the top, urge their parents to follow. The simple text and almost impressionistic oil paintings capture the mountain wilderness and outdoorsy spirit of the family.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Kastner. When a strange Lizard Man reportedly appears in Crabtree County, James Arthur tries to track him down. In the oil illustrations, readers glimpse the Lizard Man, but they also discover what remains unsaid in the text: James Arthur's efforts are adding fuel to the rumors. Though it takes a savvy reader to get the final joke, this author-illustrator collaboration makes for an amusing book.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Kastner. When Hanni, a young wolf cub, becomes separated from her family, she must face the wilderness alone for the first time to find her way home. Her loneliness compels her to finally discover her howl, which brings her family to her. An engaging story, but the telling could be more taut, and the animals' dialogue seems slightly at odds with the naturalistic oil illustrations.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli