(4) 4-6 Writing Builders series. Illustrated by Karen Lee. Each book in this series features a fictional story in which the title student duo produces a writing project. Colorful cartoon illustrations (of ranging quality) combine with perky, helpful narration to show how the multicultural cast of students organize, write, and revise; pictures, format, and tone seem aimed at an audience too young for some of the projects. Reading list, websites. Glos. Review covers these Writing Builders titles: Isabella and Ivan Build an Interview, Seth and Savannah Build a Speech, Ben and Bailey Build a Book Report, Leah and LeShawn Build a Letter, Bridget and Bo Build a Blog, and Evan and Erin Build an Essay.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Karen Lee Schmidt. Alligator twins Max and Jax both have plans for the summer: Max to catch fish with Dad, Jax to hold a sleepover. Both are happy when school is finally out--and Max catches a big fish with Jax's secret bait. The two story lines don't quite come together in the end, but the simple chapters, well illustrated with polished watercolors, amusingly convey the age-appropriate concerns of the characters.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) PS Illustrated by Karen Lee Schmidt. A mother dog and her child cavort across the pages, enjoying a variety of activities, while London provides rhyming answers to the title question. "What do you love? Park slides and piggyback rides, mud pies and Mommy's eyes, hiding places and wild chases." Though some of the illustrations have an attractive exuberance, the book tends to cross the line into sentimentality.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Karen Lee Baker. Retaining its clear sense of purpose--introducing poetry (how it makes you feel, how it is constructed, how to make your own) to third- through sixth-graders--this revised edition, with seventy-five new poems, is better than ever. One of the best introductions to poetry available for children.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: December, 1982

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Karen Lee Schmidt. The hippos challenge the monkeys to a baseball game, and to everyone's surprise, the hippos win. Paxton's children's song is successfully translated into a lively picture book complete with musical arrangement on the endpapers. The humor in Schmidt's bright illustrations--monkeys and hippos cavort across the pages waving their arms and tripping over their feet--perfectly suits the song.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Kate bravely maintains the lighthouse through weeks of storms, while Papa goes for food. Written with a sense of a young girl's longing for privacy, for grown-up responsibility, and for fairy-tale romance, the text moves quickly through several dramatic (and sometimes contrived) adventures--including rescuing what seems to be a real mermaid and her baby--with pencil illustrations adding liveliness. A note about lighthouses is appended.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.