(2) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. Bunny has been lying awake in bed -- when he should be sleeping -- waiting for Dad to check on him. The youngster's expressive body language and his impatience ("Come on, Dad! Check on me, check on me, check on me!") convey relatable child behaviors. But "sometimes a bunny simply can't wait. He just needs his dad!" Bunny gathers supplies (water, blanket, cookie, "their special favorite book") and heads to Dad's room. In this reversal of what's clearly their regular routine, Bunny discovers his father asleep, and Dad continues to sleep through Bunny's offering of each item, which Bunny then enjoys himself. Finally, after letting out a "great big sigh," Bunny stands on tiptoe to wake his father up with a "tap, tap!" on the nose. As Dad carries Bunny back to Bunny's bed, he reassures his son that "sometimes a dad just needs his little bunny." This idyllic episode in a cozy home speaks to the love and dependability at the heart of their relationship. Hest's rhythmic text has a soothing, lulling cadence. The soft hues and textures awash in moonlight in Liwska's digital illustrations convey the perfect mood for this warmhearted bedtime story, which features a refreshing portrayal of what appears to be a single dad caring for his son and vice versa.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Renata Liwska. On the longest night of the year, Owl calls on his forest friends to “shine the light” and “share a gift of hope.” Deer leaves nuts on tree branches so that all may have enough to eat. Raccoon hides berries in the snow as “sweet surprises.” As different animals explain how they can contribute (“I can help to shine the light...I can help to spark the light”), they decorate a tree, and their efforts culminate in the completed tree featured in a vertical gatefold. Liwska’s muted digital illustrations, with primarily blue backgrounds, help to set a peaceful wintry mood.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Renata Liwska. Llama is inspired to create "Something special. Something lovely." Her friends (Rabbit, Raccoon, Deer, etc.) join her, quilting, beading, painting, and weaving as she knits. Then Beaver arrives, and his need to create something "useful" prompts Llama to consider how her knitting might be put to practical use. Gauzy, pastel-colored pencil illustrations reflect the animals' gentle activities and calm friendships as they share their "special, crafty, useful" talents.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. "Hurry up! We have places to be." These "places" include "places to be brave" (a diving board), "places to be muddy" (the dirt), and over two dozen other settings, each exploring a different emotion. The "places to be" bit isn't just cute wordplay: the two animal friends enacting each scenario in the warm-but-not-too-fuzzy illustrations are demonstrating that true friendship can bolster any emotion.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. A dormouse hibernates in his nest, dreaming of spring and of his friend, a dormouse girl. Meanwhile, in the fanciful illustrations, his friend travels by plane, sled, and other means to join him as spring arrives. The poem is lilting, if sentimental and overly syrupy ("Two friends tail-in-tail / pitter patter down the trail"); Liwska's digitally colored pencil drawings have a cuddly softness.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. "It's winter and I haven't seen one snowflake," says Badger. The forest animals try to summon snow by banging pots, wearing pajamas backward, and performing a snow dance. Hedgehog wisely reminds them, "It will snow in snow's time." Soft-hued, digitally colored pencil illustrations convey the animals' valiant efforts (even sprinkling sugar for snow) in the child-friendly text until finally, after much waiting, "it was time."

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(2) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. In this story of friends disagreeing but finding compromise, bear Boom has his heart set on going to the beach, but robin Twitty wants to hike. Each is determined to get his or her own way; snail Snot, meanwhile, finds someplace that satisfies all of them. Cozy, delicate-colored drawings and spare, child-friendly text will satisfy and perhaps enlighten readers, too.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2015

(3) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. A bear named Boom, a snail named Snot, and a bird named Twitty approach the day with different ideas of fun: one prefers to look for adventure, one to stay put, and the third to wait and see. Told with few words and expressive, gentle art, this is a quiet story about the satisfaction of friendships even when personalities differ.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. A feather drifts through a child's window and he wonders about the feather's origin, leading to a series of questions about the nature of things ("Does a chair remember it once was... / a tree?"). The poetic text has a nice rhythm, and while the after/before concepts are rather abstract, Liwska's feather-soft, detailed illustrations of the child (and her signature animals) provide thoughtful illumination.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. There are "many kinds of quiet" in a child's day, from "trying not to hiccup quiet" to "sleeping sister quiet." Featuring different animal characters and capturing the essence of each hushed moment, the soft colored-pencil art in a muted palette provides a stylish match to the book's soothing tone. This is a successful board book adaptation; the slightly smaller-size pages give the whole more intimacy.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) PS Illustrated by Renata Liwska. This third book (The Quiet Book; The Loud Book!) explores quiet times of the season. Liwska's illustrations of gently rounded, softly furred animal-children extend Underwood's brief text. Quiet doesn't necessarily equal sedate; both words and pictures incorporate winter-themed humor. Young audiences will relate to the emotions, from a Nativity play's "Forgotten line quiet" ("Helpful whisper quiet" follows) to "Listening for sleigh bells quiet."