(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Miss Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind of Davy Crockett fame meets and wrestles with Fireeyes the panther in this upbeat tall tale. The epic woman-versus-panther brawl gives way to a "great and glorious" friendship. Wonderful language ("swaggerous stretch"; "thunderferous racket") and dynamic, folksy acrylic paintings framed with birch branches combine to make this a fine choice for storytime.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) PS Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. A young bunny recognizes that he is a "big boy now"--he can dress himself, make his bed, swing high after one push, share his scooter, and print his name. After removing the training wheels, a spill on his bicycle causes a setback, but with parental support the bunny's confidence returns. Expressive watercolor vignettes picture Bunny engaged in his myriad accomplishments.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) PS Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. "Betsy ripped. / Rip, rip. / Seven rich, / Crimson strips. / Betsy clipped. / Clip, clip..." So begins this inventive, onomatopoeia-heavy introduction to Old Glory's creator. The text is geared to the youngest audience, but the appeal of the visual details in Lloyd's appliquéd illustrations knows no age limit. A "Make Your Own Betsy Ross Star" activity is appended.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Farmers Belle and Fred care for a lost turkey. Meanwhile, to the envy of their neighbors, Belle's garden flourishes due to her "special formula fertilizer" (secret ingredient: turkey droppings). Fred keeps his wife's secret--until he needs help ridding the yard of too many turkeys. Colorful, detailed illustrations (a little too detailed of the turkeys) capture both the fowl chaos and the lush neighborhood gardens.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Davy Crockett's "wildcat" dance moves (thanks to a thornbush burr in his derriere) threaten to upstage the spring frolic honoree, Miss Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. The "angeliferous" Sally resorts to sabotage (spilling butter, pickles, and other items), but Davy's nonstop dancing (and cooking!) finally impresses her. Lloyd's pine-needle-bordered oil paintings play up the humor and hyperbole in Miller's tall tale. Bib.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Branley's excellent examination of shifting plates, and the work of geologists is updated with dramatic paintings that present eruptions and explosions as well as scientists at work (though, regrettably a few of the illustrations are misleading in regard to scale). The inclusion of the tired and scientifically weak baking-soda volcano experiment is disappointing.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 1985

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. "This is the Mayflower, sturdy and strong. / Her sails skim the skies as she journeys along." Lilting rhymes present an overview of the Pilgrims' voyage and first Thanksgiving celebration. The text doesn't sugarcoat the Pilgrims' struggles, but it does only skim over the Native American perspective. Autumnal illustrations ably support the story's arc.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Ned the rooster is too much of a night bird to get the hens up in the morning, so hen supervisor Daisy Mae fires him. That night, while cavorting with nocturnal animals, Ned averts a crisis at the hen house--and Daisy Mae realizes there's a place for him after all. The it's-okay-to-be-different message is delivered fairly gracefully, and vivid illustrations add humor to the tale.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(4) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. This update adds new illustrations to Branley's original text, which provides rigorous scientific information on the interior of the earth to help readers understand the underlying causes of earthquakes. The book contains helpful safety tips and historical examples. The awkward illustrations include a mix of images of earthquake destruction and scientific diagrams, some of which are not fully explained in the text.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd & Megan Lloyd. When Pip, orphaned in 1841, leaves his sisters in the local almshouse, he tries to earn enough money as an itinerate painter to rescue his siblings. Although he isn't successful, the canvases he sends to his sisters inspire the girls, who start a thriving Christmas wreath business and move out of the almshouse. Impressive illustrations capture the flavor of nineteenth-century paintings, giving the story a sense of time and place.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. After various family members reveal why his or her dish isn't prepared for Thanksgiving dinner, the Tappletons quickly pull a meal together from whatever they can find in the kitchen: liverwurst, cheese, pickles, and applesauce. In the end, they realize Thanksgiving isn't about the food but about being grateful for what they have--one another. Lloyd's new illustrations lend humor to the pointed story.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) PS Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. "Heeey, Ma. Horse is in the pigpen, rollin' in the slop. Tell it to the pigs, dear. It's time for me to mop." In rhyming call-and-response format, Ma explains she is too busy with her chores to help this confused little girl put their mixed-up farm back in order--until the cow ends up in the girl's bed. The energetic illustrations help move the fairly predictable story along.

Reviewer: Jaynia B. Fink

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Based on the construction of a church in Pennsylvania and its development through time, this story reflects the history of the community, as well as changes that affected the entire nation. Illustrations in a folk-art style depict the various ways the church building was used by the public, the erection of a second building after a fire, and the church's designation as a historical landmark.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. This clearly written text gives a physical description of crickets and information about where they live, how and when they make their familiar chirping sound, and how nymphs grow into adult crickets. The illustrations are detailed and often labeled. Suggestions are provided for simple but interesting activities such as how to re-create the cricket's chirp using stiff paper and a nail file.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Megan Lloyd. Kimmel's lighthearted retelling underscores the humor in the tale of the cocky little tailor who wins a kingdom through clever trickery and a few strokes of luck. The tailor's skirmishes with varied creatures are filled with action, and the gangly giants and drooling ogres are suitably ugly but none too frightening, making this a fine retelling for younger listeners.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 1999