(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. The forest animal friends from Bunny's Book Club are back at the library but disappointed to learn that human Josie will soon begin school. With Josie worried about making new friends, the menagerie decides to attend school, too; the critters explore classrooms before reuniting with Josie on the playground. Pleasing watercolor illustrations depict this cute spin on the first-day-of-school story with gentle silliness.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. A small brown bunny is captivated by storytime on the library steps. But when summer is over and storytime moves back indoors, Bunny and his forest friends must find a creative way to keep reading. Nighttime high jinks involve the after-hours book drop, but all ends well in this gently humorous celebration of books and libraries. Winsome, detailed watercolor illustrations invite repeated perusals.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. Miriam is looking forward to singing the Four Questions at her grandparents' Passover seder. But when a newborn lamb on the family's farm is abandoned by its mother, Miriam worries she'll have to miss the seder to care for the unwanted baby. Her solution is unsurprising but charming; soft illustrations reinforce Miriam's affection for the (particularly cute) baby sheep.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) PS Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. "A turtle did one. It made a little bubble. / When a pig did it, it was nothing but trouble." Yes, this is a book about farting. What makes it a parent's worst nightmare is that it's actually pretty good. Its humor lies in the juxtaposition of the stomach-turning subject matter with the soft, almost dainty illustrations of flatulent animals.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. To Mira's frustration, during the eight days before her newborn sister's simchat bat (naming ceremony) the baby won't stop crying. At the ceremony, however, Mira finds a way to bond with her sister in a way that inspires her name. The gentle text and quiet but expressive illustrations portray a warm sibling relationship and a loving Jewish family.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. In each book, a kid visiting an out-of-state cousin receives state-specific gifts, one per day, during the twelve days of Christmas. Chatty, overly explanatory letters written home to Mom and Dad expand the information; additional state facts are appended to the stories. The books' cheerful illustrations get ever more crowded as the presents accumulate. Review covers these titles: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Iowa, The Twelve Days of Christmas in South Carolina, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Washington, D.C., The Twelve Days of Christmas in Georgia, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Arizona, and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. Cow attempts some un-farmlike activities: "One whole cow balanced on a peg, / got a little klutzy and hurt one leg." Fraction problems follow each rhyme: "What fraction of the legs is hurt? What fraction of the legs is not hurt?" It's a well-executed idea, illustrated with lively farm-centric drawings, but the math concept may be beyond the picture book set.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. Emmy loves all types of trees--especially the mimosa tree, which Gramma declares is like Emmy: "stubborn and strong and a little bit wild" (a metaphor that, somewhat tediously, carries throughout the story). To Emmy's chagrin, she can't buy a mimosa tree, but ends up planting a seedling from Gramma's tree instead. Mixed-media watercolors illustrate this gentle story of a nature-loving gal.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. Ever-excitable Bella is extra-vocal while on a class trip to a museum. A docent finally shames her into silence, but when Bella accidentally gets on the wrong school bus home, her big mouth averts disaster. The story holds interest, though Bella is kind of irritating. The watercolor, gouache, and collage illustrations are a little too subdued for all the hubbub.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. It's Rosemary's birthday, so why are the "horrible out-of-town cousins" visiting? Where is her special birthday blueberry French toast and tickly kiss at breakfast? And how does she end up in the principal's office in her Frankenstein's monster costume? Bright illustrations lend a playful tone to this story about discovering that there is more than one way of having a spectacular birthday.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. At soccer practice Mikey goes for the ball with gusto, "rat-a-tat-tack-ing" it, while his distracted teammates twirl around or look at anthills. "We have to win, win, WIN!" Mikey tells Dad, but Dad goofs off, too, ignoring the rules. The playful language and mellow sports-should-be-fun message are well matched by watercolor and collage scenes showing the silly chaos of peewee soccer.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) PS Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss. When young Sara yawns, her yawn spreads from her parents to her aunt in Cuba, traveling on to France and up to a satellite that broadcasts the yawn to other countries, a cruise ship, a whale, and so on. The premise is mildly amusing, but the rhyming text doesn't always scan well. The mixed-media illustrations do a good job of waking up the slight concept.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn