(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. This collection offers fifteen poems about the magic of libraries from authors such as Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nikki Grimes, Jane Yolen, and Alice Schertle. Manning's playful gouache and pencil illustrations illuminate the collection's simple focus; each poem expresses the same jubilant emotional reaction to the many things a library has to offer, from storytime to exploring the internet.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. "Way up in the North / Came a knock upon the door. / Surprise! A mother caroler / And her little carolers four!" This Christmas version of "Over in the Meadow" stretches the limits of both the rhyme scheme and the holiday content: Santa, reindeer, elves, and tree ornaments make sense; not so much mice and kittens. The watercolor illustrations are warm and jolly.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. Despite Sleeping Beauty's loud, obnoxious snoring, desperate-for-rest Mouse believes one day a prince will awaken the princess with a kiss. Prince Max arrives to Beauty's off-putting "SNOOOOGA-SNOOOOOM"; the duo attempts varied spell-breaking tricks, but it's eventually Mouse who saves the day. Warm, silly watercolors picture the zany rhymed escapade that ends happily (with a double wedding).

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. Mac persuades his crotchety pal Cheese to go on a trip to the beach, but they become so distracted with packing that they miss their bus. To ease Mac's disappointment, Cheese finds a way to bring the sea to them. The bouncy rhymes carrying the story along have a hint of Dr. Seuss; comical illustrations clearly express the cats' differing temperaments.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. This Halloween version of the "Over in the Meadow" rhyme stars ghosts, zombies, witches, bats, and other spooky creatures. Within the rhyming and counting framework, young monsters are also instructed on how to behave: little werewolves howl, skeletons rattle, etc. Comical illustrations full of shading and texture provide warmth for these typically fearsome creatures.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. Prelutsky selects pieces by well-known poets about the usual school subjects: cafeteria food, gym class, homework, etc. Though the ground is well trodden, each of these light verses works, with lots of humor and the occasional deviation from the everyday (a purple-painted frog, for instance). Watercolors with broad-faced, rosy-cheeked students add to the light atmosphere.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. A girl describes how nothing can derail the yen for a dog--"Not learning to play the trumpet, / Or being vice president of the Tree Climbers Club," etc. The meditation is lovingly particular and particularly loving, and Manning's illustrations capture both qualities. When the girl's parents give her a dog at book's end, readers will celebrate too.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. Perky feline Macaroni asks his "grumpy grump" friend Cheese why he won't "pounce or bounce or jump." Cheese explains that he'd rather they sit quietly together, doing nothing. This enjoyable tale of friendship and differences, winningly illustrated, boasts a rhyming text reminiscent in both tone and content of classic I Can Read Book titles.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. Following an alphabetical format, Schaefer and Miller spotlight animals with distinguished derrieres (E is for the electric fish's electric bottom, F is for the peacock's fancy rear, G is for the firefly's glowing behind, etc.) and spend a paragraph explaining the evolutionary importance of each trait. The well-composed watercolors demonstrate a sense of humor and improbable decorum.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. A boy discusses his firefighter mother's job and the "firehouse uncles" she works with. The boy's pride in his mom comes through, but the text is stilted and pedestrian. The varied illustrations in subdued blues, reds, greens, and yellows with flowing lines have appeal.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. Mouse Pip (Drip, Drop) cleans the house in preparation for his friend's visit. The unforced patterned rhyme creates syntactic support and emphasizes repeated internal vowel and ending consonant sounds. There's also plot, characterization, and theme, plus a small concluding surprise. While housecleaning may be a dirty business, the lively pacing and bright primary colors indicate that something jaunty is going on.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2007

(4) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. The Just-So Woman is most content when her floors, blankets, and even the butter on her bread are just the way she likes them. She's thrown off kilter by the easygoing Any-Way Man but is forced to seek his help when she runs out of salt. Lively illustrations of rural homestead life help clarify some challenging vocabulary and sentence structures.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver

(4) PS Illustrated by Jane Manning. At the zoo, a boy asks whether animals must wear seatbelts, use helmets, or hold their mothers' hands. No, mom replies, animals protect their children in other ways, but as for her, she'll always be there to keep him warm and safe. Kurtz uses vivid language, but the rhymes are often awkward. Cheery illustrations show a variety of smiling animal families.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. During Fun with Food Week, Beetle McGrady, aspiring explorer, vows to eat an ant and feels terrible when she just can't do it. She gets a second chance, however, the day Chef Suzanne brings insect delicacies for Beetle's second-grade class to sample. Spirited illustrations portray the plucky, if squeamish, Beetle and her amusing, unconventional efforts to become "a true pioneer."

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. Fast the alligator and Snappy the frog are partners on the Hop-to-It Express. They outwit a band of rustlers, several times over, to deliver an important letter to the folks at Cactus Gulch. This tall tale set in the Old West is far-fetched and a bit confusing. The illustrations convey both the excitement of the story and the atmosphere of the desert.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. Sam the lamb is stuck right in the middle of a sneeze ("I've got the ahhh / but not the choo"). The other farm animals join forces, and after much nose-tickling, pepper-sprinkling, and dust-stirring, Sam finally finishes his sneeze. Week's text is lively and fast paced, incorporating repetition (a helpful aid to beginning independent readers) and suspense-heightening page turns; lighthearted watercolors add to the humor.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2005

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jane Manning. Kids cotton to all kinds of critters in this spirited collection of twenty pet poems. The requisite cats and dogs caper through the verse, as do more exotic animal companions such as iguanas, homing pigeons, and tarantulas. The brief poems are accessible enough for new but fluent readers; the cheery pictures portray some pet owners looking suspiciously like their pets. Ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning & Jane Manning. In this answer to the "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" rhyme, a crotchety crone buys "KIDDIE-BE-GONE" from a witch to subdue the noisy brood living in the famous shoe next door. The plan backfires when her potion turns the kids into grumpy, grouchy old folks. Manning's comical, slightly grotesque, strangely proportioned illustrations clinch the deal.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. In Germany, old Tante experiences a magical Christmas thanks to the curiosity of spiders and the special gift of Kriss Kringle. Tradition, generosity, and a touch of magic are all wrapped into a satisfying holiday story featuring a warm, appealing main character. Manning's soft, richly hued illustrations are a fine enhancement to the gentle tale, which has been revised for this edition.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: December, 1982

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Manning. Wielding a golden pistol, Cindy Ellen's fairy godmother not only conjures up riding clothes and diamond-studded spurs for Cindy, she gives her gumption, and Cindy outrides everyone at the rodeo, winning the heart of the cattle king's son. Expressive regional turns of phrase and exuberant full-color comic illustrations in skewed perspectives place the action squarely in the dry desert of the West.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen