(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Willow's uncle hasn't danced since he was ostracized for it as a child. With his wedding to partner David fast approaching, sunny and energetic Willow helps Uncle Ash regain his love of the pastime. Though the narrative arc is uneven, Willow's relationship with her "two favorite uncles" is conveyed with warmth and dimension. Smiles dominate the cheery, colorful illustrations in this third Willow tale.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Overhearing his mother say, "he's been a monster all day," gets a young boy thinking about doing things monsters do, like ignoring rules and manners. But monsters also scare people away, and loneliness helps him resolve to be a little boy instead. Moore's colorful, imaginative, and not-too-scary illustrations leaven this familiar tale told in lackluster rhyming couplets.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. When Willow and her family move to a new neighborhood, she involves everyone--including reclusive Mr. Larch--in gardening activities and the school charity drive. As spring and summer pass, the neighbors are asked to help Willow, who's "in need of snow!" Larch's turnaround strains credulity in this second feel-good story starring Willow. Detailed illustrations extend the text.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. It's the mid-1800s, and prairie dweller Katie, her dad, and the townsfolk take up a collection, order some trees by telegraph, plant them, and begin a tradition of gathering in celebration once a year. This quiet story's primary value is its window onto a simpler time, reflected in the verdant watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Creative Willow is out of place in severe Miss Hawthorn's art class, where uniformity and order are the rules. After Willow gives the teacher her favorite art book, Miss Hawthorn suddenly cuts loose and lets her artistic imagination run wild. The exuberant illustrations suit Willow's style, but the lesson about creativity, though worthwhile, is too heavy-handed.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. It's time for bed, but a little girl is sure there's a monster in her room. Luckily, Granny's got all the answers, and her "very large but good-hearted dragon" is the best bodyguard around. Written almost entirely in dialogue, the story has verve but doesn't really focus on the child narrator. Moore's art is bright and fanciful, and her monsters are more comical than threatening.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) PS Illustrated by Cyd Moore. As Stinky Face and his mom put on their Halloween costumes, he asks endless questions about what could go wrong during trick-or-treating. Mama patiently reassures her little one on all counts, and off they go. The boy's worries are imaginative, though the repeated "But, Mama, but Mama" grows tedious. Energetic illustrations portray a friendly neighborhood that goes all out for Halloween.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. A boy imagines what his parents do (jump on the bed, play ball in the house) while he and his sister are spending the night with their grandparents. The clever premise is well executed: watercolor and pencil illustrations of Mom and Dad acting like kids are paired with smaller vignettes of the more decorous goings-on at Grandma and Granddad's house.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. The boy from I Love You, Stinky Face has some Christmas worries, from "What if Santa's lips get chapped...?" to "What if the sack of toys starts to rip?" Mama addresses each concern, but on Christmas Eve, they leave Santa some "just in case" items, including lip balm and duct tape. Lighthearted illustrations compound the humor readers will derive from Stinky Face's anxieties.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Nana has plenty of girly activities planned for her granddaughter Ruthie's visit. Ruthie plays along, but her inner tomboy secretly longs for the toy trucks and trains down the street at Brian's house. Ruthie's true feelings come to light, and Nana comes around too. Softly detailed and playful illustrations add heart to a familiar story.

Reviewer: Elizabeth Shaver

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Paging through her mother's scrapbook, a little girl tries to guess the experience for which her mom is most thankful. The lighthearted illustrations capably depict both real experiences from the mother's past (e.g., she plays guitar on stage) and imagined scenes (she performs with a famous rock band), but there's no suspense here: readers will predict from the start that her "most thankful thing" is her daughter.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) PS Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Kara and her toy rabbit are worried that there isn't enough room for them at Papa's now that his new wife, Peggy, has moved in. Papa and Peggy reassure Kara (and Rabbit) that there's plenty of room, and together they tidy up Peggy's things. The deliberate text is overly long, but using Rabbit to voice Kara's fears may resonate with children in a similar situation. The watercolors effectively portray Papa's overcrowded house.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. The boy of I Love You, Stinky Face fame returns with a host of Christmas worries, from "What if Santa's lips get chapped...?" to "What if the sack of toys starts to rip?" Mama addresses each concern, but on Christmas Eve, they leave Santa some "just in case" items, including Chap Stick and duct tape. Cheerful, lighthearted images compound the humor readers will derive from Stinky Face's anxieties.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) PS Illustrated by Cyd Moore. Kara's parents live apart, and she travels back and forth between their houses. She likes both homes, but her stuffed animal, Rabbit, wants to know where Kara lives. Her parents respond reassuringly: in Mama's words, "...wherever you are, you are always in our hearts." Although the book is at times too sweet, Schotter handles Kara's sadness and uncertainty well. Exuberant watercolors show her two lively, loving households.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. When a father calls his daughter "Princess Pruney Toes" at bath time, he begins an imaginative exchange that adds pizzazz to their bedtime preparations. She dubs him "Sir Daddy," and her nightgown becomes "an exquisite gown of pure spun gold." Energetic illustrations reflect the playful father-daughter conversation; the ending is satisfying if sentimental.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. A duel between two young witches gets out of hand when all of the world's colors get mixed up. This story has a lot to recommend it--even the "bad" witch Greta is a likable character--although the text is wordy and may be too sweet for some. For a tale about color, Moore's illustrations could be more vibrant; still, they effectively capture the witches' exploits and the havoc wreaked on the landscape.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cyd Moore. A boy's wild, meandering fantasies about what could possibly go wrong at school are answered with compassion, humor, and just as much imagination by his sympathetic mother. The text works hard to portray the boy's naïvete, but the illustrations make full use of each spread, conveying the tremendous energy of any young school-age child.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin