(3) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. This bright, appealing oversize picture book offers brief descriptions of everyday life for children in different parts of the world. For each topic covered--including grocery shopping, playing outdoors, traveling to school, chores, festivals, and more--general explanation of the custom precedes side-by-side focus on two to four diverse countries. Paprocki's friendly retro-style illustrations elevate the simple yet informative text.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Scholastic Reader series. Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. In their fourth easy reader, Hot Rod Hamster and friends head to the waterpark on a hot day, where Hamster challenges two big dogs to a race down a waterslide. As usual, rhyming verses engage readers with choices: "Striped tube. Bright tube. Race tube. White tube. Which would you choose?" Brightly colored illustrations make a splash as the pals cool off.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Scholastic Reader series. Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. In their third book for new readers, Hot Rod Hamster and friends are psyched for an upcoming Halloween party, but a broken-down hot rod slows the gang until friendly ghosts come to their aid. As usual, rhyming verses engage readers with choices: "Carve time? Sweet time? Drink time? Meet time? Which would you choose?" Brightly colored illustrations are filled with affable pumpkins, ghosts, and costumed party guests.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Scholastic Reader series. Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. A lively rhyming text relates Hot Rod Hamster's ATV adventure. As in previous titles, several choices are offered to the reader: "Bridge trail. Tree trail. Swamp trail. Sea trail. Which would you choose?" When a yelp for help reveals a friend-filled ATV stuck in the mud, the proper tool choice may save the day. Brightly colored, mud-splattered illustrations capture the all-terrain fun.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. In this tongue-in-cheek, trivia-packed how-to for the budding superhero, King covers everything from a ranking of the top superpowers to origin stories to silly superpranks. Silly, chatty prose and comics-style line drawings underscore the humor and help break up the rather exhaustive information aimed at superhero-obsessed readers. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) K-3 Scholastic Reader series. Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. The Wacky Whatever Race requires a box car powered by neither motor nor paws touching the ground. Hot Rod Hamster and readers have several choices during building: "High wheels. Low wheels. Fat wheels. Slow wheels. Which would you choose?" When the car loses speed, the quick-thinking critter makes it roll without breaking the rules. Bright digital illustrations enliven the energetic rhyming text.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Paprocki. George visits twelve different dwellings, including a lighthouse and a castle. In each, rhyming text invites readers to find a list of objects. It's cutely illustrated, and the familiar game of seek-and-find will appeal to a wide range of children; the thick pages and simple picture puzzles are appropriate for the very young. This unremarkable package isn't likely to receive repeated readings.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Paprocki & Greg Paprocki. Each of twelve reproductions of famous paintings faces a descriptive six-line rhyming verse featuring an addition problem. For example, readers are asked to examine groups of Degas-inspired ballet shoes and calculate how many ways they can combine them to make seven. (Solutions are provided at book's end.) Slight vagaries in the verse occasionally leave the math question unclear, but the concept is great. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam