(3) K-3 Illustrated by Judith Rossell. "9 mice tidy. / 1 mouse somersaults. 9 + 1 = 10." As ten mice prepare for their circus, the breakdown of activity shifts from chores to play, cleverly reinforcing how different combinations of numbers all add up to ten. Mixed-media illustrations of cute-as-can-be acrobatic mice are supported by spare text and a simple equation on each spread, providing an inviting way to introduce basic addition.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(3) PS Illustrated by Judith Rossell. Unlike his siblings, Wrong Way the duckling has a hard time paying attention and doing exactly as his mother asks. En route to a swimming lesson, the frustrations continue, but Wrong Way shows that he can swim differently and still fall in line. The story delivers a reassuring message that doing things differently is not always bad, and the watercolors depict Wrong Way's antics as more playful than annoying.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Judith Rossell. An unseen narrator explains that tiny pieces of an exploded star are part of Earth and become part of each of us when we eat. This poetic but scientifically vague picture book encourages a child to feel connected to the universe without really explaining the science behind the connection. Rossell's dark blue illustrations create a suitably mysterious and involving backdrop.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) PS Illustrated by Judith Rossell. In a busy house with twelve active rabbits, bunny Sophia looks for a lost "something." Each double-page spread pictures the rambunctious bunnies in the kitchen, garden, and various rooms, until Sophia finds the missing bedtime storybook. The look-and-find premise in the counting book uses vocabulary (wicker, duster) that may be challenging for younger listeners.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Judith Rossell. On Christmas Day, mouse children Pip and Squeak build a snowman and sneak him inside the family's warm and cozy mountain house. That's not a good place for a snowman to be, so everyone ends up outside spreading Christmas cheer. This winsome European import, illustrated with playful drawings in subdued hues, is a nice alternative to the standard Santa Claus fare.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) PS Illustrated by Judith Rossell. An exuberant young rabbit demonstrates to his mouse friend the "many things that I like about being me" (e.g., standing on his hands, romping in the sun). As it turns out, though, spending time with his tiny buddy is the best part of who Rabbit is. Winning, unfussy illustrations showing two devoted friends broaden the book's appeal beyond its ho-hum message.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn