(3) 4-6 Illustrated by John Sandford. Maddox has a sophisticated understanding of baseball, which she conveys in poems about various aspects of the game: "The Strike Zone," "Beanball," "Double Play," etc. Even the most poetry-resistant ballplayers may be lured by her metaphoric description in "Home Run": "Anything less is a slice. / Hungry, you want the whole pie." Sandford's well-placed textured pencil drawings add motion and detail.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by John Sandford. As pirates attempt to hijack her ship, eleven-year-old Sarah is thrown overboard. She finds herself washed up on a mysterious island where children are forced to weave elaborate rugs by the ill-tempered Mr. Grim. Sarah's efforts to save the Woolies--and herself--while figuring out what's behind Grim's dastardly plan carry readers through this entertainingly spun (though frenetically paced) yarn.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) PS Illustrated by John Sandford. Glowing, soft-focus paintings move outward from a little girl's room, where an African-American mother is putting her young daughter to bed. Across the world, animals and other people get ready for sleep as well. The images in the lilting text are standard-issue--e.g., tucking in the stuffed animals while "all the animals are tucked away in nature's bed outdoors"--but nonetheless soothing.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(3) K-3 Illustrated by John Sandford. Argyle the sheep is happy being just like the rest of the flock until eating flowers turns his wool rainbow-colored and brings him unwanted recognition. Originally published in 1987, this imaginative take on the origin of argyle socks delivers its message about the price of fame with appealing low-key humor. Green Scottish hills dominate the vibrant paintings.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) PS Illustrated by John Sandford. In a dreamlike sequence, a bunny wakes to an ordinary day, "until I found a key / which opened the gate that led through the garden / to the great pink house." A green-frock-coated cat leads him to surreal celebrations that end in a round of "Happy Birthday." Suspense built up by the poetic text and careful, large-scale illustrations filled with quirky details peters out at the end.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) PS Harper Growing Tree series. Illustrated by John Sandford. A simple, first-person verse catalogs familiar animals and their favorite snacks: the cow says "I like a mouthful of clover," and the undiscriminating goat exclaims "I'll eat whatever's around!" The soft watercolor and pencil illustrations combine realism and charm but suffer from what appears to be poor reproduction. Nonetheless, this is an appealing and age-appropriate choice for young snackers.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) K-3 Illustrated by John Sandford. Young Michael McKeever discovers a leprechaun in the basement of his Chicago home, but the leprechaun won't share his gold, even though Michael's father is out of work. After the leprechaun and Michael call each other "greedy" and "selfish" they both have a change of heart. Watercolor and pencil illustrations give a homespun feel to the somewhat didactic story.

Reviewer: Pamela McCuen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by John Sandford. Hungry Bear wants Fox's fresh-caught fish, but greedy Fox preserves his catch with a clever scheme: he tells Bear to catch his own by sitting all night with his tail in the lake. Bear falls for the deception but ends up with the last laugh--and a full stomach. Sandford's folksy oil illustrations, rich with Slavic patterns, nicely complement this tale inspired by Hungarian folklore.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli