(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michelle Shapiro. Rachel's Hanukkah gift is a dollhouse perfectly proportioned for a family of curious mice. Gouache illustrations, which effectively use few colors, allow readers to share with the mice each addition to the dollhouse. While the mice wonder who is responsible for their Hanukkah festivities, readers will delightedly watch Rachel provide them with tiny latkes, dreidels, and even a miniature menorah.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) PS Illustrated by Michelle Shapiro. "I have a box of chalk, / A brand new box, / With long perfect sticks / All smooth and dusty." Using her driveway as a canvas, a girl creates a masterpiece that includes everything around her, from the orange cat observing her work to the pink stripes on her shirt. Shapiro's bright illustrations, which look like sidewalk chalk drawings, are convincingly childlike.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michelle Shapiro. Based on the author's own experience, this book tells the story of a Jewish family who adopt a Vietnamese baby. While similar to other fictional stories about international adoptions, the book's religious aspects (the mikvah, or ritual bath); the Shabbat celebrations) provide a unique specificity. The gentle, colorful paintings reflect the family's joy.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt