(4) PS Illustrated by Christian Slade. A series of rhyming questions ponder how different air transportation (from helicopters to hot-air balloons) prepare for bed, seemingly just like humans. "Where do jet planes sleep at night after a day of engines roaring? / Do dads share bedtime tales of their transatlantic soaring?" Soft pastel-like illustrations with (occasionally creepy-looking) anthropomorphized vehicles should set the sleepy mood for transportation fans.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) PS Illustrated by Christian Slade. A rhyming text asks readers to wonder things such as "Where do passenger trains sleep / once they've dropped off girls and boys? / Do they fill their seats with teddy bears / and cuddly bedtime toys?" Illustrations show many varieties of (sometimes creepy-looking) anthropomorphized trains in parent-and-child pairs doing bedtime routines. Steam Train, Dream Train makes better use of a trains-at-bedtime premise.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 4-6 Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast series. Illustrated by Christian Slade. David's dream has come true: his grandma and his friend Amy's dad have both gone off-world and left them alone together. But the dream turns into a nightmare when avid UFO watchers find out the B & B's secret. There are no big surprises in the third installment, but fans of the series will undoubtedly enjoy the same gross-out humor and likable characters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) PS Illustrated by Christian Slade. What happens to trucks when it's time for bed? A rhyming series of questions suggest what bedtime might be like for a variety of vehicles. The child whose bedtime musings these are is shown at the end going to sleep in a toy-truck-filled bedroom. The topic of trucks' bedtime routines and the illustrations of personified vehicles with animated faces will please truck-loving fans.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Christian Slade. PJ Picklelime, who can talk with birds, lives in a sunny village filled with cheery international neighbors. As the tale continues, though, readers see that all is not as sweet as it appears. The drama feels a little piled on, but readers will enjoy PJ's sometimes bittersweet and slightly magical personal journey. Youngish-looking black-and-white illustrations accompany the story.

Reviewer: Betsy Murray

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Christian Slade. Wells recasts the title character from his young adult novel Meely LaBauve as boy companion to beagle Rascal, this story's narrator. As Rascal grows up, he learns to navigate the bayou and its denizens, including some snakes and an irascible old cat. Dog fans will appreciate Rascal's down-home, Cajun-inflected narration and the story's action-filled conclusion.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Christian Slade. Adventure-seeking apothecary Penhaligon (The Daring Adventures of Penhaligon Brush), a clever fox, must find a cure for deadly wolf fever. While his wife Rowan cares for the ill, Penhaligon seeks the cure's mysterious ingredients and learns more about his own past. Though the text occasionally meanders, the plot is more streamlined than the previous volume's, and new characters add depth.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Christian Slade. In the meter of "A Visit from St. Nicholas," Wharton considers what Mrs. Claus might be up to on the night before Christmas, from domestic tidying to business management. The text, accompanied by humorous mixed-media illustrations, offers a positive message: the heavily built, glasses-wearing, gray-haired heroine's undaunted enthusiasm demonstrates that people of every sort are perfectly suited to succeed in their dreams.

Reviewer: Becca Schaffner | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2008

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Christian Slade. The elaborate machinations of a spoiled feline royal put the village of Porthleven in peril. Fox Penhaligon, a local apothecary, comes to the rescue with help from the lady of the manor, her devoted servant, and assorted villagers. Too many subplots slow down the action, and tying them all up makes the story less convincing.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Christian Slade. From the moment Bryan witnesses the dramatic arrival (in a wooden crate) of Acme Inc. president Archibald Keen, he knows something strange is happening. The story starts out strong, and readers will be intrigued by the mystery, but the plot gets lost in its own whimsy. Occasional black-and-white line drawings illustrate some of the more remarkable events.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth