(3) 4-6 My Alter Ego Is a Superhero series. Translated by Kari Dickson. Illustrated by Øyvind Torseter. Rusty's beloved grandfather has just died and his fort has been ruined by neighborhood bullies, so Rusty's alter-ego, "Brown," arrives to deal with these problems. Rusty/Brown, joined eventually by friends Jack and Lou, works his way through his grief while confronting the bullies. This plentifully illustrated import from Norway is in equal measure heartbreaking, silly, realistic, and childlike.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Øyvind Torseter. In this quirky secular version of "Noah's Ark" from Norway, Noah gathers "as many creatures as he could" (not in pairs, but the story isn't concerned with that matter). When the ark springs a leak, his dog's nose serves as the plug, ensuring that all dogs henceforth shall have wet noses. The cutaway cartoon illustrations show animals playing cards, eating, and making merry.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(1) K-3 Translated by Kari Dickson. Illustrated by Øyvind Torseter. A little boy asks his father if Mommy will ever wake up again. Honest, but gently changing the subject, the father replies, "No, not where she is now. Should we go out and look at the stars?" A quiet, intimate text and enigmatic paper-collage and ink illustrations make a world of their own that commends interest beyond the therapeutic.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013