(3) K-3 Illustrated by David T. Wenzel. King Normous wants to be "king of all the world" and imprisons the titular king. But the little things of the land rebel ("Bolts bolted. / Brakes jolted. / Cookies crumbled. / Blocks tumbled") and villagers storm Normous's castle in protest. The book succeeds beautifully as both a richly illustrated fairy tale and social commentary about the perils of greed.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Wenzel. Mrs. Claus answers a slew of fictional queries from kids about her home life, the North Pole, the elves, and Santa. Detailed illustrations in subdued colors add a nostalgic tone to the work; its cramped page design is unfortunate. The text can be a bit treacly, but readers deep in the holiday spirit will enjoy it.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by David T. Wenzel. In More, a boy compares numbers to guess people's ages at his school's picnic. In Polly, an American girl is introduced to metric units of measure by her Montrealer pen pal. As in most MathStart books, the absorbing story lines and engaging illustrations collude to make readers forget they are learning math as they happily turn the pages. Reading list. Review covers these MathStart titles: More or Less and Polly's Pen Pal.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) PS Illustrated by David T. Wenzel. Rhyming questions ("In a haunted house, / surrounded by mist, / who can spin / shimmering webs with / a swirl and a twist?") with clues before and answers after a page turn identify familiar motifs of the holiday. The slight text is accompanied by color illustrations that are somewhat, but not too spooky.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) PS Illustrated by David Wenzel. Wenzel offers his own illustrations for the 1939 poem that inspired the famous Christmas song. According to May's verses, which are different from the song's lyrics, Santa discovers Rudolph and his nose while delivering presents to his house in the fog one year, and a star is born. With their blue and white landscapes and cozy interiors, the large, lively illustrations create a suitable holiday atmosphere.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert