(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. Fifteen endangered animals from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's "Red List" are profiled, each with a brief two-page spread that includes colorful illustrations of the animal in its habitat and information on why it's endangered. Two pages at the end suggest ways kids can help (organizations' websites included). Other sources will be needed for serious research, but this is an interesting introduction to wildlife conservation.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. Krebs takes children on an adventure through the Amazon rainforest with the help of some native creatures and sprightly rhymes: "'Jump,' chatter monkeys. 'Or swing if you dare. / We'll hang by our tails and then leap through the air.'" Bright, colorful mixed-media illustrations fill the pages. Information about the Amazon rainforest, native peoples, creatures, and conservation is appended.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. This collection couples seven traditional stories with earth-friendly projects and some cultural history to "celebrate our connection with nature, and remind us how important it is to look after this Earth, our home." Casey's retellings honor the styles of the various sources from which she draws. Wilson's naif-style paintings decorate the pages. Bib.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. A group of contemporary Egyptian children visits some major tourist sites: the pyramids of Giza, the temple at Abu Simbel, Cairo, and more. The simple rhyming text is accompanied by bright mixed-media illustrations. Appended material (mostly about ancient Egypt) is written for older children but would give teachers and parents background information to share with the primary audience.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. The Jade Emperor wants to name the years of his new calendar after animals, so he announces a swimming race to determine the order of the names. Rat, being smart and sneaky, manages to come in first, with the eleven other zodiac animals behind him. Whimsical, attractive collage illustrations match the story's humor. Additional information about the Chinese calendar is included.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. If puppies are abandoned or if turtles escape from a truck, a kindly man named Sidney keeps them in his shop until they're adopted. The poems making up the text describe the animals, which include a ferret and a tarantula, and present their opinions: "Yes I'm rahther glorious / Yawn yawn rahther brilliant," muses a llama. The cheerful, textured illustrations complement the lively verses.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. In this tale, urban kid Lyra's schoolmates challenge her proud claim, supported by her parents, that she is an African princess ("Where's your palace?"). Finally her parents take her to the Caribbean to meet the elderly Taunte May, a descendant of the original princess. The meeting, spanning only four pages, is anticlimactic, but Lyra's narration, like the sumptuous collage-style illustrations, is invigorating.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrations featuring geometric shapes, swirls, and colorful patterns offer an unusual interpretation of the Twenty-Third Psalm. The upraised arms of many figures suggest a worshipful stance, and several shapes appear to be symbolic representations of life. The juxtaposition of abstract images and the King James text may bother more literal readers; others will enjoy the nonlinear experience.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) PS Illustrated by Anne Wilson. In this version of Lear's classic poem, the sprightly Owl and Pussycat begin their journey on a beach with a row of multicolored houses on stilts. Their destination--"the land where the Bong-tree grows"--has an equally playful array of abstract trees. With their pleasing colors and compositions, Wilson's whimsical paper collages complement the poem's nonsense.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. In the pattern of "The House That Jack Built," Greene retells the story of the creation of the world from the Hebrew Bible. The text focuses on the wonder and beauty of creation, leaving room for a range of both literal and symbolic interpretations. The exuberant artwork spills off the pages as if the world cannot be contained.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. On the day their beloved, cancer-stricken dog is to be put to sleep, a boy and his family celebrate Jasper's life by taking him to see his favorite places and people. The realistic portrait of a child coping with loss is understated and poignant. Soft chalk pastel illustrations complement the first-person text.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anne Wilson. Solomon is devasted when his favorite maple tree is destroyed in a storm. His uncle helps him honor his friend by performing a Tsimshian Indian ritual and carving a mask from the salvaged wood. Sensitive oil paintings on canvas and wood accompany the solemn text. An afterword, with a photo of the actual mask, introduces the Tsimshian master-carver who created it.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo