(3) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. In between outings with his best friend Bess (a meticulous cat, mother of three kittens), Porky (a messy, disorganized, bachelor pig) is trying to write a special poem for Poem-Reading Day. By book’s end, Porky has found the perfect words to celebrate their friendship. Gently humorous and expressive pictures illustrate this odd-couple pair.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Emma's pet turtle so enjoys listening to her tell stories about life in other countries that he leaves his pen to go exploring for himself. Though he thinks he's reached Australia and India, he ultimately realizes that there are adventures aplenty to be had in his own backyard. Watercolor illustrations trace the route of the intrepid turtle's journey.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) PS Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Each in a series of animals imparts a different "magic word" to Little Bird: a cow says it's "Moo-moo," a pig says it's "Oink-oink," etc. Finally Little Bird's mother teaches him a magic word that will be familiar to even the youngest human reader. DiPucchio's benign rhymes, like Winborn's pastel-hued art, exhibit a certain amount of panache--and hokiness.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. When Ogre eats her tulips, May Belle makes him plant a new garden; when he eats his invitation to her tea party, she teaches him to read; and when he's bored, she suggests other activities for him. These three short stories dramatizing an unusual friendship are told with humor and are accompanied by lively pen and watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. As in their previous books, Digby the dog and Kate the cat learn that compromise is the key to their friendship. New readers will appreciate the familiar characters, short vignettes with easy-to-decode sentences, and quick resolutions. The cheerful illustrations are as unassuming as the text and share equal billing on the page.

Reviewer: Amanda Sullivan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Three short, easy-to read stories about a little girl and her adventures with a hairy gray ogre resonate with a satisfying tone. In one story, May Belle drags the dirty ogre into a bath, in another she insists he bake a pie to make up for the two he stole, and in the last she wins over the little monster and asks him to stay. The amusing pictures show a snub-nosed girl who lives in a house in the woods.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Geese Gabbler and Mrs. Gabbler are so busy celebrating the imminent arrival of their offspring that they don't notice when their egg rolls away; they conclude that it's been "egg-napped." Their forest-animal friends ultimately carry out a successful rescue mission. Propelled by tight if unoriginal rhymes, this ode to teamwork and its critter-packed illustrations will amuse young children.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. In Bigger, siblings fighting over the size of their rooms learn the concept of area. In Sassafras, cousins line up by age for a photo and learn about ordering cardinal numbers. In Car Wash, a baseball team raises cash for new uniforms and learns about counting money. Spirited images, Murphy's wit, and simple math problems played out in familiar settings make these series books painlessly educational. [Review covers these MathStart titles: Bigger, Better, Best!; One...Two...Three...Sassafras!; and Sluggers' Car Wash.]

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Jack likes to eat pastrami for lunch, popcorn for snack time, pizza for dinner, and pistachio ice cream for dessert, but there's a chance he won't always get what he wants. Visual clues and Jack's thought bubbles help readers gauge the likelihood of his being disappointed, and in one instance, the story emphasizes the gap between certainty and probability. Cheery illustrations and related activities are included.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 MathStart series. Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. When Grandma's cat has kittens, Joey and Lisa pick Pepper as their own, and Lisa writes a year's worth of monthly journal entries about Pepper. The colorful illustrations are busy with details, holiday references, and facts about cats, which may overshadow the concept at hand. Included at the end of the book are a year's calendar and suggestions for parents to help clarify the concept of time.

Reviewer: Liza Woodruff

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marsha Winborn. Hamster Norman has a crush on his new classmate and wants to give her a valentine, but two classmate thugs also in love with Wilhemina are intent on being her only suitors. Satisfyingly, Wilhemina herself frightens the bullies with her karate moves and gives a valentine to Norman first. The hamster characters are appealingly childlike in the busy illustrations.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Digby the dog and Kate the cat don't always agree, but each of the short chapters featuring the two pals ends on a positive note. When Kate wants to hunt mice for a snack, mouse-friendly Digby makes a pizza instead; when a rain shower threatens their walk, Kate cheers Digby into taking a "long, wet walk" instead. The artwork (though sometimes awkwardly drafted) together with the cheerful stories make up good, light fare for beginning readers.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.