(3) K-3 Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. “The writer” is composing what seems to be a traditional “Three Little Pigs” retelling...but the animals from the story keep appearing in her office and demanding changes to the plot, characters, and setting. Cartoony art, often using graphic-novel conventions, is just the right match for the silly text of this amusing metafictive picture book with a side of story-element review.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. Friends Leah and Ari long for a sukkah and then win one through a contest at Hebrew school. It takes their whole neighborhood to build, decorate, and use it for Sukkot, including the non-Jewish owner of the local fruit market. The pleasant story emphasizes community, adaptability, and sharing. Warm illustrations show the friends and their families in a variety of city settings.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) PS Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. Creatures and objects in increasing number vanish into a rain puddle starting with one shaggy dog, two stray cats, and three thirsty squirrels. This visual and onomatopoeic feast of a counting book is offbeat and hilarious: after twelve workers drain the puddle (Schlurp! Schlurp! Schlurp!), a pile of sopping taxis, tourists, etc. is revealed; they're back to business as usual in reverse order.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. This collection of brief seasonal poems and poetry excerpts starts with springtime and ends with snowflakes. The selections include those that are very kid-friendly and accessible (e.g., Katz's own work) to more challenging pieces (excerpts from Shakespeare and Dickinson). The appropriately seasonal illustrations display movement and joy.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. Ziefert enumerates the many characteristics of everyday life: "Holidays have dinners. / Games have winners" ending with the comforting "Families have...together." The text is not entirely original--think of Zolotow's Some Things Go Together--but Zemke's illustrations are suitably lighthearted and some of Ziefert's pairings are memorable--"school days have...RUSH!"

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Deborah Zemke. Shannon describes life on Wise Acres farm in three very funny short stories. The farm animals have unusual talents and interests--the turkey plays the banjo, the pig practices fancy dives, and the sheep waits by the mailbox for mail. Illustrations depict a bucolic scene with anthropomorphized farm animals, and readers will laugh at the stories' absurd solutions.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth