(2) K-3 Illustrated by Yumi Heo. In this Scottish folktale, Pirican Mor is looking for a "stick both hard and straight to whack and thwack poor Pirican Pic" (who has selfishly gobbled all the walnuts Pirican Mor has gathered). As in many another classic tale, each thing Pirican Mor needs requires getting something else. Heo uses oil washes for a very light-handed, translucent effect. There are no source notes, but this fresh reworking can be used in groups to discuss conflict.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2003

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Diana Mayo & Diana Mayo. A gingerbread man named Johnny Cake outruns Ollie Blaster and his aunts, ditchers (ditch diggers) and stitchers (women sewing), and a hare and a bear. But Johnny's outsmarted by a fox who claims to be semi-deaf and asks him to come closer and speak louder. The straightforward retelling is unremarkable, but the colorful acrylic illustrations are appealing.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sophie Fatus & Sophie Fatus. "What has a bottom at the top?" "A leg." The riddles in this welcome, browsable volume require readers to look beyond the obvious and think in terms of metaphor, allegory, and wordplay. The book contains teasers, riddle poems, and stories gathered from India and Russia, as well as other cultures. The amusing, detail-rich illustrations sometimes provide clues to the riddles' solutions.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sophie Fatus. A rhythmic, informal narrative style with just the right amount of repetition enlivens this collection of seven tales from around the world. Fatus's expressive, folksy illustrations move the amiable characters about expansive double-page spreads. Text and art successfully combine to make this a read-aloud favorite. Source notes are included.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale