(4) K-3 People Who Help Us series. Illustrated by Andrew Crowson. This series provides basic information about community helpers. Each book begins by introducing the helper ("Meet Dr. Beth. She is a vet") then describes that person's day. The illustrations feature round-faced characters outlined in thick, black line. Though the volumes look a little young for the target audience, they are easily accessible and will be mildly useful. Glos. Review covers these People Who Help Us titles: Chef, Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, Teacher, and Vet.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 People Who Help Us series. Illustrated by Andrew Crowson. This series provides basic information about community helpers. Each book begins by introducing the helper ("Meet Dr. Beth. She is a vet") then describes that person's day. The illustrations feature round-faced characters outlined in thick, black line. Though the volumes look a little young for the target audience, they are easily accessible and will be mildly useful. Glos. Review covers these People Who Help Us titles: Chef, Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, Teacher, and Vet.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 People Who Help Us series. Illustrated by Andrew Crowson. This series provides basic information about community helpers. Each book begins by introducing the helper ("Meet Dr. Beth. She is a vet") then describes that person's day. The illustrations feature round-faced characters outlined in thick, black line. Though the volumes look a little young for the target audience, they are easily accessible and will be mildly useful. Glos. Review covers these People Who Help Us titles: Chef, Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, Teacher, and Vet.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 People Who Help Us series. Illustrated by Andrew Crowson. This series provides basic information about community helpers. Each book begins by introducing the helper ("Meet Dr. Beth. She is a vet") then describes that person's day. The illustrations feature round-faced characters outlined in thick, black line. Though the volumes look a little young for the target audience, they are easily accessible and will be mildly useful. Glos. Review covers these People Who Help Us titles: Chef, Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, Teacher, and Vet.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 People Who Help Us series. Illustrated by Andrew Crowson. This series provides basic information about community helpers. Each book begins by introducing the helper ("Meet Dr. Beth. She is a vet") then describes that person's day. The illustrations feature round-faced characters outlined in thick, black line. Though the volumes look a little young for the target audience, they are easily accessible and will be mildly useful. Glos. Review covers these People Who Help Us titles: Chef, Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, Teacher, and Vet.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 People Who Help Us series. Illustrated by Andrew Crowson. This series provides basic information about community helpers. Each book begins by introducing the helper ("Meet Dr. Beth. She is a vet") then describes that person's day. The illustrations feature round-faced characters outlined in thick, black line. Though the volumes look a little young for the target audience, they are easily accessible and will be mildly useful. Glos. Review covers these People Who Help Us titles: Chef, Doctor, Firefighter, Police Officer, Teacher, and Vet.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Magaly Morales. A bubble blown from Magic Chicle chewing gum whisks Chavela away to the jungles of Yucatan. There she sees her grandmother's stories in action as chicleros harvest sap for gum from sapodilla trees. Brown's imaginative tale is paired with Morales's whimsical illustrations full of eye-catching swirls and candy colors. Brown wisely leaves her "stewards-of-nature" message for the author's note. Websites.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(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

(4) K-3 The Django, a mischievous creature, causes all sorts of trouble, destroying Pa's banjo, for starters. Of course, it's always Jean who gets the blame. Tired of the Django's antics, Jean orders it to leave--but soon misses it. The story's connection to jazz musician Django Reinhardt, explained in the author's note, is tenuous at best. Watercolor illustrations, the book's highlight, are full of emotion and character.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series entry offers biographical information about Ryan, Simon, Randy, Kara, Paula, and Ellen. The text, though bland and very light on content, is easy to read, and its subjects may be of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout the volume; captions and brief "Did you know..." sidebars give additional information on the stars' family lives, schooling, and professional careers. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series offers biographical information about popular young stars. The texts, though bland and very light on content, are easy to read, and their subjects may be of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout the volumes; captions and brief "Did you know..." sidebars give additional information on the stars' family lives, schooling, and professional careers. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Biographies titles: Dakota Fanning, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Miranda Cosgrove, and Robert Pattinson.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series offers biographical information about popular young stars. The texts, though bland and very light on content, are easy to read, and their subjects may be of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout the volumes; captions and brief "Did you know..." sidebars give additional information on the stars' family lives, schooling, and professional careers. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Biographies titles: Dakota Fanning, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Miranda Cosgrove, and Robert Pattinson.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series offers biographical information about popular young stars. The texts, though bland and very light on content, are easy to read, and their subjects may be of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout the volumes; captions and brief "Did you know..." sidebars give additional information on the stars' family lives, schooling, and professional careers. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Biographies titles: Dakota Fanning, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Miranda Cosgrove, and Robert Pattinson.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series offers biographical information about popular young stars. The texts, though bland and very light on content, are easy to read, and their subjects may be of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout the volumes; captions and brief "Did you know..." sidebars give additional information on the stars' family lives, schooling, and professional careers. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Biographies titles: Dakota Fanning, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Miranda Cosgrove, and Robert Pattinson.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series offers biographical information about popular young stars. The texts, though bland and very light on content, are easy to read, and their subjects may be of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout the volumes; captions and brief "Did you know..." sidebars give additional information on the stars' family lives, schooling, and professional careers. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Biographies titles: Dakota Fanning, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Miranda Cosgrove, and Robert Pattinson.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(3) PS Illustrated by Kay Chorao. Lyrical repetitive text encourages a child to fall asleep then dream about nature and its changes throughout the year ("It's time to sleep. / It's time to dream / of lazy summer days...of cool autumn winds"). Soft full-page watercolor, colored-pencil, and gouache illustrations reflect the text's descriptions, while black silhouette spot illustrations show the family's comforting nighttime routine.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Historias de fiestas series. These books explain the history, customs, and traditions of each holiday. The texts, though choppy, are generally informative and have been accurately translated into Spanish (except for some inconsistencies with capitalizations). Illustrations include reproductions and photographs; some of the stock images are dull or awkwardly placed. There are six other spring 2009 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Historias de fiestas titles: El día de las elecciones, El día de Martin Luther King, Jr., El día del trabajo, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween, and Año nuevo.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Historias de fiestas series. These books explain the history, customs, and traditions of each holiday. The texts, though choppy, are generally informative and have been accurately translated into Spanish (except for some inconsistencies with capitalizations). Illustrations include reproductions and photographs; some of the stock images are dull or awkwardly placed. There are six other spring 2009 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Historias de fiestas titles: El día de las elecciones, El día de Martin Luther King, Jr., El día del trabajo, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween, and Año nuevo.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Historias de fiestas series. These books explain the history, customs, and traditions of each holiday. The texts, though choppy, are generally informative and have been accurately translated into Spanish (except for some inconsistencies with capitalizations). Illustrations include reproductions and photographs; some of the stock images are dull or awkwardly placed. There are six other spring 2009 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Historias de fiestas titles: El día de las elecciones, El día de Martin Luther King, Jr., El día del trabajo, Cinco de Mayo, Halloween, and Año nuevo.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Keith Graves. Froggie is jumping out of his skin with anticipation after Rabbit tells him their friends Gander, Goose, and new baby Gosling are coming to visit. However, baby Gosling does nothing but cry--until Froggie entertains her. The pacing is off (the characters spend way too much time cleaning), but Froggie's enthusiasm, shown in eye-catching acrylic, ink, and pencil illustrations, is infectious.

Reviewer: Alissa C. Salamone