(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Catrow. A young boy with a vivid imagination (and a sneezy dad) yearns for a dog. Harry dons his "X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet" and creates an imaginary canine companion, Waffle. When Harry's father loses his pepper-factory job, clearing up his sinuses, he gives Harry a real dog, and Waffle finds a satisfying new home. Catrow's flamboyantly colored caricatures detail the offbeat story's slapstick action.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ana Juan. On her eighth birthday, Eliza Prattlebottom wishes "that an elephant would come and take me away." After the wish comes true, Eliza's ninety-seven-year-old neighbor convinces her to return to her busy parents and not wish away her childhood. There's an awkwardness to the text and its message, but richly colored acrylic and crayon illustrations depict an appealing world of wishes.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan