(3) K-3 Illustrated by Judith Rossell. On Christmas Day, mouse children Pip and Squeak build a snowman and sneak him inside the family's warm and cozy mountain house. That's not a good place for a snowman to be, so everyone ends up outside spreading Christmas cheer. This winsome European import, illustrated with playful drawings in subdued hues, is a nice alternative to the standard Santa Claus fare.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Translated by Marianne Martens. Illustrated by Uli Waas. Three lonely snowmen try joining groups of people celebrating on Christmas Eve but are deterred by the heat and crowds they find indoors. Spirits are low until they are found by children who build a street full of snow people to celebrate together. While the illustrations are cheerful, the snowmen characters aren't developed enough to gather sympathy for their plight.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(4) 1-3 Translated by Martina Rasdeuschek-Simmons. Illustrated by Christa Unzner. Tony hasn't seen his grandmother for a while, so he's apprehensive when she offers to take him for the weekend. Her ideas for a good time, however, delight him, and by the end of the weekend, all agree they should visit more often. Grandmother is only mildly unconventional, but her exploits are amusing. Some of the facial expressions in the illustrations are unattractive.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Translated by J. Alison James. Illustrated by Cristina Kadmon. Tired of being tormented by his older siblings, a little elephant decides to follow the river to the sea. When he takes a detour into the jungle, the young pachyderm soon becomes lost and bravely develops a plan that he hopes will reunite him with his family. Although the text is long, children will relate to the elephant's predicament and find the ending comforting. Kadmon's soft illustrations include a number of African animals.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) K-3 Translated by J. Alison James. Illustrated by Cristina Kadmon. A little elephant finally learns how to trumpet, relieving his protective mother and appeasing his father, whose friend proclaims, "an elephant who can't trumpet is not a real elephant." The translated text bumps along in a few spots, but the story's message--children learn at their own pace--is clear. Hazy savanna scenes show the little elephant dwarfed by his grown-up relatives.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 1-3 Translated by Rosemary Lanning. Illustrated by Ulrike Heyne. Eight-year-old Paul longs to have a dog of his own, but his father insists that he must first prove himself worthy; he's given a chance when he discovers a dog stranded on a sinking fishing boat. Accomplished, atmospheric watercolors rendered in the tones of a stormy sea add richness to a dramatic yet understated chapter book text.

Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne

(3) 1-3 Translated by J. Alison James. Illustrated by Kirsten Hocker. Mary's vacation at the beach starts off poorly because the cold weather keeps her parents inside and she has to play alone. But she spends the day with a friendly dog, and her reports of fun convince her parents to come and join her on the beach. Sketchy watercolors on every spread suit the breezy, light text. Subject, format, and art work together to make this a fine story for emerging readers.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth