(4) K-3 My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association series. These books give beginning readers information about pet ownership. Each title addresses several basic questions such as how to select a pet and how to care for it. Written in simple text, the books provide enough details for young readers without being overwhelming (though as a result, some of the facts are incomplete). Bright photographs of the pets help explain the information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association titles: My First Bird, My First Cat, My First Dog, and My First Fish.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association series. These books give beginning readers information about pet ownership. Each title addresses several basic questions such as how to select a pet and how to care for it. Written in simple text, the books provide enough details for young readers without being overwhelming (though as a result, some of the facts are incomplete). Bright photographs of the pets help explain the information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association titles: My First Bird, My First Cat, My First Dog, and My First Fish.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association series. These books give beginning readers information about pet ownership. Each title addresses several basic questions such as how to select a pet and how to care for it. Written in simple text, the books provide enough details for young readers without being overwhelming (though as a result, some of the facts are incomplete). Bright photographs of the pets help explain the information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association titles: My First Bird, My First Cat, My First Dog, and My First Fish.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association series. These books give beginning readers information about pet ownership. Each title addresses several basic questions such as how to select a pet and how to care for it. Written in simple text, the books provide enough details for young readers without being overwhelming (though as a result, some of the facts are incomplete). Bright photographs of the pets help explain the information. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these My First Pet Library from the American Humane Association titles: My First Bird, My First Cat, My First Dog, and My First Fish.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) YA As seventeen-year-old Mickey buries her father, her estranged older brother Danny reappears, forcing her to recall the incidents leading up to the death of his best friend six years before. Fluid prose and palpable descriptions buoy this tale of sibling tension, blame, sorrow, and coming of age (though multiple overt references to The Outsiders get to be a bit much).

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) YA Sixteen-year-old Emil, struggling with his mother's death from cancer and subsequent family problems, finds some clarity by using a master key to access the hidden recesses of his private school. Though the story tends to drag, Emil's emotional maturation is realistically portrayed.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) YA After eighth-grader Ethan injures a classmate at his wealthy suburban school, his divorcing parents send him to live with his elderly grandparents in Washington, DC. The only white student in his new school, Ethan slowly makes friends and adjusts to his grandparents' lifestyle. Though the plot drags at times, the story explores racism and maturation from an unusual angle.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids series. This series makes creative use of common household materials such as water bottles, straws, and cereal boxes. Some of the crafts are usable, attractive, and easily accomplished (especially in Animal and Music), while others are flimsy and fairly uninspired. All four books include patterns at the end to accompany some of the trickier projects. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids titles: Nifty Thrifty Animal Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Math Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Sports Crafts, and Nifty Thrifty Music Crafts.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) 4-6 Eighth-grade nemeses Mick and Boot are ordered by their principal to play games in order to reach an accord. Alternating chapters give each boy's perspective on his difficult life and on the scheming girl who manipulates them both. Though the story drags at first, the book provides an insightful, realistic, and sobering look at the game of life.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) YA Alastair, a thirteen-year-old amputee, is forced to summer with his absentee father, whom he blames for his injury. To impress a romantic interest, he trains for a charity Adventure Race while dealing with family issues. Too many plot lines and themes clutter this novel, but the characters are multidimensional and the dramatic tension is well sustained.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids series. This series makes creative use of common household materials such as water bottles, straws, and cereal boxes. Some of the crafts are usable, attractive, and easily accomplished (especially in Animal and Music), while others are flimsy and fairly uninspired. All four books include patterns at the end to accompany some of the trickier projects. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids titles: Nifty Thrifty Animal Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Math Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Sports Crafts, and Nifty Thrifty Music Crafts.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids series. This series makes creative use of common household materials such as water bottles, straws, and cereal boxes. Some of the crafts are usable, attractive, and easily accomplished (especially in Animal and Music), while others are flimsy and fairly uninspired. All four books include patterns at the end to accompany some of the trickier projects. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids titles: Nifty Thrifty Animal Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Math Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Sports Crafts, and Nifty Thrifty Music Crafts.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) 4-6 After his identical twin brother drowns, a ten-year-old boy runs away from home, fearing his family is saddened by his presence in their lives; days later he returns after accepting his own grief. Though the prose is rich and colorful, the narrator's voice, actions, and thoughts don't fit his age, leaving the story somewhat disconnected.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) YA European Queens series. The life and death of the queen, as well as the politics of her time, are presented here in meticulous detail. The dense text can be overwhelming and occasionally dull, and despite the plethora of information provided, readers don't get a strong sense of Mary's personality. Photos, maps, and illustrations provide excellent supplements to the text. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Despite the title, this scattered story only nominally concerns kittens: three of them distract Ruthie from tending to her pregnant aunt and she misses the baby's birth. Ultimately, her aunt credits Ruthie's errand-running with prompting the birth and honors Ruthie with being the first to hold the baby. Phelan's lighthearted pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are the book's highlight.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids series. This series makes creative use of common household materials such as water bottles, straws, and cereal boxes. Some of the crafts are usable, attractive, and easily accomplished (especially in Animal and Music), while others are flimsy and fairly uninspired. All four books include patterns at the end to accompany some of the trickier projects. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Nifty Thrifty Crafts for Kids titles: Nifty Thrifty Animal Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Math Crafts, Nifty Thrifty Sports Crafts, and Nifty Thrifty Music Crafts.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(3) PS An ebullient baby, wearing only a diaper and a party hat, celebrates a birthday gift from Grandma. The stuffed doggy is a hit, but the cardboard box it came in generates even more excitement and creativity. Acrylic on canvas illustrations pair with the simple, humorous text for a story suited equally well to one-on-one sharing and storytimes.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Russell Julian. Impractical Goat and levelheaded Donkey are best friends. In Outdoors, Goat agonizes over where to vacation, and Donkey helps him realize the beauties of home. In Sunglasses, Goat shops for items they don't need, and Donkey supports his friend despite his goofiness. The plot lines in these British imports are a bit treacly. Bright paintings effectively illustrate the friends' facial expressions. Review covers these titles: Goat and Donkey in Strawberry Sunglasses and Goat and Donkey in the Great Outdoors.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Russell Julian. Impractical Goat and levelheaded Donkey are best friends. In Outdoors, Goat agonizes over where to vacation, and Donkey helps him realize the beauties of home. In Sunglasses, Goat shops for items they don't need, and Donkey supports his friend despite his goofiness. The plot lines in these British imports are a bit treacly. Bright paintings effectively illustrate the friends' facial expressions. Review covers these titles: Goat and Donkey in Strawberry Sunglasses and Goat and Donkey in the Great Outdoors.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. A father and his little girl spend a sunny day on the tractor, readying their farm's fields for planting as the family dog and neighborhood crows look on. Some awkward rhymes make an initial read-aloud difficult and the ending is abrupt, but the soft, detailed illustrations provide plenty of interest to young tractor fans.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury