(3) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Shirley Burns has trouble asserting herself and her opinions. Her overprotective single mother keeps a tight rein on her in their 1961 Queens neighborhood, even withholding the information that her absent father has died. An accusation from a teacher leads Shirley to take small steps toward independence. Without fanfare, Best carefully develops a realistic character in whom to believe.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Simone Shin. Using a decked-out cardboard-box car, a young boy takes his mom on a "ride" through their house and yard that includes stops at "the library" (a bookcase), "Charlie's Diner" (the kitchen), etc. It's a (very) long ride, and the narrator doesn't sound childlike, but young readers will go for the winning concept, play-focused art, and onomatopoeic bursts ("REV REV VROOM").

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Zulay, who's blind, is determined to race at Field Day. The straightforward depiction of spunky Zulay and her diverse group of girlfriends--"four best friends who help each other, four best friends who help themselves"--helps this story shine. Brantley-Newton's bright illustrations showcase expressive faces, welcoming readers into a world where the successes and frustrations of being disabled are noted and respected.

Reviewer: Breanna J. MCDaniel

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Christine Davenier. Nell and her dog Rusty are elated to be digging in the springtime soil. Nell's fastidious neighbor, Norman, despises getting dirty, but he can't resist the allure of finding treasures and building a "dirt museum" and eventually joins in until he's as mud-covered as Nell. The simple story and wispy illustrations convey the easy joys of an imaginative day outdoors.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kyrsten Brooker. When Wendy goes walking with her family along their street, she can't resist picking up lost or discarded objects. After months of collecting, she's inspired to create some quirky sculptures that celebrate her neighborhood. Like the playful, evocative text, Brooker's eye-catching collages give Wendy a distinctive personality; they're especially appropriate for a story about the wonders of found objects.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Giselle Potter. The team responsible for Shrinking Violet offers this tale of a spelling-obsessed kid who is distressed after her efforts to start a spelling club at school are met with yawns. She gets her classmates to change their minds improbably easily and completely, but the writing is spick-and-span, and Potter scores with her customary warmth and attention to facial features.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Madeline Valentine. After winning a pet store contest, Ava is disappointed to receive not a dog but a parakeet as her prize. Gradually she warms to the bird, and in a touching scene, she uses a straw to drip water down its throat to save its life. Suitably enough, this terrific, warmly illustrated story about patience takes its own sweet time.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Jacob, who loves to bake, attempts to make his first pie for his parents' anniversary. He dutifully follows his favorite TV chef's baking rules, cleverly using them to resolve problems, including buying himself--and his pie--more time. Sweet's illustrations, sprinkled with eye-catching patterns, complete this joyful tribute to perseverance. A "Happy Peach Pie" recipe is included.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Rosemary doesn't like being an only child: she's lonely, her home is too quiet and organized, etc. This story begins insightfully but cops out in the end: its message seems to be that making peace with being an only child requires getting a pet. The art is witty, ably reflecting Rosemary's shifting moods.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Giselle Potter. The neighborhood camaraderie from Three Cheers for Catherine the Great! continues in this summertime sequel. Here all eight tenants in young Sara's apartment building cram into an unairconditioned car and head for the beach. Potter's distinctively painted figures reinforce the characters' idiosyncrasies; and Sara's spirited Russian grandmother, Catherine the Great, serves as a solid center to the ensemble.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2003

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Holly Meade. Animated paper collage enhances this story of an injured Canada goose that lands with a flock on a girl's pond. With empathetic language, Best tells the story from the girl's point of view. The girl watches the geese and notices how the one that lost a foot is ostracized by the rest. In September, all the geese are gone. Next March, the girl sees her goose no longer shunned but part of a family--one that by book's end includes seven babies.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2002

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Giselle Potter. In this perceptive story about shyness, Violet's teacher and friends gently try to ease her out of her self-consciousness, while obnoxious classmate Irwin takes the opposite tack. Potter's slightly offbeat caricatures are ideal for demonstrating what Violet is comfortable doing--observing. A backstage part as the narrator in a school play serves the dual purpose of boosting Violet's confidence and besting Irwin.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2001

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. The Spaldeen Super Pinkie is the object of Annie's obsession. Everywhere she goes, Annie is accompanied by the soft, fuzzy, pink rubber ball, despite the many who prey on it--a teacher, a neighbor's dog, the building superintendent. Tension mounts when the building super catches Annie's ball, but the conflict is resolved satisfyingly. Animated illustrations match the fun of the story.

Reviewer: Charlotte S. Huck

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. When his family leaves him behind while they go on vacation, Montezuma the dog decides to teach them to appreciate him more. He invites a smelly, ill-mannered mutt to greet the family on their return and is delighted to hear them say that they should have taken Montezuma with them. The energetic oil pastel illustrations add to the whimsical tone of the story.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Giselle Potter. This year, Sara's beloved Russian grandmother wants no presents for her birthday. So each of her friends, neighbors, and relatives decides to give her a no present--which Sara's mother says "can be anything . . . as long as it comes from deep inside you." Potter's flat, homey sketches incorporate just enough detail to aptly convey people and place in this endearing story of a child's relationship with a special grandparent.

Reviewer: Margaret A. Bush | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1999