(3) 4-6 Sterling Biographies series. The exciting and, by this time, well-known life of Hamilton is engagingly detailed in this handsome and diminutive volume. Full-color paintings and maps are featured throughout, along with frequent sidebars that elaborate on other historical people, places, and events. What emerges is a well-rounded account of his life and times, elevated by breadth and scope. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Written for the peewee crowd, these clear introductions to baseball and soccer begin with a brief history of each sport and a glossary of key terms. Later pages describe gear, skills to learn and practice, team positions, basic rules, and game-day tips. A final note offers advice to parents (e.g., "Let the coach coach"). Crisp stock photographs spotlight young athletes in action. Websites. Review covers these titles: Let's Play Baseball and Let's Play Soccer

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Written for the peewee crowd, these clear introductions to baseball and soccer begin with a brief history of each sport and a glossary of key terms. Later pages describe gear, skills to learn and practice, team positions, basic rules, and game-day tips. A final note offers advice to parents (e.g., "Let the coach coach"). Crisp stock photographs spotlight young athletes in action. Websites. Review covers these titles: Let's Play Baseball and Let's Play Soccer

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Carrie Schuler. When young Leo discovers he can play Mozart as well as his older sister does, he tricks his parents by practicing for her. It's not until the holiday recital that Leo reveals his talent for piano to everyone. A wordy text is bolstered by whimsical, detailed illustrations that portray music as something that twists, flutters, and flows with energy of its own.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Carolyn Conahan. In each book, a kid visiting an out-of-state cousin receives state-specific gifts, one per day, during the twelve days of Christmas. Chatty, overly explanatory letters written home to Mom and Dad expand the information; additional state facts are appended to the stories. The books' cheerful illustrations get ever more crowded as the presents accumulate. Review covers these titles: The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oregon, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Ohio, The Twelve Days of Christmas in Indiana, and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Pennsylvania.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Carmen Segovia. When winter comes, Brownie Groundhog goes into hibernation, leaving her fox friend at a loss ("What about me?"). On a whim, the fox and his new friend Bunny throw a festive winter party with supplies raided from Brownie's house; luckily, she doesn't mind waking up (briefly) for the celebration. The droll story's distinctive characters are brought to life in cozy acrylics.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Carmen Segovia. On February second, Brownie the groundhog goes looking for signs of spring. Instead she finds a hungry fox. Brownie manages to outwit the inexperienced fox; what's more, she discovers he's not bad company. Brightened by sky-blue and fox-red, the illustrations for this humorous tale set the wintry scene well and help create distinctive personalities for the two animals.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jamie Hogan. Formalist poems accompanied by pastel and charcoal pencil drawings celebrate animals in their natural habitats. Skinks in a cinquain "sneak / From cool crannies," and snakes "slither in a sizzling haze," surrounded by sibilance. The sometimes comic poems highlight animal habits and habitats that readers might otherwise overlook. Back matter discusses the forms as well as the poet's zoological inspirations.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Sterling Biographies series. Rich with facts, these biographies go beyond basic information and personal mythologies to reveal the lasting achievements and human foibles of six incredible women. Each thoughtfully designed volume draws readers in, vividly bringing to life the various places and times, from Joan of Arc's fifteenth-century France to Amelia Earhart's twentieth-century America, through informational sidebars, photographs, and document reproductions. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Sterling Biographies titles: Helen Keller, Cleopatra, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Anne Frank, and Joan of Arc.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma. When Rembrandt the bear loses his lucky hat, a bird offers to take its place on his head. Though the solution is a little awkward, the bird-as-hat works out, until it's scared off by a cat--who feels responsible and takes its place. Eventually Rembrandt finds the right hat--just like his old one--in a somewhat flat conclusion. The ludicrous story and droll illustrations, however, make the dryly humorous book entertaining.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander