(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mark Buehner. A night watchman at a train yard sings such lovely lullabies to the engines that neighboring mothers bring their babies to be sung to sleep. The linear perspective, heavy, rounded shapes, and dark palette suit the subject. The story is less successful--the plot is thin, and neither the trains nor Niccolini have enough personality to engage readers other than avid train fanatics.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth