Age 04-08. 5 Stars. Hughes’ artwork is wonderfully rendered, with a particular eye to details that emphasize the warmth and closeness of this family. Most importantly, Bella’s open-hearted self-sacrifice epitomizes the kindness that siblings ought to express toward one another. Elder and younger siblings will appreciate this story for different reasons.

Age 04-08. 4 stars. These stories are based on the real workings of a British rail yard, and they center around the activities of Thomas the Tank Engine, who is likable, hard-working and often cheeky. He and his friends the other engines have distinct personalities, and many of their adventures and conflicts hinge on character flaws and lessons learned through mistakes. Although sometimes heavy-handed, Awdry’s well-written stories illustrate the consequences of pride, self-importance and foolishness as well as the importance of friendship and respect….. While all children who like trains ought to enjoy them, these stories will probably have a special appeal to young boys.

Age 04-08. 5 Stars. Children who have enjoyed Charlotte’s Web and James Herriot’s Treasury for Children will love this story, which is exceptionally well written with humor, pathos, and drama… The characters are wonderfully drawn, and Babe exemplifies loyalty, courage, determination, and courtesy… An outstanding read.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. In this retelling of a segment from Spenser’s Faerie Queen… Hyman’s mesmerizing illustrations, augmented by lavish and intricate borders, make this book excellent …, because the pictures do most of the work in capturing a child’s imagination. This story of heroism and love is wonderful in its own right, but it should also whet the appetite and prepare the reader for a future experience of the full poem.

Age 00-04. 2 Stars. This is a very different version of the fairy tale told by Rumer Godden about an old woman who lives in a vinegar bottle…. this one is clearly intended for younger readers; there is some verbal repetition (“What a pity, pity, pity”) as opposed to the more lyrical style in Godden. The artwork is brash and colorful, and the moral lesson is much less subtle. If Godden’s version didn’t exist this one might make a good library checkout, but I’m afraid it might spoil readers for Godden’s most excellent story.

Age 09-12. 3 Stars. In this sequel to At the Sign of the Sugared Plum… Hannah returns with her younger sister Anne to re-open their confectionary shop in London…. Hooper builds upon the excellent historical foundation she laid in the original book, giving a sense of the period’s flavor… the detailed description of Hannah’s journey through the burning city, with all the landmarks that succumb to the fire, is nothing short of breathtaking. The character development is again rather shallow and the love story leaves much to be desired…. sentimental indulgence in the context of an undefined pseudo-courtship makes the book feel more like a modern teenage novel than a story from this time period…. we will probably read it once as a supplement to our history education, but it won’t make it to our recreational reading shelf.

Age 08-12. 4 Stars. Hannah and Sarah are teenaged entrepreneurs, sisters running a shop in 1665 London…. Hannah, who has recently joined her sister, is excited at the prospect of a big-city life and complacently dismisses rumors that the Bubonic Plague is reawakening in London…. Overall, the characters and relationships portrayed in this story aren’t very remarkable, but the historical description — the smell of the city, the neat pile of hand-ground sugar in the girls’ kitchen, the inside view of the theatre, the streetside view of nobility leaving town in carriages, curtains drawn, as quarantine falls — all these kinds of details combine to form a very nice depiction of the period in which this terrible Plague wreaked such destruction.

Age 08-12. 5 Stars. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis is one of the definitive works of children’s fantasy literature that still influences the imagination of our present culture…. [It] begins when the Pevensies, a family of British children, stumble upon the doorway to a magical kingdom called Narnia, wherein they are called upon to oppose evil forces… The world is populated with dryads, unicorns, and large talking Beasts as well as humans, and the ruler of this world is Aslan, the great lion. … Narnia has had a resounding impact on the fantasy of our present time, and there is still a lively discussion among scholars and other thinkers about the profound themes of Lewis’s vision.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. Alfie and his family are at the community fair, where he meets many of his friends. He has entered a drawing in a children’s art contest. When he wins a prize, he notices that another child is disappointed to have received the consolation prize, a sorry-looking plush toy…. Alfie exemplifies the virtues of generosity and compassion in a way that small children can relate to. This makes a very nice addition to any small child’s library.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. A very nice counting book, with illustrations and text just in line with the age of a child who can begin learning to count this high…. Very methodical, but so nicely presented that it doesn’t quite feel like a teaching tool.