Age 04-08. 4 Stars. This story rounds out the trilogy begun with My Father’s Dragon… This is more of the same fun fare that characterized the first two books, capitalizing on the mystique of dragons which makes Elmer’s participation in their lives quite a romantic adventure. Again, Elmer would set a better example by confiding in his parents, but the lighthearted and fanciful nature of this adventure may help young readers interpret his behavior without emulating his secrecy.

Age 00-04. 5 Stars. This is a delightfully comforting story of a little bunny who decides to run away from his mother. When she informs him that she intends to follow him, he invents many imaginary scenes in which he is transformed into something else and escapes…. This book playfully and gently underscores the unconditional love children ought to expect from their parents, and echoes God’s own relentless pursuit of human souls to be included in His household (Psalm 139:7-12; Ephesians 1:4-6). It is an essential addition to any child’s library, but may be especially well suited for children who who experience anxiety about their place in the family — siblings of a new addition to the family, adoptees, or children who have experienced trauma.

Age 00-04. 4 Stars. Corduroy is a stuffed bear who lives on the shelf of a department store. One day a girl named Lisa spies him and exclaims over him, but her mother points out that he is missing a button from his overalls, and the two depart without buying him…. There are several elements of this charming story that have made it popular for decades. Corduroy has a flaw that he cannot repair by himself — his missing button. This produces in him a helplessness and dependence on others that children, who understand their own dependence on adults, will respond to with empathy…. Lisa’s family is not a wealthy one: Lisa’s mother cannot buy the bear because she has “spent too much already,” and Lisa and her parents live in a fourth-floor apartment rather than a large house. But the little home is a secure one, filled with warm touches and supplied with the tools needed to replace Corduroy’s button. This is far better than the cold “palace” in which Lisa found him. Corduroy’s homecoming is to a place of humble, nurturing love.

Age 00-04. This book… tells the simple story of a little duck who sets out on her own to see a little bit of the world; she meets a frog, a rabbit, and a pig, and they each take her to see their homes. She begins to get tired and thirsty, and when the frog takes her to see his home (which turns out to be hers as well) she is well content to rejoin her flock. This is a sweet book about independence and homecoming, and includes some nice barnyard and outdoor scenes rendered simply but beautifully in black, white and brown.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne, his steam shovel, have worked hard all their lives to open the way for people to build the roads, canals, and tunnels that the country’s transportation system depends upon. But as Mike Mulligan ages, technology changes — and the demand for steam shovels (and their operators) virtually disappears. One day Mike Mulligan decides to take on the challenge of digging a cellar for the new town hall of far-off Popperville…. The story is told with a pleasing rhythm, and while it can work at younger ages as a simple challenge story centering on whether Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne can actually dig the cellar in a day, a deeper theme is of homecoming: through diligence and hard work, Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne win a place in the community where they are useful, respected and appreciated.