Ella is sick to death of storybooks that feature bears. I mean, really. She creates a story that is completely bear-free and her voice as she tells this tale is priceless. She is convinced there are no bears in the story but we see one in the illustrations throughout. At the end of the story, the bear doesn't say a word, but says everything in her expression. The artwork is just perfect for this story within a story. Seven to Ten. Joan Kindig

Demolition is not quiet and neither is this book. Words are LOUD and double-page spreads make this book as big and bold as knocking a building down. In the end, the demolition makes way for a perfect place for children to play. Age appropriate backmatter offers children facts on the machines used in the story. Up to Seven. Joan Kindig

A young boy playing in Trafalgar Square kicks an errant soccer ball into the fountain. Trying to escape the kids who lost their ball, he follows a group into the National Gallery. He wanders through a gallery until he comes to a portrait with a small dog and the dog leaps out of the painting. The two race through the galleries, in and out of paintings, until the dog returns to his painting. Never has anyone enjoyed art quite as much as this little boy and his canine pal. And art has a profound effect on him as the last two pages clearly show. This is a wordless graphic/novel picture book that kids will pore over. Seven to Ten. Joan Kindig