A poem extolling the beauty of African-American children forms the basis for celebration of a positive self-image. Four attractive children engage in typical kindergarten pastimes as the rhyming text rhapsodizes about their dimpled chins, "teeth that glisten," and "very special hair and clothes." Whereas building self-esteem and acknowledging children's charms are commendable goals, they are not enough to build a book upon. Yes, these boys and girls are appealing, but they are so unusually cooperative and cheerful, smiling nonstop throughout the pages of this slim volume, ...

Once upon a time, there was a man who had a sweet and beautiful daughter named Diane. Not far from them lived a woman who had a mean and ugly daughter named Agatha. Since they were neighbors, the two girls often visited each other. Soon the parents of the girls married. But shortly after Diane’s father passed away. The stepmother became very cruel against Diane and one day she sent her out in the middle of winter to get a basket of strawberries. Diane came across a cottage in the forest where three enchanted dwarfs lived. Their names were Wimbo, Bimbo and Dimbo. Find out what magical gifts the dwarfs gave both Diane and Agatha.

Poor Dick and Sally. It's cold and wet and they're stuck in the house with nothing to do . . . until a giant cat in a hat shows up, transforming the dull day into a madcap adventure and almost wrecking the place in the process! Written by Dr. Seuss in 1957 in response to the concern that "pallid primers [with] abnormally courteous, unnaturally clean boys and girls' were leading to growing illiteracy among children, The Cat in the Hat (the first Random House Beginner Book) changed the way our children learn how to read.

Will Jake bake the cake in time for the wedding? Hennessy's rhyming text captures all the fun of the joyful celebration. And Mary Morgan has created a homey cast of characters, including flower girls with all their curls and ushers whose ties are all the wrong size.

A lesson in humility. Princess Emma wants everything to be perfect for her tea party, but only God is perfect. Just when her guests arrive, everything seems to go wrong. How will Emma fix it? This level-one story teaches girls what it means to be a princess for the true King.