Owlets and Tarts (Mouse and Spoon) by Cynthia Rylant (Simon Spotlight, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Ginger, Piper, and Tom are three mice who run the Mouse and Spoon Bakery. When a sleepy owl dad shows up requesting Pillow Tarts for his three offspring who refuse to sleep, the mice are on it. By 4:00, they’ve made three extra-fluffy tarts, as well as Half-Moon Buns for the parents. Everything is delivered to the owls, and three three owlets are asleep before their little heads hit the tarts. The mice have saved the day (and night), making it a happy ending for all.

Cynthia Rylant has yet another enchanting early reader series that would also make a great read-aloud. I think this is actually book two, although it was released at the same time as book 1, The Elephant’s Birthday. Give this to fans of Henry and Mudge and Poppleton, and don’t get caught up in the dark thoughts I had about owls luring mice to their home.

A Great Fall (Bat, Cat, and Rat) by Amy Dyckman, illustrated by Mark Teague (Beach Lane Books, 48 pages, ages 4-8). Friends and housemates Bat, Cat, and Rat enjoy some typical fall adventures: raking leaves, picking pumpkins, and making costumes. In the final half a story, they trade treats on Halloween night so that each one gets what they like best.

This is actually book 4 in a series whose debut I missed last year (#2 won the Theodor Geisel award). Each book has three and a half stories with fairly simple, repetitive text and adorable illustrations of the three friends. Beginning readers will feel a sense of accomplishment reading a chapter book, and now they can enjoy a book for each season.