If Jan Brett's The Mitten grew up and became a nonfiction-style picture book, this is what you would get. An attractively illustrated (though it looks a bit like day-for-night lighting) peek into the lives of woodland wildlife in winter. 2nd grade might be the peak interest level. ( )

Award-winning artist Daniel San Souci exquisitely depicts the activities of such noctumal animals as the great horned owl, the long-tailed weasel and the graceful mule deer.

An autobiographical graphic novel about a man returning to his parents’ home in northern New York and his memories of growing up with a violent, alcoholic father and indifferent mother. A little melodramatic and overly sentimental as many of these are. ( )