" 'OPIHI BABY" by J. Lovins; Bess Press, ages 2-6

Local Publisher Buddy Bess said he first saw the idea for this picture book from J. Lovins in 2007 at a "Pitch the Publisher" event during the Hawai'i Book & Music Festival. 'Opihi Baby was the only project that day Bess chose to acquire.

"Her artwork really stood out," Bess said, and he was intrigued by the concept.

Lovins' concept is to explore the natural Hawaiian connection between child, family and the land. The result, which Lovins both wrote and illustrated, is a unique first picture book. Vivid acrylic paintings on double-page spreads depict an infant, and adults, emerging from the natural landscape. Evocative imagery is paired with a rhyming text, both of which should stimulate creativity and appeal to young children. Families expecting a new baby will particularly enjoy this offering.

"OCEAN WIDE, OCEAN DEEP" by Susan Lendroth, Raul Allen illustrator; Tricycle Press, ages 5-7

In a picture book set in 19th-century Cape Cod, a young girl waits patiently for her father to return from a voyage to China. A year passes, the seasons change, and her younger brother learns to walk, while the girl waits and imagines and wonders about her dad.

This book will appeal to families awaiting the return of a loved one.

Tender and beguiling illustrations, done in pencil and watercolor, were finished digitally using Photoshop.

"WHAT IS MAGIC?" by Sharon Mosley, Maya Mosley illustrator; Xlibris, ages 4-8

Retired lawyer Sharon Mosley of Kula, Maui, and her daughter, artist Maya Mosley, joined together to create this self-published picture book about real magic. The text is mainly focused on a discussion about learning to swim between a child and his grandmother, but it is the artwork that truly makes this book worth mentioning. Maya Mosley's collage illustrations in folk art style are deeply appealing. A textile artist and designer, Maya's designs often, like here, "take something old and turn it into something new."

Copies of the book are at Borders Ward Centre in Honolulu and at Maui Child Toys & Books in Makawao. For an excerpt, to see the artwork, or to purchase online, see www.whatismagicpicturebook.com.

Jolie Jean Cotton is a Honolulu freelance writer. Her reviews of children's books appear here on the first Sunday of the month.