Capsule reviews of books that are of interest to young readers:

"The Patterson Puppies and the Midnight Monster Party" by Leslie Patricelli; Candlewick, $15, 32 pages, ages 3-6.

Petra, a timid, black-and-white puppy, shares a bedroom with three siblings. She wakes often in the middle of the night and hears noises, like a monster scratching on the roof.

Despite Papa's reassurances, she's scared. Each of her siblings offers a magic trick to make the monster flee. Nothing works, not even fresh-baked cookies, made with Mama's help.

One night Petra's brother Andy decides to look for the monster -- or maybe check out the cookie plate. All four puppies tiptoe downstairs. They are in for a scary surprise, and so is the monster. She's lime-green with three eyes, two purple horns and a feline tail. She and the puppies try to hide from each other, but then Petra sees the monster trembling, too, and she offers her a cookie.

It opens the door to a raucous party -- until Mama and Papa appear.

Mr. Paticelli paces the tension and humor in "Puppies" just right for preschoolers, who will relate to the range of emotions in her deceptively simple, acrylic illustrations.

"Goliath: Hero of the Great Baltimore Fire" by Claudia Friddell; Sleeping Bear Press, $18, 32 pages, ages 5-10.

Heart-pounding excitement develops in "Goliath" as much from Claudia Friddell's explosive storytelling as from Troy Howell's exquisite illustrations. Together they portray the legendary fire horse hero who held steadfast while buildings collapsed around him in the Baltimore fire of 1904. In one scene, Goliath, injured and burned, manages to pull a 5-ton piece of firefighting equipment free as a brick building tumbles.

A descendant of the Percherons that carried knights into battle in the Middle Ages, Goliath worked for three days with the fire crew to douse the blaze that destroyed much of the city. He nearly died. The story's powerful emotions will pull young readers (and listeners) back to its pages again and again.

"Bug Zoo" by Nick Baker; DK Publishing, $13, 64 pages, ages 4-10.

Need something for those summer afternoons? What about a bug zoo? Maybe not for the squeamish, it's perfect for a child who's curious about yard critters. From snails to ladybugs, this nifty book will guide youngsters (with plenty of adult help) as they make small habitats that allow observation. Mr. Baker slips juicy facts into the process. For example, do you know what snails and sharks have in common? (Answer below.)

"Bug Zoo's" eye appeal rates a 10 for the many color pictures with the step-by-step instructions (which are too wordy for some). Best of all, most of the gear you need is around the house.

Answer: Sharks and snails have teeth.

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