(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Serena Malyon. Having lost both parents to an apartment fire when she was little, Addy steers clear of fire as much as possible, and spends much of her time making maps of her Bronx neighborhood that note all the ways to "no matter what: Escape. Survive." When her grandmother signs her up for a wilderness adventure program in California for "Black city kids," Addy desperately wishes she could escape that, too--a summer in the forests of California with five strangers doesn't sound particularly interesting or safe. She is almost immediately proven wrong: her interactions with wilderness camp owner Leo establish Addy as "a kid who didn't know they belonged in the wild." Under Leo's tutelage, Addy adapts to the forest, learns about climate change's impact on the environment, and begins to flourish in her mapmaking skills. While the other kids in her group also become acclimated to the wildernesss, Addy is unique in her understanding of the world around her--and when a forest fire threatens their very lives, it is that understanding that offers a chance at survival. Although the quick pacing doesn't lend itself as well to the full development of secondary characters, the novel's lyrical tone and first-person narration bring home Addy's love of nature as well as her urgency to protect it. Rhodes's contribution brings welcome diversity to the wilderness adventure genre; an afterword provides additional information on climate change, forest fires, and minorities' access to wilderness/national parks.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Brittany Jackson. Preschooler Parker visits the National Portrait Gallery and is entranced by Amy Sherald's painting of First Lady Michelle Obama. The brief text (co-written by Parker and her mother) and cartoony but personality-rich illustrations capture the girl's exuberance while exploring the gallery and then her awe of the portrait. "'She is a queen,' Parker whispered." A joyous and empowering picture book, based on a viral 2018 photograph.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 4-6 Striking portraits of boys, ages four to nineteen, are paired with brief quotes from the subjects; the whole provides insight into the variety of ways (western) boys see and express themselves. Lack of information (beyond the quotes) about the individuals is disappointing, but the book's value comes from the expansive definition of boyhood.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 First Facts: U.S. National Parks Field Guides series. These image-heavy volumes introduce young readers to major features of each national park, functioning as accessible travel guides. Engaging photographs accompany brief information about landmarks including geysers, canyons, and suspension bridges, along with brief overviews of wildlife and weather. Maps included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: U.S. National Parks Field Guides titles: Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old Morgan, navigating a diagnosis of clinical depression, is doing her best to be and feel like a "normal" teenager, but in her predominantly white, conservative community she sticks out like a sore thumb: she loves indie "emo" music; she has an eclectic, quirky fashion sense; and she is Black. Though most teenagers struggle to feel understood, Morgan is particularly affected as her mental health issues reverberate through her relationships with family and peers. An especially rough depressive episode over the summer lands Morgan in therapy and brings her to the realization that not even her family knows how to support her in dealing with her illness. Parker's story (loosely based on her own teen years) takes us through the realities of her protagonist's life--her ambivalence toward her therapist; her medical doctor reducing her depression to "boy trouble"; her experiences of microaggressions at her Christian high school. This sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking story explores the topic of adolescent mental health in a fresh and truthful way.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(3) PS Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez. Inspired by Psalm 118:24 (included), the simple rhyming text encouraging children to make full use of their day--created for them by God--will be useful in faith-based groups or family settings. Colorful digital images show a diverse group of kids getting ready for the day, going to the park, acting in a play, enjoying school, and sharing "God's bright-shining light" with others who need it.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Heidi, a stick insect, is "tall and long like the twig of a tree." It's her first day at Bug School, but she blends into her surroundings so well that no one notices her. Finally, one student tries to incorporate Heidi into a weaving project, and Heidi makes her presence known. Lighthearted details in the mixed-media illustrations depict a busy classroom of insects and arachnids.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) YA Caledonia Styx lost her ship-captain mother and sea-faring family to villainous Aric Athair and his army of drugged-up soldiers called Bullets. Fast-forward four years later and Caledonia captains her own ship with an all-female crew seeking revenge. Copious detail can sometimes bog down the plot in this otherwise riveting start to a projected series about these swashbuckling feminist pirates.

Reviewer: Ariel Baker-Gibbs

(4) 4-6 Like the real-life Tamir Rice, twelve-year-old African American boy Jerome is killed by a white policeman while playing with a toy gun on a playground. Jerome's ghost is joined by that of Emmett Till, who helps him process what happened; Jerome also befriends Sarah, daughter of the policeman, who can see him. Although the book is timely and quite powerful, the upbeat, forgiveness-filled ending is facile.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) 4-6 Searchlight Books: Predators series. In this high-interest series for third through fifth graders, descriptions of pythons' physical attributes and predatory behavior emphasize their remarkable ability to capture and ingest very large prey; invasive python species in the southern U.S. are also touched on. Photographs of pythons in action illustrate just how large and scary-looking they can get. "Fact File" and a food chain are appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ben Mantle. William dreams of being a famous chef in his fairy-tale realm. After several failed attempts, he finds a box of raw materials and, misunderstanding their purpose, cooks up story elements to humorous effect (e.g., Cinderella's pumpkin becomes "Pumpkin Pie with Cream and Candied Pecans"). It's a delicious twist on well-known tales, stuffed with cooking vocabulary and dynamic illustrations and topped off with happily-ever-afters for everyone.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Cool Main Dish Recipes series. General information about the focus protein is followed by sections on safe handling, cooking terms, ingredients, and tools. Each book offers seven recipes for main dishes including soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees, many of which will be challenging to young or novice chefs. Most steps and the final dish appear in photos. An upbeat tone encourages culinary exploration. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Cool Main Dish Recipes titles: Cool Bacon Recipes, Cool Chicken Recipes, Cool Fish Recipes, Cool Hamburger Recipes, Cool Sausage Recipes, and Cool Wild Game Recipes.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Freya Blackwood. Two little girls meet on a train-station platform and begin both a friendship and a journey; each one has its highs and lows. Sketched-in pencil lines give the pastel art a sense of movement and immediacy; the signs on many of the double-page spreads ("timetable"; "signal failure"; "destination") help keep readers connected to the two themes.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 4-6 Dramatic photos of real girls are paired with stirring quotes from each photo's subject that speak to her unique form of strength, frequently related to athletics, self-expression, confounding expectations, or overcoming adversity. The images are stirring and beautifully composed, the quotes intriguing and inspirational, but absent any context or information about the featured girls, the ultimate effect is somewhat hollow.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) PS Illustrated by Sydney Hanson. The youngest readers can practice their animal sounds with this rather sentimental rhyme in which a pair of human parents reveal to their kids what animal parents are saying to their young when they make their characteristic noises (quack, baaa, etc.): "PSST! Guess what? It's I LOVE YOU!" In the soft-focus illustrations, the human family watches large-eyed, smiling animals in parent-child groupings.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) PS Illustrated by Sophie Burrows. In a nicely repetitive rhyming text, a child counts down the last ten sleeps until the first day of school and speculates what might happen there: "I'll paint and glue, / draw a picture or two." At book's end, we see the exuberant little-boy narrator doing those very activities in kindergarten. Burrows's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations are sweet and ably capture that first-day excitement.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) YA Rilla's father has died suddenly, so it's up to her to keep the family's fishing legacy alive. While out lobstering, high-school graduate Rilla meets university student Sam as he excavates a nearby island. The island's secret past leads to Rilla's being haunted. Parker skillfully immerses the reader in coastal-Maine culture and history, with the supernatural element adding danger and urgency to the narrative.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) YA Readers who get past the outlandish premise of high schoolers pulling Ocean's 11–style heists are in for a well-paced, exciting ride. In alternating chapters, the strong voices of rich-girl adrenaline-chaser Lexi and Mexican gang–manipulated Christian offer two narratives that intersect in a satisfying way. The characters--particularly spoiled Lexi--become more likable as this star-crossed-romance/crime-thriller mash-up progresses.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) K-3 Next Page: States series. This series (which includes tie-ins to the publisher's subscription-based internet resources) focuses on basic facts about states, touching on physical location, geography, weather, and landmarks as well as history, government, industry, and population. Famous people, state symbols, and "Fast Facts" are listed at the end. Level-appropriate text and frequent photographs make these volumes suitable first starts in mid-elementary research. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Next Page: States titles: Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Washington, DC, Iowa, and Maryland.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Next Page: States series. This series (which includes tie-ins to the publisher's subscription-based internet resources) focuses on basic facts about states, touching on physical location, geography, weather, and landmarks as well as history, government, industry, and population. Famous people, state symbols, and "Fast Facts" are listed at the end. Level-appropriate text and frequent photographs make these volumes suitable first starts in mid-elementary research. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Next Page: States titles: Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Washington, DC, Iowa, and Maryland.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello