(2) K-3 Illustrated by Manu Montoya. Mixed-media illustrations showcase the vibrant colors of a tropical rainforest and draw readers into this examination of a resident three-fingered sloth. Although slow-moving, the sloth and her young male offspring embark on a weekly “special mission,” the nature of which readers learn as the story unfolds. Small print below the main text provides facts that complement the action in the pictures (e.g., while shown descending a tree: sloths move at one-and-a-half miles per hour, as compared to humans’ maximum of twenty-seven and cheetahs’ of seventy). When our sloth finally lands on the forest floor, she completes that foreshadowed “special mission”: she “takes a big poop,” which consists of about a third of her body weight. Before returning to the forest canopy, she covers her poop with leaves (a behavior, scientists think, meant to keep it intact and thus make it easier for male sloths to locate females); and then she and her baby successfully evade a cheetah. Back matter includes brief illustrated descriptions of the seven kinds of sloths (all of which live in Central or South America) and provides two internet resources for further inquiry. A brief index concludes this entertaining and informative book.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Manu Montoya. "There's no cow on the ice" (ie there's no rush) perusing this global survey of twenty-nine idioms, a companion book to Edwards's What a Wonderful Word. American readers will enjoy the introduction to some new turns of phrase (including the giggle-inducing Icelandic "peeing in your shoes will only keep you warm for a short while" and the evocative Japanese "not seeing is a flower") and may be equally intrigued to learn about possible origins for phrases like "to cost an arm and a leg" and "to butter someone up." Whether readers are eager to learn about other cultures (including the phonetic pronunciation of each phrase in its original language) or to take a closer look at phrases they may have always taken for granted, there's plenty of food for thought here. Welcoming illustrations add to the fun.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Manu Montoya. In this installment Reynie, Sticky, and Kate are now teens, and cranky telepathic genius Constance is almost a tween. The henchmen of Mr. Curtain escape from prison and plan to free their boss from the maximum-security KEEP, but Mr. Curtain has poisoned Mr. Benedict, the children's mentor, to force the Society to attempt a rescue. It's a puzzle-lover's extravaganza, with codes, riddles, and clues to solve and security measures to be finessed.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019