(2) 4-6 Translated by B.J. Woodstein. Eleven-year-old Marcus lives in Stockholm, but his mom's job as a voice actor means he's spending the summer in Malmo, a city in southern Sweden. At first Marcus is nervous around his tough new neighbor, Mikkel (or is he saying "Me kill"? It's hard for Marcus to understand his dialect) -- a kid covered in tattoos. But after Marcus proves himself in a skateboarding contest (and a gnarly skateboarding accident), Mikkel declares them "blood brothers." They spend the summer together, getting "tattooed" (with pen) by Mikkel's teenage brother, sneaking out to an amusement park in Copenhagen, and eating lunch with Marcus's babysitter, whose very presence he resents. The only thing missing is his dad, who stayed behind in Stockholm. When Marcus came out as a trans boy, his dad didn't take it well -- and now he worries that telling Mikkel might mean losing him, too. Jagerfeld is a master of quirky character details, from Marcus's dad's bicycling "diaper" (really cushioned bike shorts) to his mom's nude mime routine. Narrator Marcus's observations are laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes wise, as he reflects on his experiences as a trans person with confidence that no one knows his identity better than him. The trans storyline covers familiar ground, but Marcus's thoughts about his identity and the pain he feels in the face of rejection are movingly and satisfyingly portrayed.

Reviewer: Bodie Shanis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) PS Translated by Nanette McGuinness. A little girl dreams of what it would be like to have siblings. The narrator imagines first having one sister to "build giant towers and play hide-and-seek with," then more sisters to "huddle, cuddle, and snuggle together," and finally, a house full of "tons of little sisters." In the end, she declares that she's happy as an only child: "At least I have my mommy all to myself!" The story's charm is amplified by its harmonious blend of text and illustration. Miura's simple, playful art brings the child's imaginary sisters to life, nicely capturing her creativity. The little sisters are "just like me, only smaller": all wear black dresses, and their black hair is cut in the same pageboy style. The siblings share the pink-cheeked narrator's pale skin, but their cheeks are pinkish-orange. The narrative, with its gentle and rhythmic repetition, echoes the child's growing excitement and eventual contentment. With its universal themes of imagination, family love, and acceptance, Miura's appealing picture book carries the message of appreciating what one has while leaving room for dreams and flights of fancy.

Reviewer: Weileen Wang | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024