(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ellen Rooney. That paragon of poetic pith Elliott (In the Woods, rev. 3/20; and others) returns with another winning entry. Here his focus is on animals of the Polar Regions, from emperor penguins in Antarctica, through two species that inhabit the waters of both regions, to polar bears in the Arctic. Many of the fifteen brief poems use direct address, the better to connect creature with readers (orca: "You have a reputation / both / thrilling and widespread. / You inspire admiration, / awe, / and not a little dread"); some employ internal rhymes or multiple rhymes (southern elephant seal: "But how do you ex- / plain your tremendous / amplitude when you / sometimes go for months / without a single / bite of food?"); all display originality of thought. Rooney's eye-catching portraits--created using printmaking ink, gouache, crayon, and digital and traditional collage techniques--vary to match the tone of each poem, from lighthearted and humorous to majestic and haunting (see her shivery Greenland shark). Appended with useful and relevant "Notes About the Animals."

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford. After visiting such settings as the skies (On the Wing, rev. 11/14), the past (In the Past, rev. 3/18), and the forest (In the Woods, rev. 3/20), Elliott invites readers into another poetic exploration of the natural world. As the sun rises, ushered in by the buttery-yellow endpapers, "the water ripples like a fan / unfolding on the surface of the pond." A red-winged blackbird is first to greet the morning. With each page-turn, Elliott's sensory verse introduces a new resident of this habitat: e.g., a frog amidst vibrant pink water lilies, a snapping turtle under the pond's surface ready to send a minnow to its "hard-shelled fate," and "delicate, / diaphanous, / dazzling" dragonflies. Richly textured mixed-media illustrations present views of the pond and its inhabitants throughout the day, from a misty, ethereal morning to dusk when "the evening light is fading" and "the charismatic fireflies / blink their silent lullabies." Back matter provides ­additional information about the animals. This volume is a celebration of observation, and readers will surely heed the beckoning call of that red-winged blackbird beyond the book's pages.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) YA Illustrated by Rovina Cai. Elliott's (Bull, rev. 3/17; Voices, rev. 3/19) poetry is by nature taut with intensity, an effect he achieves in part through his skill with verbal rhythms, rhyme, and formal poetic structures; in part through his gimlet-eyed focus on human passion, expressed through multiple voices. He brings all this to his verse-novel interpretation of the Grimms' tale "The Seven Ravens," with poetry so propulsive that it seems to cry out for oral performance. Changed into ravens in a fit of their father's rage, seven brothers are transformed back into humans through their only sister's stalwart determination. In Elliott's retelling, one boy, Robyn, retains his wings (a variant of the Grimms' "The Six Swans"), at home "between humanity / and bird." Instead of feeling bad for being "sensitive" and "girlish and slender," unlike his boisterous brothers (humorously, all named Jack), Robyn now embraces his hybrid self--just one example of how this work is rich for discussion. Thus, once again, Elliott delves into the nuanced force of human passion (though he gives ravens' interesting propensities shorter shrift). Interspersed ­ink-and-brush illustrations accentuate the dark feathers and flight of the tale's magic.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Rob Dunlavey. Once again Elliott (On the Farm, rev. 3/08; In the Sea, rev. 1/12; and others) captures the essence of a habitat and its creatures in poetry that manages to be both pithy and profound. Here fifteen poems, each on its own double-page spread, are devoted to animals of the forest. As in previous volumes, some poems are clever and funny ("Give the skunk / a lot of / room, unless / you care for / strong perfume"); others are almost elegiac in tone. A few are concrete poems, including "The Hornet," arranged in the shape of a hornet's nest. Dunlavey's art is not as in-your-face spectacular as that by some of the previous illustrators of the series but is perfect for setting and subject. His expansive watercolor and mixed-media illustrations feature aptly muted hues, with occasional bright spots: the red flash of a scarlet tanager; the pink of a wild turkey's neck. The compositions are focused and compelling--the viewer knows exactly where to look on every spread. It's worth lingering to find details of interest, however. A fox on the hunt "stands red /against the April snow," and our eye is caught and held by the intensity of her expression and posture. But look closely to see a squirrel clinging, unmoving, to the far side of a tree, and a vole hiding in an underground burrow. An ideal marriage of poetry and art; another successful entry in a long-running and (seemingly) perennially renewable series.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) YA In this impressionistic verse novel, "voices" refers to Joan of Arc's messages from the saints; people testifying for and against her; Joan herself; and objects made sentient (dress, sword, fire, etc.). Elliott adheres to medieval poetic forms while highlighting contemporary themes such as gender identity, cross-dressing, and sexuality. Strong rhythm, rhyme scheme, and repetition make for a reading experience that resonates with the rigid social structures of Joan's time and her own compulsions.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Trueman. This collection of imaginative, clever poems about ancient animals (all but one extinct) moves chronologically from trilobites in the Cambrian era to woolly mammoths from our current geologic time period, with good representation across species. The poems are knowing, humorous, and filled with scientific details. Dynamic, creatively composed mixed-media illustrations plunge readers into past environments using awesome, sometimes-scary perspectives. Timeline.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(1) YA Elliott's clever verse version of the classical story of the Minotaur unrolls in the voices of seven characters, each with his or her own poetic form (an appended author's note details them); but it's the god Poseidon who determines the tone--as instigator, manipulator, and despiser of humankind. Raplike wordplay, rhymes with coercive predictability, unpleasant intensity--it's horribly effective.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Book-lover Wooliam and knitter Baabwaa are sheep best friends looking for an adventure. They meet a wolf in sheep's clothing whom Wooliam teaches to read and Baabwaa knits a new coat for...when the wolf isn't chasing them ("he is just following his nature"). Elliott's matter-of-fact tone blends humorously with Sweet's playful mixed-media illustrations in this offbeat tale of unlikely new friendship.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) PS Illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo. Best friends Tim and Tim do everything together--until new kid Tom enters the picture and threatens to drive a wedge between them ("Tom likes to crazy-dance. Tim does, too. / Not Tim"). Negotiating evolving friendships through compromise is not a new theme, but this book does it justice with a spare text and gentle yet humorous illustrations suited to the youngest readers.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) PS Illustrated by Lori Nichols. When Orq gets a new neighbor, he finds that the other boy, Torq, can throw farther, run faster, and..."You get picture: Torq #1 now." The tables are turned, though, when Orq must help his new rival by inventing the wheel to rescue him. Humorous digitally colored pencil illustrations and a snappy caveboy-voiced text bring Orq's usual appeal to a third This Orq book.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(3) PS Illustrated by Lori Nichols. In this second book featuring cave boy Orq and woolly mammoth Woma, the Paleolithic pals live in fear of bruiser Dorq and his (unclassifiable) pet, Caba. When the bullies push Orq to the breaking point, he smashes rocks together, discovering fire and becoming a hero. Caveman-style prose ("Now Orq angry") will amuse many young listeners; Nichols's digitally-colored pencil drawings strengthen the humor.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sam Zuppardi. A young boy reflects on his sister, best friend, mom, and even himself, listing their shortcomings: loud, show-offy, stubborn, and messy, respectively. But then he thinks of the times when he appreciates those very same attributes. Colorful, loose acrylic and pencil illustrations, somewhat reminiscent of Shannon's David books, show both the motion and emotion of young children.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) PS Illustrated by Lori Nichols. Orq struggles to endear his woolly mammoth Woma to Mother. Then Woma saves Orq from becoming a meal for a saber-toothed tiger and finally wins Mother's heart. Succinct Paleolithic "prose" (Mother's objections: "Woma shed. Woma smell") allows room for plenty of visual humor. This silly tale of unconditional love between a cave boy and his pet mammoth is one for the ages.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) PS Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander. In this companion to On the Farm, In the Wild, and In the Sea, sixteen poems about birds are set against sumptuous landscapes. The poems range from brief, pithy, and humorous to more lyrical and serious expressions. Stadtlander varies palettes and settings to great effect in her rich gouache paintings. Readers will savor this simple but memorable investigation into the global avian experience.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) PS Illustrated by Holly Meade. In this companion book to In the Wild and On the Farm, poetry and art combine to create memorable portraits, for the very young, of twenty ocean creatures. The full-spread woodcut-and-watercolor illustrations are both striking and simple. Tone of the very short poems varies nicely: most are lightly humorous while others are evocative and almost majestic. Reel this one in; it's a keeper.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2012

(2) PS Illustrated by Holly Meade. In full-spread woodcut and watercolor art, Meade captures both the essences and habitats of fourteen worldwide animals: a jaguar prowling the jungle floor, an evanescent polar bear immersed in a blue-green sea, etc. Elliott's deftly composed verses include paradoxes ("Big, yet moves / with grace") and wry thoughts. A beautiful book, not quite as lighthearted as it first appears.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2010

(3) PS Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. When a normally tolerated snack is met with a tantrum, a boy's parents must weather the storm--literally ("Uh-oh! Thunder in the nursery!"). Using fragments and short sentences, which are well suited to the protagonist's explosiveness, Elliott gives a universal toddler phenomenon a comical but not condescending treatment. Charcoal, oil paint, and grease pencil collaborate to depict the domestic battlefield.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Max Grafe. Large, dreamy illustrations and spare rhyming text trace the activities of a small boy and his stuffed bear, who turn into grizzlies and share a magical nighttime adventure. They prowl through the forest, explore the mountainside, swim in an icy stream, and meet other wild creatures. The rising sun satisfyingly ends their wilderness foray.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(4) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Jeremy Cabbage has been adopted more than once, and he's never really found a place to call home until now. Unfortunately, his new guardians are clownlike "cloons" whom the despotic baron plans to banish from the city. Elliott tackles issues of prejudice and politics with a minimum of heavy-handedness (though it's not absent) in this quirky adventure.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(1) PS Illustrated by Holly Meade. A series of brief, often funny poems catch the personalities of farm animals, from the bull to the bees; Elliott's keen observations don't always flatter the beasts. Softly tinted, spacious woodcuts on large, full-bleed pages are imbued with humor, texture, and the beauties of the natural landscape. This book will make an unusually interesting choice for farm-animal storytimes.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2008