(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Andrea Pippins. In this "love letter...to the next generation of black changemakers" (per the book's welcome note), stylish digitally colored ink portraits illustrate fifty-two brief bios of black subjects; the person's iconic (unsourced) quotations appear in bold. The selections vary widely in era, nationality, background, and occupation, but the connecting factors are talent and willingness to work hard as a child. A "Hall of Fame" with photos is appended. Glos.

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(4) K-3 Illustrated by Donald Saaf. Music Notation by Claudia Eliaza and Billy Buss. This collection of sixty-four songs--including traditional shanties, hymns, folk songs, and original tunes by Zane--targets music-savvy educators and caregivers. The songs, from many cultures and languages, shine amid Zane's lengthy, sentimental notes about song origins, musicians, and instruments. The childlike folk art features children with a diversity of skin tones. Musical notation includes chords and melody line; guitar and ukulele chord charts also provided. Ind.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Bob Hansman & Jovan Hansman. Fourteen poems in various styles by twelve poets, including Jane Yolen, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Paul Janeczko, reflect on human sea migration from the fifteenth century to the present day. The moving collection focuses on migrants' struggles during significant historical events (the Middle Passage; Mediterranean refugee crisis). Sea-related quotes throughout and appended notes provide additional context. Evocative and beautifully designed mixed-media illustrations mimic archival images.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 This useful guide contains fifty-two magic tricks and also informs readers how to plan and structure a magic show, rehearse for it, and keep the audience involved. Banfield, a young magician with a contagious smile, presents each trick via color photographs of himself, close-ups of coins/cards, and brief explanations. It's sure to give young would-be magicians a head start on achieving success. Glos.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 4-6 From puffballs to truffles, the many varieties of fungi are celebrated in conversational and enthusiastic text ("Wow!") and bright, illuminating photos, organized in sections matching the book's subtitle. The many colors, shapes, and functions of the ubiquitous and prolific kingdom of fungi are laid out in two-page spreads, each of which expands on a mycological theme. Student-friendly experiments are interspersed. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Emily Bornoff. You can't always trust your brain! That's the message of this psychology and neuroscience book, demonstrated through sensory illusions, magic tricks, and scams. Kids may have seen some of these before, but with lots of hands-on (or brains-on) activities and lively cartoon illustrations, they'll find plenty here to entertain themselves as they acquire some good tips for thinking critically. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Theo Cobb. Vicki Cobb begins with in-depth discussions of the physical science underlying hurricane development and formation (air pressure, states of matter, and energy). She then turns to the technology used to model hurricane formation and the research that investigates the possibility--and potential downside--of tinkering with hurricanes to minimize their impact on developed areas. Many quality photographs and illustrated diagrams are included. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Twenty double-page spreads cover all things related to eyes: anatomical details, range of sight, color perception, vision correction, medical conditions, optical illusions, and more. The richer content focuses on human eyesight, but there are tidbits on animal eyes. The presentation includes engaging color photos and some hard-to-decipher diagrams. The intriguing if scattered information may spark further research. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Michael Paraskevas. These handsomely designed and illustrated books introduce the work and lives of these masterful poets; each book's editor explains the poet's intentions and much of the difficult vocabulary and ideas found in the verses. Frost's poetry is probably most accessible, though none of them were writing for youngsters, and many of the poems and excerpts may remain challenging. No harm in trying, though! Ind. Review covers these Poetry for Kids titles: Robert Frost, Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Yuval Zommer. Turn the sturdy pages of this large book from bottom to top for an accordion-folded journey to the center of the Earth; now begin again from the end to head back up to the surface on the other side of the world. The earth science is simple but made glorious by the detail-packed illustrations, homely and fantastic at once.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(4) 4-6 This rapid-fire overview of language offers numerous tidbits about spoken, written, and recorded language; nonverbal language; and animal communication. Most facts are readily available elsewhere, and while the text repeatedly encourages readers to "find out more," no bibliography or suggested reading list is appended. Colorful section heads and goofy, at-times-illuminating illustrations enliven spreads and encourage browsing. "Word Play" activities are appended. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lucy Letherland. This enormous-trim tour of dinosaur species is organized by today's continents (ancient land masses are described in an introduction and at the beginning of each section). Sometimes hard-to-parse illustrations on busy double-page spreads contain many dinosaur and non-dinosaur species, with tiny-type captions emphasizing facts about each animal in their original environment. Helpful sidebars show the geographic locales of the featured fossil finds. Ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) PS Brightly colored party scenes alternate with spreads of little eyeballs on pitch-dark backgrounds every time the lights go out at Rabbit's party. While the text is minimal (consisting mainly of the repeated "Surprise!"), little ones will enjoy anticipating what will happen when the lights come back on. Each reveal is silly and engaging.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Haude Levesque. This book explains how different birds use their brains to make sounds, use tools, and solve problems. Two sections follow a basic introduction to bird biology: one on sounds and the other on adaptations involving instinct and memory. Sections sorted by topic rather than by species make this more of a browsable compendium. Garish digital illustrations feature different bird species throughout. Websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) PS "High / low"; "Messy / tidy"--these aren't exactly original picture book pairings. The fresh take here is that each full-spread illustration is a single nature scene embodying the two contrasting qualities (e.g., a "fragile" butterfly sits on a "sturdy" rhino). It's a toddler twofer: they're introduced to a basic concept and also treated to bold, beautiful illustrations of animals coexisting.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jennie Webber. Spare rhyming text describes a sycamore tree's life, starting with a seed drifting to the ground. Roots, shoots, and leaves grow to become a home to animals; the cycle continues when the tree sends seeds into the breeze. Realistic line and watercolor illustrations show each stage in gorgeous detail. Gatefold back matter includes the poem in full and some very basic facts.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Translated by Vanessa Miéville. Illustrated by Ronan Badel. A dragon father instructs his son to burn down houses in the nearby village: "It's tradition!" Instead, Drake makes friends with the villagers. His father is first disappointed then won over after receiving a magnificent portrait painted by one of the dragon-admiring schoolchildren. Character-rich pen-and-ink illustrations with humorous details accompany this entertaining, well-told story first published in France.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jill Howarth. Prospect, an orphaned baby goat with special needs, became Instagram-famous when his caretakers at the Goats of Anarchy animal sanctuary dressed (and photographed) him in different outfits to keep him warm while he built strength. Richly textured, heartwarming illustrations of the prancing, fashionable kid elevate a slight narrative. An appended note includes photos of the real Prospect.

Reviewer: Robyn Bahr

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Harry Bloom. The history of pirates meets Where's Waldo? in this oversize seek-and-find book with included magnifying glass. Humorous, minutely detailed illustrations fill each spread, along with "10 Things to Spot" and historical facts about pirate life. Profiles of famous pirates are included throughout, plus an appended "Rogues Gallery." Back matter also features additional items to find, an answer key, and a guide to pirate slang. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Ranger Rick Kids' Guides series. These books present detailed guides for children who may have little experience with the titular outdoor recreations. Each uses a how-to format with step-by-step instructions; useful tips; and basic information related to sites, gear, food preparation, and activities. Illustrations, photos, and diagrams extend the readable texts on cleanly designed pages. Each book includes a working compass. Ind. Review covers these titles: Kids' Guide to Fishing, Kids' Guide to Paddling, Kids' Guide to Hiking, and Kids' Guide to Camping.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg