(1) YA Illustrated by Aaron Bagley. Fantasy-loving Lucy and her perfectionist older sister, Gigi, have been fighting ever since their dad's passing. When Gigi, a popular eighth grader, trips Lucy in the lunchroom on her first day of middle school, Lucy can't take it anymore: she publicly challenges Gigi, "the best fencer in school," to a duel. (Gigi: "A...duel?!...Fencers don't have duels--we have bouts.") The two are called to the principal's office for a meeting alongside their grief-stricken, overworked mom. Though a bout is forbidden, the sisters plan one anyway to be held during upcoming fencing team tryouts. As the two prepare to compete, they begin to process and address (with friends, their mother, and each other) some of the ways that their father's death has affected them. A satisfying, hopeful conclusion includes a heartfelt note from the creators explaining the graphic novel's real-life inspirations. Aaron Bagley's coarse line and hand-lettering-based font give the illustrations a natural, raw feel. The beginning of each chapter resembles a page from a fencing guide, connecting to the well-paced plot and scaffolding readers' understanding. Color-coded inset boxes showcasing the siblings' personal thoughts and vulnerabilities add further depth to their characters; tender blue-hued flashback scenes allow the girls' father and his memory to be ever-present. A down-to-earth and emotional family story.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Daisy, a quiet warthog, is named for her mother's favorite flower: "They seem plain, but when you look closer you see their beauty." Daisy knows a thing or two about finding beauty in what appears ordinary. Saddened by being called "Thistle," with her head hanging down, she finds a "magical world" of forgotten treasures. She collects these things--old teacups, buttons, empty jars, and the like--in her own hidden outdoor fort. When she finds objects in the woods that seem placed there just for her, she also makes a happy discovery--and a new friend. In a sunny, vivid palette dominated by green in nearly every shade, Bagley creates a detailed world of school-going forest creatures and myriad lovingly rendered discarded items. Readers will enjoy examining each object in Daisy's collection as they cheer her newly flowering friendship. With her yellow crossbody bag (for collecting) draped over her shoulder and her shy demeanor, Daisy is a memorable character. One for the misfits, this story is an ode to the art of paying attention and honoring and appreciating not just overlooked objects but also overlooked classmates for their "special beauty."

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) K-3 Henry and Bea are best friends until, seemingly for no reason, Henry withdraws. "What did I do?" Bea asks. "Just leave me alone," Henry answers. Finally, on a field trip Bea discovers the reason--Henry's beloved cat has died. Bagley (Boats for Papa) controls pacing and tempo through a mix of vignettes and full-bleed spreads. A welcome addition to books about grief; believable and affirming in its acknowledgment of friendship's ups and downs.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) K-3 Cat Vincent has lived his whole life aboard a busy cargo ship. One day, he ventures ashore searching for "home" and realizes it's "where the people who love you are." This sea-set story's apt watercolor medium contrasts bright colors with the ocean's watery blues and greens and the smoky gray and purple night sky. The readable text is spare and honed, with an appropriately bracing pace and tone.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(2) K-3 This entertaining book opens with two young badgers, Tic and Tac, beset by boredom. They help hang the laundry for their mother and, when they run out of clothes, hang any random household object they can find. Featuring warm watercolors and attention to detail, Bagley's illustrations give readers plenty to pore over. This story injects a touch of the ridiculous into the mundane.

Reviewer: Minh Lê | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) PS "I found out we're moving... / And [Mom] said you can't come with us. / So I decided I'm not moving!" This marks the first of several stages that a young porcupine goes through before she accepts that she'll no longer be living near her anteater bestie. Bagley's tenderhearted pen and watercolor art suits this emotional but ultimately clear-eyed tale.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Young beaver Buckley lives with his mother in a small house on the beach and makes boats out of driftwood, launching them out to sea in hopes they will reach his absent father. Eventually, Buckley realizes the worth of his caring mother--and has meanwhile become a skilled craftsman. The strength of this quiet, contemplative book is its gorgeous pen and watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano