(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gina Perry. A string of creatures each brags about its identity ("What's not to like about being a unicorn?") until a problem arises (the unicorn gets a table stuck on her horn, a robot rusts, etc.). Turns out, they're all issues to be sorted out by...Dad. Readers will enjoy this clever twist as cartoony illustrations reveal a backyard where a father oversees the menagerie (of children) at play.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Vicki Nerino. After hours, zoo residents plus local animals head to the nightclub-esque Story Zoo, which tonight features four dogs' stories. Panning out to the wisecracking audience in between sets, this graphic novel will appeal to animal lovers, particularly dog lovers, with wry humor à la New Yorker cartoons. Nerino's line work in the digitally colored illustrations lends a certain scruffiness that keeps cuteness at bay.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. Contemplative and philosophical fish Glub takes up residence in a bowl set on a diner counter. While he thinks, onlookers gaze into his bowl and visualize their hearts' desires. Stylized and attractive mixed-media illustrations enhance a story heavy on existential musings and light on the kind of character development essential for connecting reader to content.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Huyck. Prince Maximilian talks incessantly, so his dim-witted brothers ask for a spell that restricts him to nine words. All is well until the finicky Flintians arrive in the kingdom, and Maximilian's brevity on the subject of their absurd customs nearly causes international disaster. Well-used speech bubbles prevent Maximilian's logorrhea from overwhelming the entertaining plot. Huyck lavishes his caricature-packed cartoons with hilarious detail.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tim Bowers. Dragon Crispin turns seven but instead of breathing fire, as expected, he breathes whipped cream...then Band-Aids, marshmallows, and more. The hackneyed plot, of a character who's different from his peers, ends predictably: after a heroic move, everyone understands that Crispin's abnormality makes him "special." Bowers's cartoonish acrylic illustrations feature wide-eyed, friendly looking dragons in an array of colors.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by David Huyck. Three unconnected comic-style vignettes feature ordinary children who encounter a witch, sea monsters in the bathtub, and a family of vampires on Halloween night. The spreads use words sparingly, allowing the muted but whimsical art to tell much of the story. More silly than spooky, this graphic novel will suit readers who would rather giggle than give themselves goosebumps.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) K-3 Illustrated by John Manders. This story includes a sassy fairy (the story's narrator), three brothers, a princess in distress, and a shifty king who gets his comeuppance. The text tries too hard to be funny ("As fairies go, I'm not the flashy kind. Glass slippers and pumpkin carriages are just not my style"). Zany cartoon illustrations match the tone.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) PS Illustrated by Graham Ross. "Alberto had an alligator, / but he didn't have a bathing suit." Turn the page, and Benoît has a bathing suit but no clarinet. No child has what he or she wants, until Zara gives her zamboni to Yanni who gives a yoga mat to Xena and so on back to Alberto. Each humorous acrylic and collage illustration includes a hidden letter.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley