(2) PS Illustrated by Angela Dominguez. Kaia knows that she should appreciate bees, and she would if she weren't so scared of them. It doesn't help that her apiarist father cares for two hives on the roof of their apartment building. Wanting to appear brave, Kaia brags to other kids as though she were the building's beekeeper until an actual passing bee lands on her arm, sending her into a state of panic--and exposing her to her peers: "'You're a liar!' Marcella says." This embarrassing situation jumpstarts Kaia's courage, and she asks her dad to let her help with the bees. A subsequent sting and Kaia's feelings about it drive home the points that being brave is hard work and that overcoming a very deep fear takes time. Warm mixed-media cartoon illustrations depict a loving (biracial) family in a cozy urban home where greenery flourishes both inside and out. Bold outlines convey Kaia's large emotions, while the narrative intersperses basic facts about the lives and work of honeybees. Though Kaia's bee sting was scary but not, for her, life-threatening, a note on the copyright page reminds people to "seek immediate emergency treatment if unusual or severe symptoms develop."

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) PS Illustrated by Daniel Duncan. Seven days before his friend Stick Bug's birthday, effusive Beetle can wait no longer to bestow his gift. "I already have your present, because that's just the kind of friend I am. Always thinking of everyone else." Stick Bug, who is tall, thin, and soberly dressed compared to Beetle, graciously accepts his present, which turns out to be an enormous purple puffy coat. "'It does look...warm,' said Stick Bug. 'And purple is your favorite color. Thank you, Beetle.'" The situation deteriorates from there. Beetle drags his friend all over town, calling extra attention to the outlandish coat wherever they go while Stick Bug tries in vain to blend in with his surroundings. The digital art depicts a friendly town in autumn, complete with a library staffed by a snail; a skate park; the Puffy Coat Boutique; and many details to observe about the insects' daily lives and acquaintances. The understated humor in the text pairs well with the visual jokes in the pictures, calling attention to the differences between Beetle and Stick Bug and creating the ideal setting for them to learn a little bit more about how to be true to oneself while also being a true friend.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. When a woman in the grocery store drops a hundred-dollar bill, Ruben (whose family struggles to pay the bills) starts to believe his wish for a bike might come true. Jones's watercolor, pencil, and ink illustrations depict Ruben's family life as no-frills but happy. Boelts conveys the lure of owning what other kids own, alongside the inevitable guilt that Ruben feels before the realistic resolution.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Castillo. City-kid Sierra wants her auntie, who works on Saturdays, to attend one of her soccer games. A rain cancellation spoils her aunt's first chance to watch a match, so Sierra comes up with a plan. Boelts's lyrical text (a suburban soccer field is a "spread-out sea of grass with no weeds") teams up nicely with Castillo's quietly expressive illustrations.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 4-6 Best friends Shawn and Russell, on the receiving end of too many taunts, want a dog--a big, mean dog. But dogs are expensive, so, calling themselves the PS Brothers, the two establish a pooper-scooper business. There's plenty of camaraderie as the boys work together and some tension when they attempt to break up a dog-fighting ring in this quick, undemanding read.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Donald Wu. "Once upon a time, there was a mean stepdog-mother and two stepdog-sisters. Dogerella was their servant." This book casts a plaintive pup as Cinderella. She wants to go to the princess's ball and be chosen as the girl's prized pet. The story line doesn't work completely, but there's enough humor in the text and cloudy, old-fashioned-looking illustrations to sustain readers.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. Jeremy yearns for expensive high-tops, but his grandmother doesn't have the money. When he spots the shoes in a resale shop, he buys them even though they're too small. Whether children are on the shoe-owning or the shoe-envying side of the economic line, they'll sympathize with Jeremy's problem. Jones uses watercolor, pencils, and ink to depict a multiethnic urban neighborhood.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2007

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Walker. After adopting a stray dog, a boy speculates about where his pet came from and how it ended up in the shelter. The boy's poignant musings suggest many scenarios, but he concludes, "maybe it doesn't matter...because now, you're home." Walker's illustrations feature a stubby-legged pup with an expressive smile. A plug for adopting shelter dogs is appended.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Terry Widener. The firefighters at Station 1 begin Thanksgiving with a trip to the grocery store. Fire alarms interrupt their cooking so many times that by the end of the day their turkey is still raw, but appreciative neighbors bring them a dinner. In a style reminiscent of the WPA artists, the acrylic images depict powerful scenes of danger and an array of firefighting equipment.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(3) PS Illustrated by Bernadette Pons. In this useful bedtime story featuring a dad, Little Bear cannot go to bed: "I don't have any Sleepy yet." Papa helps him look ("Let me help you find some Sleepy") under toys, in the bath, in stories--right through each step of his bedtime routine. The warm illustrations are as comforting as the gently rocking dialogue.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama. An energetic boy happily plans his last day of school before summer vacation. He will be timely with his work, take fewer bathroom breaks, and forgo his burping at lunchtime--implying that these are normally troublesome areas. Retro-style oil illustrations capture the humor in the boy's reverie.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Benrei Huang. After Curtis, a young frog, discovers that his father was a famous wrestler, he tells everyone. When crowds start coming to see Big Daddy wrestle in the back yard, a wrestling agent sends him on a world tour. Although they write letters, Big Daddy and Curtis miss each other and Big Daddy comes back home. Illustrations of bug-eyed frogs enhance this sweet but slight story.

Reviewer: Megan Speenburgh

(4) PS Illustrated by Kathy Parkinson. Homey watercolor and ink illustrations depict a preschool rabbit as he gradually gives up his pacifier by limiting the places where he can use it (first only in the house, then only in his room, etc.). Little Bunny's plan goes unbelievably smoothly--he never falls off the wagon or gets overly upset--but his story nevertheless offers an engaging map for relinquishing the binky.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann