(2) PS New-to-school fears are humorously explored in this story of one little ghoul whose first day doesn't go as expected. Despite her mother's assurances ("Don't worry, my little maggot...I'm sure school will be just ghastly!"), the ghoul contends with un-grouchy grownups; a non-disgusting lunch ("There was even a chocolate chip cookie! Ewwwwww!"); and, worst of all, a possible human friend. Luckily, and with the help of her goth school librarian, a twist ending sets everything to rights. Czekaj's (Hip & Hop Don't Stop, rev. 5/10) digitally colored ink illustrations feature simple shapes and bright colors and star a wide-eyed, green-skinned protagonist with a fanged underbite--and a uniquely monstrous perspective on a common kid milestone.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(3) PS A cat leaves two dopey dogs instructions with an egg: "1. Sit on nest 2. Hatch egg 3. Teach baby to be a good dog." The dogs dutifully try teaching the hatchling to growl, bark, etc., with little success--until the bird gives the cat his comeuppance. The silly antics, happy resolution, and wacky cartoons with bright digital coloring are all preschooler-perfect.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 Dog Austin breaks out of the pet store and embarks on a journey across all fifty states (and Washington, DC) in order to find a proper home for himself. While Czekaj's comical ink and digital drawings enhance the quirky facts provided about each state, they also contribute to an overwhelming design.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) PS After a barnyard pig starts a game of telephone ("Oink") with a rooster, it adds its own embellishment ("Oink-a-doodle-doo"), and so on until a poor dog is stuck with . . . well, it's too good (and long) to give away here. Animal noises, wild misunderstandings, cartoony art featuring clueless-looking critters--this is certified comedy gold for the preschool set.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 In this follow-up to Hip & Hop, Don't Stop!, the turtle-rabbit rap duo tries to convince Yaul, a nay-saying porcupine, to say yes for once. If the deliberately cheesy rhymes ("Yaul's one funky / porcupine / with smarter moves / than Al Einstein") don't get laughs, then the puns, cartoony art, and parodies (hip-hop acts referenced include "Bee-yoncé") will.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Disgruntled X incites the other letters to question the authority of alphabetical sequence. They then vote on whether to create a new order. Czekaj's block letters feature appropriate attributes (e.g., H wears a hardhat and high heels, Z sports a zipper). The eclectic design mixes regular typesetting with word balloons and keeps the pace lively with full spreads, inset boxes, and panels.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(3) PS Three suspicious cats poised to read aloud from Cat Secrets directly address readers: "You don't look much like a cat!" The felines test their audience's ability to meow, purr, etc. This ultimately benefits a mouse who's been skulking in the cartoony illustrations. The whole favorably recalls Mo Willems's books about the pigeon, whose persnicketiness is matched by this book's leader.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Czekaj recasts the "Tortoise and the Hare" adversaries as a wannabe-rapper turtle-and-rabbit pair. Each animal's crew disapproves of the other, but at the County Rap-Off all the creatures unite to kick it old-school. The off-the-wall silliness in Czekaj's text balances his can't-we-all-just-get-along message. Cartoon illustrations offer loads of humor for those hep to the hip-hop scene.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010