(2) K-3 An unnamed narrator has a whole list of activities planned to stay awake with best friend Noodles on their sleepover. After playing games, jumping on a trampoline, and catching fireflies, though, the duo begins to tire. Enter: "THE YAWNS." Though the children try mightily to evade them, the YAWNS--represented as little blue smiling blobs--quickly multiply. First the protagonist weakens ("I would YAWN"), then Noodles does, with their yawns alternating (and growing) until: "A DOZE landed on Noodles' head...it was too late. The SNORES had arrived." Eventually our narrator, too, succumbs. But tomorrow is another day, with an ever-growing list of activities keeping the now-well-rested buddies occupied. Eliopoulos ably conveys the contagiousness of a yawn--and the contagiousness of kids' enthusiasm for sleepover fun. The not-so-sleepy comic-style digital illustrations and speech-bubble-heavy text add accessibility and appeal. That the friends (Noodles is tall and light-skinned, the narrator is a head shorter and brown-skinned) are wearing animal costumes--or are those cozy pajama suits?--reinforces the unselfconscious comfort of their friendship.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(4) 4-6 Colored by Rebecca Nalty. In a standalone companion graphic novel to Cosmic Commandos, black girl Zoe--a young inventor, monster-movie fanatic, and loner--accidentally dons a magic ring and calls forth city-eating monsters. Simultaneously saving the city and her new monster friend, Zoe finds greater social acceptance. Adorable, energetic full-color comics and appealing subject matter (monsters! robots! wish-fulfillment!) help to balance the heavy-handed insistence that Zoe should make friends.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Video-game fanatic Jeremy's cereal-box prize ring brings his favorite game to life and pits him against increasingly dangerous opponents. He also must enlist help from his book-loving, ever-responsible identical twin, Justin. In a comics style reminiscent of Bill Watterson's, Eliopoulos's digitally drawn, full-color graphic-novel panels convey a riveting plot, complete with wish fulfillment, relatable family dynamics, and an excellent sense of humor.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin