(3) K-3 Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff. Friends Buddy (a large dog) and Earl (a hedgehog) return in their fifth adventure. While playing at superheroes one afternoon (Earl's idea, of course; Buddy just wants to take a nap), they meet their neighbors, bulldog Mister and cat Snowflake. When Snowflake gets stuck in a tree, the friends must pull off an actual daring rescue. As ever, the humor shines through the minimal acrylic illustrations and deadpan text.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Elina Ellis. The clubs at Rory's new school don't appeal to him so he starts his own Reptile Club--and actual (talking) reptiles show up. Soon Reptile Club is the place to be. When the reptiles leave (to hibernate), Rory's new friends stay--yes, "they'd become reptile enthusiasts, but mostly it was because they'd become Rory's friends." A sweet and lively new-school fantasy with friendly illustrations.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Lowery. "Soccer was a ball-kicking, leg-pumping, heart-thumping good time" until a boy's father joins his team. Dad--pictured in the childlike digital illustrations in a belly-button-revealing jersey--whines about his assigned position, acts silly on the sidelines, etc. This latest parent/child switcheroo, from the team behind The Day My Mom Came to Kindergarten, is quite humorous, though readers will quickly get the drawn-out didactic point.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff. In their latest adventure, friends Buddy (a large dog) and Earl (a pet hedgehog) are excited to attend owner Meredith's pretend school. When she's called away and Earl takes over, he ensures that Buddy excels by teaching classes in Tail Chasing, Sniffing Things, and Scratching Itches. Simple, minimalist gouache illustrations in a limited palette accompany the droll text.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff. Buddy (dog) and Earl (hedgehog) return for a nocturnal adventure. Without leaving the kitchen, the two take a dip in a "silvery lake" and rescue a "lovely lady hedgehog" from a "monster." The comic tension between the real and the imagined is just as evident here as in Buddy and Earl. Again, Sookocheff wrings an astounding amount of personality out of her simple, cartoony illustrations.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. When Great-Aunt Alice and her pampered, elegant dog Susan come to visit, Spencer and his inelegant pooch "show Susan how to be a regular dog" with a satisfying wild romp in the dog park. Though the overlong story sometimes seems directionless, the illustrations mine the humor in the contrast between well-groomed, sedate Susan and her muddy, grinning, "regular" self.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff. In the third picture book featuring dog Buddy and hedgehog Earl (Buddy and Earl; Buddy and Earl Go Exploring), the two friends are excited about a visit from a baby. Once again, the friends' personalities play off each other beautifully in both the droll, deadpan text and the minimalist, earth-toned acrylic gouache illustrations, which use red accents brilliantly.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cale Atkinson. A boy named Harold questions Santa's existence, so he hides in his living room on Christmas Eve to learn the truth. Meanwhile, Santa has been questioning Harold's existence, so he hides behind Harold's couch on Christmas morning to get some answers. The execution isn't up to the terrific premise, but the art, while overcomplicated, hits humorous notes, especially Harold's dad's spit-take.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dušan Petričić. After middle-child Bill asks his preoccupied family to pass the potatoes and no one notices, he turns invisible--and they don't even take that seriously! When they realize he isn't there to take out the trash, Bill's family finally unplugs and pays attention. It's a pat resolution, but Bill's frustrations are relatable. Digitally colored pen-and-ink drawings effectively play up the text's wry humor.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Carey Sookocheff. Mutt Buddy meets (clever hedgehog) Earl, who claims to be a sea urchin and a talking hairbrush, among other things. Imaginative adventures ensue, involving--oops--the furniture. Buddy gets in trouble with Mom, and Earl staunchly defends him; "I think you are a friend," Buddy says. This unassuming little book--simple line and gouache illustrations; basic font; small trim size--has a surprising lot going on.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Qin Leng. When Mom asks Benny to clear his plate, his reply--"What would you do if I said no?"--prompts a conversational tennis match ("I'd tell you that..."; "What would you do if...?"). Fergus gets the mom right: she engages Benny without indulging him. Leng keeps up with the fantasy ("I'd send you to the moon!") if not the characters' emotional responses.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Lowery. A girl invites her mother to spend the day with her in kindergarten. Mom is enthusiastic but doesn't follow the class rules, which embarrasses her daughter greatly. By the end of the day, she does much better and makes fewer mistakes. The simply composed Photoshop illustrations match the text's humorous tone, but the girl narrator's know-it-all attitude makes the story a bit didactic.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) 4-6 After special surgeries allow him to learn to talk, Ortega the gorilla is raised to function as a human. When his social, emotional, and intellectual skills are similar to that of an eleven-year-old, he is sent to public school. People's reactions to him raise moral questions about animal rights. A fast pace and excellent characterizations make for intriguing science fiction.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) YA "The Great Francie Freewater, Baker Extraordinaire" enters her celebrity crush's baking contest. Not only doesn't she win first place, she also fears that she may lose her best friend to the new girl at school. Francie is thus forced to reassess her relationships and the reality of achieving her dream. Francie's emotions are heartfelt, if distractingly exaggerated.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson

(2) 4-6 Fergus's unnamed self-centered thirteen-year-old narrator obliviously plays the buffoon in his own audio diary. His wickedly funny tape-recorded musings brim with misplaced bravado. Fergus pushes this caricature to the limit, then introduces a chance for him to develop by helping save a soup kitchen. In the end, the narrator hasn't totally transformed, but he's convincingly developed compassion.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2007