(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Stringer. This picture book biography of Wright is sensibly limited to two themes--geometry and nature--tracing how Wright's early childhood, spent playing in forests and building with geometric blocks, was the foundation of his illustrious career. Going writes lovingly and rhythmically but avoids a tone of hero-worship. Stringer's warm, accessible pictures show Wright at various stages of life against backdrops that nod to his designs. Bib.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(3) PS Illustrated by Simone Shin. Two smiling, barefoot siblings pick berries, make a pie, and get ready for bed in this rhythmic picture book. Simple, declarative sentences celebrate the noises and sensations of the day with onomatopoetic flair--berries fall "bumpety-bump" and feel "plumpety-plump"--as the family cheerfully moves through the day's activities. A playful slice-of-life story with read-aloud appeal and textured illustrations in muted colors.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) YA Twelve-year-old Tia, lead singer in New Orleans's Rainbow Choir, learns that her father is in prison for murdering a young girl. Her mother wants to move on, but Tia wants reconciliation; her quest uncovers complicated issues in her community. This is a rich portrayal of one girl's attempt to understand how to cope in the face of adversity.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Santat. Charged with watching the cats while the family is out, Dog scrambles to control the five felines as they wreak havoc in the house. Amusing retro illustrations include paneled inserts that allow multiple points of view and plenty of action, picturing the mischievous cats licking from kitchen bowls, toppling flowerpots, and generally making a mess while the food-centered canine bumbles his way to success.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) YA After being kicked out of his house, Liam moves in with his gay glam-rocker uncle and tries to become the kind of son his father wants. Liberation from a manipulative parent is an old (if effective) hook, but a straight, popular protagonist with an interest in fashion and an easy rapport with his gay guardians provides a fresh twist.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(2) 4-6 Evie and her father move to an orchard beside a cemetery in rural New York. Evie quickly makes two friends: elderly Maggie and a mysterious boy who claims to be a ghost. Believably and with delicacy, Going paints a suspenseful story suffused with the poignant questions of what it means to be alive, and what might await on the other side.

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

(2) YA The odds are stacked against sixteen-year-old Iggy: home is the projects, his parents are drug addicts, and Mo, his only friend, gets in deep trouble with the dealer responsible for Iggy's parents' addictions. Readers will be surprised by the heart-wrenching ending; one can only hope that Iggy's selflessness will cause sinner Mo to repent and change his ways.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2006

(2) 4-6 Gabriel King is afraid of spiders, bullies, and, most of all, advancing to the fifth grade. When his best friend, African-American Frita, decides that their summer project will be liberating Gabe from his fears, Gabe's personal journey collides with the racial tension that lies under the surface of their 1970s Georgia town. Gabe's wry commentary on his progress is comically self-aware.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2005

(2) YA Overweight and friendless, high school senior Troy Billings is contemplating suicide when he meets homeless punk rocker Curt MacCrae, who invites Troy to join his band as a drummer. In this gritty and intense novel--perhaps more of a character study than a plot-driven story--these two disparate and desperate teenagers attempt to save each other and, quite possibly, end up saving themselves as well.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2003