(3) YA The summer before sophomore year, Tre Brun is grieving the accidental death of his older brother as well as living in his shadow -- Jaxon was beloved and idolized for his varsity basketball stardom within the Brun family and throughout the entire Red Lake Reservation. Tre is also on a mission: dedicating himself to rigorous training in hopes of making varsity and, alongside Jaxon’s former teammates, bringing their rez team to the Minnesota State Basketball Championships. Ojibwe author Graves's Morris– and AILA YA Award–winning debut is at once an exhilarating sports thriller, an underdog story, a grieving-family portrait, and a relatable high-school social dramedy. That it is set on a contemporary Native reservation is both a casual detail and a noteworthy aspect of the book, thanks to Graves's authentic depictions of the socioeconomic, racial, and cultural specifics of Tre's lived reality. A YA novel with massive commercial appeal that also opens windows -- hell, wide, welcoming gates -- to an underrepresented community.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 Ultimate Sports Road Trips series. Following a rah-rah introduction about the featured sport, each entertaining, if superficial, volume highlights seven or eight stadiums or sites that would make great road trips for super-fans. The four- or six-page sections provide basic place facts (including name, location, date opened, capacity), overviews of the teams' or participants' histories, and captioned photos. A trip map is appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ultimate Sports Road Trips titles: Ultimate NHL Road Trip, Ultimate Soccer Road Trip, Ultimate NBA Road Trip, Ultimate MLB Road Trip, Ultimate NASCAR Road Trip, Ultimate College Basketball Road Trip, Ultimate NFL Road Trip, and Ultimate College Football Road Trip.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. In this mild fantasy a boy discovers a big green book of spells which enables him to retaliate against the aunt and uncle with whom he lives in boring tranquility. The story is slight, but the cross-hatched black-and-white illustrations reinforce Sendak's reputation for technical skill combined with visual imagination as the artist once more delights in the triumph of a small child in an adult world.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 1985

(3) YA Graves's prose recounting of the Trojan War and the fall of this ancient city is back in print in a handsome volume with a new introduction by Dan-el Padilla Peralta. With research into Homer and "various other Greek and Latin authors," Graves's narrative is nevertheless free-flowing and not burdened by the often-ponderous language of strict translations of ancient accounts.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Make Me the Best Athlete series. Each of five or six brief chapters (e.g., "Sprint like Usain Bolt" in Track) in these slim volumes focuses on a different outstanding athlete in a particular sport, and provides a few tidbits about his or her skills. Bulleted fact boxes explicate techniques; a "Drill Down!" feature suggests ways readers can improve their own performance, but some necessary supervision isn't suggested. Color photographs appear throughout. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Make Me the Best Athlete titles: Make Me the Best Volleyball Player, Make Me the Best Basketball Player, Make Me the Best Baseball Player, Make Me the Best Hockey Player, Make Me the Best Soccer Player, Make Me the Best Football Player, Make Me the Best Lacrosse Player, and Make Me the Best at Track and Field.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Versus series. Each volume pits a present-day superstar against one from an earlier era. Comparisons include technical skills, statistics and records, and past or potential legacies. Sports fans will appreciate the many action photographs illustrating the choppy but accessible texts; side-by-side charts provide additional data. No attempt is made to name the superior athlete: that decision is left to the reader. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Versus titles: Lionel Messi vs. Pelé, Tiger Woods vs. Jack Nicklaus, Sidney Crosby vs. Wayne Gretzky, LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan, Serena Williams vs. Billie Jean King, and Tom Brady vs. Joe Montana.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 NFL's Top Ten series. Professional football's most outstanding rookies, game-changing plays, legendary rivalries, and stunning upsets are collected and presented in a top-ten format, with each themed volume counting down to number one. The packed layouts include informational sidebars and captioned photos. Sports fans will appreciate the whirlwind descriptions of iconic moments in football history. There are four other fall 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these NFL's Top Ten titles: NFL's Top 10 Rookies, NFL's Top 10 Upsets, NFL's Top 10 Plays, and NFL's Top 10 Rivalries.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Puppy-crazy caveboy Trog nabs himself a toothy reptilian "PUPPY!" He feeds it, plays fetch, and teaches PUPPY! tricks, but nothing pleases the finicky creature until a bigger toothy reptile arrives to take it back home. Comical panel illustrations capture the silly cave-family scenario--and leave readers with a chuckle as Trog grabs a large furry tail at book's end ("KITTY!").

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 4-6 Fact Finders: It's Back to School...Way Back! series. This series presents cursory information about education during selected time periods. Pioneer discusses one-room schools and early school architecture, curriculum, and activities. Civil Rights focuses on the history of school desegregation and integration. Archival photographs and documents add insight and interest to the accessible but limited texts. Activities and critical thinking questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Fact Finders: It's Back to School...Way Back! titles: School in Pioneer Times and School in the Civil Rights Movement.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Legendary World of Sports series. Sports fans are presented with superlative-like trivia in clear prose illustrated with photos on uncluttered layouts. The series features themed moments from the history of a wide variety of sports, both popular team sports (baseball, hockey, basketball, etc.) and individual competitions such as auto- and horse-racing. Unfortunately, the overall coverage slants heavily toward male athletes. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Legendary World of Sports titles: The Most Notorious Curses of All Time, The Oddest Superstitions of all Time, The Most Dominant Dynasties of All Time, The Most Amazing Sports Moments of All Time, The Greatest Coaches of All Times, and The Biggest Upsets of All Time.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 1-3 Nightmare Club series. Illustrated by Glenn McElhinney. A Halloween sleepover at which each guest must tell a scary story sets up this series of self-contained tales. The author embraces the idea that things unseen are scarier than those described to keep the stories age-appropriate without sacrificing spookiness; a jaded, slightly meta tone adds levity. Jagged line illustrations on roomy pages complete the accessible packages. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Review covers the following the following Nightmare Club titles: A Dog's Breakfast, Guinea Pig Killer, Help! My Brother's a Zombie, and Mirrored.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 1-3 Nightmare Club series. Illustrated by Glenn McElhinney. A Halloween sleepover at which each guest must tell a scary story sets up this series of self-contained tales. The author embraces the idea that things unseen are scarier than those described to keep the stories age-appropriate without sacrificing spookiness; a jaded, slightly meta tone adds levity. Jagged line illustrations on roomy pages complete the accessible packages. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Review covers the following the following Nightmare Club titles: A Dog's Breakfast, Guinea Pig Killer, Help! My Brother's a Zombie, and Mirrored.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 1-3 Nightmare Club series. Illustrated by Glenn McElhinney. A Halloween sleepover at which each guest must tell a scary story sets up this series of self-contained tales. The author embraces the idea that things unseen are scarier than those described to keep the stories age-appropriate without sacrificing spookiness; a jaded, slightly meta tone adds levity. Jagged line illustrations on roomy pages complete the accessible packages. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Review covers the following the following Nightmare Club titles: A Dog's Breakfast, Guinea Pig Killer, Help! My Brother's a Zombie, and Mirrored.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 1-3 Nightmare Club series. Illustrated by Glenn McElhinney. A Halloween sleepover at which each guest must tell a scary story sets up this series of self-contained tales. The author embraces the idea that things unseen are scarier than those described to keep the stories age-appropriate without sacrificing spookiness; a jaded, slightly meta tone adds levity. Jagged line illustrations on roomy pages complete the accessible packages. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Review covers the following the following Nightmare Club titles: A Dog's Breakfast, Guinea Pig Killer, Help! My Brother's a Zombie, and Mirrored.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) K-3 Bubbles, a monkey, is the circus's star; gorilla Oop is basically his roadie. Oop wants more, and when Bubbles is injured, she steps in and finds that Bubbles makes it look easier than it is. Bubbles and Oop are reminiscent of an old-time Hollywood comedy duo, and their story is enhanced by slapstick illustrations and a cynical but clever ending.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 SportsZone: Sports' Best Ever series. Each volume profiles fourteen of the best-ever players in its athletic category. Ranging from pioneers (Jacques Plante, who wore the first hockey goalie mask) to current stars (Serena Williams), the readable texts highlight what made each player exceptional. Restrained layouts consist of two-page bios with two photographs and an informational stats box. "Honorable mentions" are included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following SportsZone: Sports' Best Ever titles: The Best Golfers of All Time, The Best Tennis Players of All Time, The Best Hockey Players of All Time, The Best Soccer Players of All Time, The Best Extreme Sports Stars of All Time, and The Best Auto Racers of All Time.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 SportsZone: Record Breakers series. Each of these titles contains well-written and engaging profiles of athletes who excelled in one aspect of their sport. The varied selection of featured players is pleasantly surprising, as some aren't huge media stars (e.g., John Stockton in Basketball and Bruce Smith in Football). Sharp, well-chosen photos of play action effectively complement the lively narratives. "Fun Facts" are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Record Breakers titles: Olympics Record Breakers, Basketball Record Breakers, Football Record Breakers, Hockey Record Breakers, Soccer Record Breakers, and Baseball Record Breakers.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 SportsZone: Bowl Games of College Football series. Each title opens by describing how the well-established season-ending college football game developed; the remaining five chapters provide play-by-play highlights of particularly memorable contests. While the facts are all here, the narratives lack excitement, though the accompanying photos help communicate some of each game's significant plays and climactic moments. "Bowl Records" and "Quotes and Anecdotes" are appended. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these SportsZone: Bowl Games of College Football titles: The Story of the Orange Bowl, The Story of the Sugar Bowl, The Story of the Rose Bowl, The Story of the Cotton Bowl, The Story of the College Football National Championship Game, and The Story of the Fiesta Bowl.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Underwhelmed by Halloween costume choices, Master Edgar Dreadbury wants to be "something screamingly scary." The "monsterator" machine fulfills his wish, transforming him into a multicolored creature with fur, horns, fangs, claws, and a tail. Graves's acrylics accentuate the contrast between Edgar's vibrant appearance and his dull surroundings. A five-creature partitioned flipbook creatively extends the humorous rhyming tale so readers can "monsterate" Edgar themselves.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014

(3) 4-6 Major League Baseball's Best Ever series. "Not all thwacks are created equal..." (Hitters). In entertaining prose, these four titles give brief descriptions of pivotal moments or plays, a bit of biography, and some statistical information for the stars they highlight. Each player is shown in two exciting photographs. Some, but not all, of the doping controversies surrounding the players are mentioned. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Major League Baseball's Best Ever titles: The Best MLB Hitters of All Time, The Best MLB Infielders of All Time, The Best MLB Catchers of All Time, and The Best MLB Outfielders of All Time.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin