(2) K-3 Illustrated by Corinna Luyken. The townspeople are suspicious of the outsiders in the woods with their cloaks, brooms, and black cat. One spooky night, the townsfolk mistake the others' bird-shaped kites for witches, but when a storm helps the townsfolk realize the truth, the two groups unite to celebrate and "dance like kites." The book's vertical layout--with, at first, the townspeople's point of view on the top and the others' on the bottom--and the use of different fonts effectively tell the story from two different perspectives. Hoefler's text is atmospheric and lyrical; Luyken's mixed-media art, in a limited palette using mostly black and yellow, excels at portraying the eeriness of the woods as well as their benign reality.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jessixa Bagley. Mae (a human girl) and Bear (a bear) are both embarking on a train journey to an undisclosed destination, and neither feels comfortable. Mae worries about bears who might eat small people, and Bear worries about people who eat big things, like bears. Separately, they each decide to make a paper-bag hat, disguising themselves as the things they fear for protection. The narrative tells their story from a distant, knowing vantage point, creating a philosophical atmosphere. "Courage is something that comes from your heart--but if you can't find it there, you can wear it on your head at first." The soft graphite and watercolor illustrations effectively use perspective and point of view to develop tension and meaning for these two as they board the train from opposite sides and, in their disguises, choose to sit together, share a snack, and form an alliance. As the train winds through a variety of settings, from mountainous to woodland to metropolitan, the art depicts Mae and Bear bonding over the same delights. An aerial view shows the train's path and then a train car full of human and anthropomorphized animal passengers, expanding the reader's comprehension in parallel with Mae and Bear's growing friendship. Eventually the disguises come off, and, unfazed by each other's true identities, they exchange the hats as gifts. The train moves on, but in a satisfying conclusion, it's revealed that these two are heading to the same destination: "Welcome Campers!" While visually capturing the thrill of travel, this warm story pays tribute to bravery, new experiences, and special connections.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Noah Klocek. A spare poetic text ruminates on perspective. A little mouse carries a single crumb across "great big things," including canyons, mountains, and oceans. When the mouse reaches journey's end, the dramatic illustrations zoom in to emphasize the traveler's heartfelt gesture of delivering the crumb to a friend. "Great big things" become "small things" in comparison. Budding philosophers are the best audience for this subtle meditation.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jonathan Bean. In this hymn to contemporary cowboys, a sentence beginning with "real cowboys..." introduces each new task or scene ("Real cowboys are patient..."). Young cowpokes will appreciate the seriousness given to their passion, an apparent respect shared by Bean's dramatic illustrations. With details that verge on the abstract, each page turn comes as a visual surprise. The book ends with an existential turn.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2017