(2) PS uring a routine day at the roadworks, Digger decides she needs a change of pace. Instead of digging down in "mud and dark and worms," she wants to go up: "Up would be sky, stars and adventure." But after laboriously reaching, jumping, climbing, and flapping, she is exhausted and still grounded. With a little ingenuity, she is finally able to set off on her journey. Digger quickly learns that "what goes up, usually does come down...just not always where you want it to." She realizes she must rely on her unique abilities to return to her friends. Hood's playful text is enhanced by bold lino-print and mono-print illustrations that use both bright pops and dark washes of color to tell the story. Shifts between pastel-hued and darker backgrounds emphasize the contrast between up and down. This preschool read aloud-friendly book, with its repetition of simple words, might also be well suited to emerging readers.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ella Okstad. Sophie Johnson has seventeen unicorns; albeit they're really a baby, dog, toys, and stuffed animals with "horns" properly secured. Bright, rainbow-colored mixed-media illustrations depict the lively messiness of Sophie's house as she teaches her unicorns about magic, food hunting, and the dangers of balloons. Young fans of the fantastical subject matter will delightedly spy the magical visitor that oblivious "unicorn expert" Sophie misses.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) PS Lee is a pea with many pea friends; his only non-pea friend is Colin, a rectangular carrot stick. Although Colin isn't good at most pea games and stands out from the others, he's still a wonderful friend: he makes a great slide, for instance. Simple collage illustrations on generous white space are full of humor and feeling, and the message is understated but clear.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano