(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Darika Lovelace is spending the summer in Trinidad with her grandmother; she feels like her dad and stepmother don't want her around because she has been getting in trouble. She also misses her mom, who left two years earlier. When she arrives in Trinidad, she notices a strange woman looking at her; she asks about it, but Granny brushes her off. Later, Granny asks her to clear out her mother's childhood room and finish the mural her mom started. While painting the mural, Darika begins to have strange visions of her mom trapped in a tree she painted. Darika learns from some neighborhood kids that she is a witch and must save her mother. Howard mixes Trinidadian folklore with present-day issues to create a fast-paced adventure. Her descriptions of the island are vivid and create a strong sense of place; references to popular video games add appeal. Fans of Baptiste's Jumbies series will enjoy this accessible page-turner.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 4-6 Before her disappearance, eleven-year-old Riley's mother told him the story of the Whispers, invisible beings who, in exchange for "tributes," will grant people their hearts' desires. When Riley himself hears the Whispers, he's willing to do anything to get Mama back. Riley is an unreliable narrator, but he's a thoroughly sympathetic one, and it's easy to root for his eventual understanding of the truth.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. More of an inspirational piece than a straightforward biography, this picture book relates the difficult early years through the Williams sisters' rise to tennis fame and their ensuing setbacks. Themes of hard work, perseverance, and family loyalty are emphasized throughout Bryant's text, which includes occasional (unsourced) quotations. Cooper's trademark subtractive illustrations are full of life, emotion, and character.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) 4-6 Earth Before Us series. Ronnie (Dinosaur Empire!) is ready for more time-travel education with sitter Miss Lernin. After a trip to the aquarium, they travel to the Paleozoic Era to learn about life before dinosaurs. Drawings and diagrams help Ronnie understand evolution through the six periods they visit. Readers will be drawn to the graphic-novel format; they'll enjoy the story and learn a lot of science, too. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Dr. Bennett breezily explores the human body and its functions in nine parts organized not by organ systems but from head to toe, grouping organs by proximity. Sidebars introduce surprising facts ("Ewww It's True"), terminology ("Vocab Lab"), common concerns ("Dr. B's Tips"), and more. Clear photos plus child-friendly illustrations and diagrams elucidate the informative text; a final chapter on healthy choices is included. Ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) YA Rune is physically compelled to sing angelic arias, but they drain her energy. Seeking control, she attends RoseBlood, a French boarding school haunted by a masked young man named Thorn and his reclusive guardian/mentor. Inspired by The Phantom of the Opera, this unabashedly over-the-top gothic tale is dripping with clichéd metaphors and outrageous supernatural elements mixed with modern kitsch.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) 4-6 Earth Before Us series. When Ronnie flunks her dinosaur quiz, quirky neighbor Miss Lernin, a paleontologist, whisks them back to the late Triassic; other periods are explored from there, with thorough introductions to flora and fauna. There's a lot of information imparted, but the humor and graphic-novel format keep things from getting pedantic. Ronnie aces her re-test, and her budding interest in science paves the way for book two. Glos.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) 4-6 League of Archers series. Ellie's leadership of the League of Archers is tested when she accepts a young nobleman into the troop and fails to protect the peasants sheltering in the Greenwood. Ellie eventually succeeds in forging new alliances and improving the lives of Nottingham's villagers. Second in the "Robin Hood" re-visioning series, this volume depends too heavily on nearly bloodless battles and relentlessly earnest heroes.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Author, sports journalist, and ESPN broadcaster Bryant takes a decade-by-decade look at the NBA from the 1960s to the present, emphasizing the teams and stars that have dominated the game. The engaging narrative is enhanced by entertaining "Top Ten Lists" that provide additional details about each decade. Unlike Bryant's prior volumes on baseball and football, no photographs are included. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 A boy knows almost everything about his dog, but he wonders what Scooter dreams about. Dog owners will appreciate the boy's observations: "This means he wants to play... This means he wants to play right after he's finished playing." Lively watercolor illustrations provide laughs (e.g., as Scooter slurps from the toilet: "I know this means he's thirsty"), leading to a surprisingly subdued ending.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) YA Tetra gives users a nine-minute burst of incredible speed and strength, which many abuse for illegal purposes. The drug's detrimental effects hit bodies past adolescence; Tetra-fueled Alana is part of a task force to catch drug-enhanced criminals and an underground Tetra ring before she ages out. Uneven pacing is a negative side effect of this high-octane thriller.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 League of Archers series. The baron falsely identifies young orphan Elinor as the archer responsible for killing Robin Hood. Supported by four fellow-archer friends, Ellie takes to the forest to find the remnants of the Merry Men, save Maid Marian from execution, and salvage her own reputation. Howard cleverly reboots the "Robin Hood" legend, inserting a hefty dose of girl power and a reinvigorated sense of morality.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 With both historical significance and fresh perspective, these essays survey key sports moments, players, coaches, and teams. The captivating narratives are enhanced by entertaining "Top Ten Lists," such as "all-time single-season home run leaders." Bryant's energetic storytelling style, along with the perennially popular topic, makes this completely enjoyable reading for fans. A section of color photographs is appended. Timeline. Ind. Review cover these titles: Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Baseball and Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Football.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) 4-6 With both historical significance and fresh perspective, these essays survey key sports moments, players, coaches, and teams. The captivating narratives are enhanced by entertaining "Top Ten Lists," such as "all-time single-season home run leaders." Bryant's energetic storytelling style, along with the perennially popular topic, makes this completely enjoyable reading for fans. A section of color photographs is appended. Timeline. Ind. Review cover these titles: Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Baseball and Legends: The Best Players, Games, and Teams in Football.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) YA Alyssa (Splintered; Unhinged) travels through the looking-glass world with her father to return to Wonderland and confront Queen Red; meanwhile, Alyssa loves and wants to save Jeb, but Morpheus loves and wants to marry her. By this final installment, the dark, overly complicated trilogy has traveled far from its source material, though the creative ending should satisfy series followers.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) YA Three novellas fill in the gaps of Alyssa (Splintered; Unhinged; Ensnared) and her family's history: her mother Alison's story, her boyfriend Jeb's experience in Wonderland, and a succession of Alyssa's own memories of a life lived both above- and belowground (and with both her love interests). The overdramatic snapshots serve as no more and no less than wish fulfillment for series fans.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diana Wege. Bahamian girl Flossie wants to go fishing with a legendary man who usually guides only tourists. Her mother finally agrees, and she spends a day learning how to catch--and release--"the fastest and boniest fish in the water." This quietly nostalgic story (Howard knew the real "Bonefish Joe"), accompanied by serene, detailed paintings, captures the natural beauty and local flavor of Harbour Island.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA High-school dropout Cam, a bike messenger in NYC, is down on his luck: incarcerated father, deceased mother, debt-ridden and now jobless after a beautiful girl causes him to wreck his bike. Captivated, Cam works his way into her group of friends, an underground parkour gang. Readers entertained by the cinematic action scenes and gritty urban setting may overlook the predictable plot.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) 1-3 Little Rhino series. Illustrated by Erwin Madrid. Though Rhino loves playing baseball with his grandpa, third grade means Rhino finally gets to join a team. This brings new challenges, but Grandpa's words of wisdom ("Your thinker is there to think the things you can't always say out loud") help in situations such as dealing with a team bully. While resolutions come too easily, game details and illustrations add appeal. Review covers these Little Rhino titles: The Best Bat and My New Team.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) 1-3 Little Rhino series. Illustrated by Erwin Madrid. Though Rhino loves playing baseball with his grandpa, third grade means Rhino finally gets to join a team. This brings new challenges, but Grandpa's words of wisdom ("Your thinker is there to think the things you can't always say out loud") help in situations such as dealing with a team bully. While resolutions come too easily, game details and illustrations add appeal. Review covers these Little Rhino titles: The Best Bat and My New Team.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan