(3) K-3 Illustrated by Daniel Miyares. A young fox hunts in the snow and looks for a vixen whose scent he's detected. A hungry wolverine chases him back to his den, where he settles down for the night. Occasional rhyming words and alliteration add richness to the text, and ink and watercolor illustrations capture the winter light and animals' movement.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. One sunny day, Froggy decides to run a lemonade stand, hoping to earn some serious cash. The wrinkle: he has to actually make the lemonade, create a stand, and save some lemonade for his customers. More than two-dozen books into the Froggy series, London and Remkiewicz continue to provide fresh situations and serviceably entertaining cartoonish art for their daffy but sympathetic protagonist.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) PS Illustrated by Andrew Joyner. Unlikely pals Duck and Hippo splash in the springtime rain--then umbrella-holding Duck gets carried off (Rainstorm); they invite their friends on a summertime picnic--then Hippo gets lost (Found). Cartoon art, rendered in brush-and-ink with wash and pencil and digitally colored, depict the silly (and slim) escapades that celebrate friendship and the benefits of sticking together. Review covers these titles: Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm and Duck and Hippo Lost and Found.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sean London. The fictional story of a male California sea otter unfolds from birth to maturity, illustrated with gentle paintings of his active life, as Mother feeds, protects, and teaches young Pup the ways of the otter. The read-aloud-friendly text is spare and poetic, with a good amount of sea otter information. An appended note provides additional facts.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) PS Illustrated by Andrew Joyner. Unlikely pals Duck and Hippo splash in the springtime rain--then umbrella-holding Duck gets carried off (Rainstorm); they invite their friends on a summertime picnic--then Hippo gets lost (Found). Cartoon art, rendered in brush-and-ink with wash and pencil and digitally colored, depict the silly (and slim) escapades that celebrate friendship and the benefits of sticking together. Review covers these titles: Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm and Duck and Hippo Lost and Found.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Meilo So. A clutch of river otter pups grows and develops through the four seasons of its North American habitat. The main narrative, in a larger font, tells the story of this otter family, while a second, smaller text periodically provides additional factual information about otter development. Lively illustrations capture the kinetic movements of otters; their slinky, flexible bodies; and irresistible cuteness. Ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. In his excitement to choose and read new books during a library visit, Froggy misbehaves and gets scolded by the librarian. This twenty-fifth adventure is fairly uninspired (he eventually wins over the librarian during storytime) and the art somewhat pedestrian. Still, readers will appreciate the book's humor (it's "so quiet you could hear a fly burp"), Froggy's infectious enthusiasm, and all the onomatopoeia.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sean London. A kayaking trip off the coast of British Columbia goes awry when thirteen-year-old Aaron's group of friends has a run-in with a ship smuggling mistreated, undocumented Chinese immigrants. Young readers with a passion for the outdoors will devour this fast-paced, suspenseful hi-lo adventure, full of details about camping and kayaking. Discussion questions and a note on migrants and refugees are appended.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Trueman. In fresh, interesting descriptions, London emphasizes just how dangerous these massive animals can be--a sequence of hippopotamuses in fights involves their gross-out poop-flinging skills--and contrasts this aggression with the care shown by hippo mothers as they raise their babies. Trueman effectively captures the animal's essence: every part of the hippo bodies, from their giant teeth to their sturdy legs, is massive. Ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. In his twenty-fourth fun- and chaos-filled episode, Froggy finally celebrates his birthday. Certain that everyone has forgotten it, Froggy trudges sadly home to a surprise party. His presents--a skateboard, a scooter, and a pogo stick--create the series-standard mayhem, and his wish for a fly-filled piñata is ultimately granted. Both the lively illustrations and onomatopoeia-heavy text are storytime-friendly.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. Little Puffin is born on a cliffside and cared for by his parents until the time comes for him to strike out on his own. In a lyrical text, London traces the life cycle of a horned puffin, from mating to nesting to first flight; Van Zyle's somewhat fuzzy paintings alternate close-up views of the birds with sweeping landscapes. An author's note provides more information.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(3) K-3 Froggy's mom agrees to let him have a pet, and after a little convincing, Froggy leaves the animal shelter with a dog. Froggy says he understands the responsibilities of taking care of a dog, but training a dog is harder than he thought. Child-friendly illustrations and a slew of quirky sound effects make this relatable story a great read-aloud.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. North American river otter pup Ollie is born in spring; during their first year he and his littermates play and learn to swim and hunt. In winter, Ollie slides down a snowbank into a rushing river and gets swept away, but all ends happily. Painterly illustrations portray the otters and their habitat through the seasons. An author's note provides information about otters.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) PS Little Hippo Story series. Illustrated by Gilles Eduar. In this chaser to Here Comes Doctor Hippo, Little Hippo is pretending to play firefighter when he's surprised by a tree on fire for real; he enlists Elephant's help in putting out the blaze. There are no twists, no tricks--just straight-ahead storytelling. The satisfyingly uncomplicated illustrations seem to bear de Brunhoff's influence, down to Little Hippo's Zephir-like monkey companion.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. It's Saturday and Froggy can't wait to play with his friends. Unfortunately, none of them is home. The day gets even worse when he discovers his dad has arranged a movie playdate with pesky Frogilina. The sound effects in the text make this a good read-aloud choice, and Remkiewicz's always-playful illustrations add to the childlike energy of the story.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) PS Little Hippo Story series. Illustrated by Gilles Eduar. Little Hippo likes to pretend and one day decides to play doctor. With medical kit in hand, he examines Big Hippo, Laughing Hyena, Lion, and other African animals with questionable diagnoses (stinky breath, ticklish feet, loud roar). Back home, Hippo's nurturing mother revives his spirits with her own medicine--a bath and reassuring conversation. Warm-toned illustrations picture the simple, satisfying adventure.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ilya Spirin. While hunting for food in the expansive Siberian forest a tiger mother is separated from her cub when a forest fire breaks out. London's lyrical narrative skillfully depicts the mother's (successful) search for her cub. Spirin's dark and expressive illustrations in watercolor, pastel, and gouache support this emotional tale. An author's note provides additional information on Siberian tigers.

Reviewer: Pearl Higgins

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Olson. This book relates a young penguin's first year, from hatching atop his father's feet to learning to swim and escaping a leopard seal. Although the text and illustrations are somewhat anthropomorphic, the details represent authentic behavior. Effectively varying perspective, the pictures exploit the sharp contrast between black-and-white penguins and blue-white snow and ice.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Froggy is psyched to be going with his family on vacation. Even in Hawaii, though, trouble finds the ever-lovable amphibian--coconuts, waterfalls, volcanoes, and ill-packed suitcases. Froggy fans will be shaking their heads at his excitable ways while knowing readers will agree with Froggy's father's assessment: sometimes one needs a vacation from vacation. Bright, expressive illustrations capture the antics.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Froggy enlists the help of his animal friends to build a tree house where they can play cards and eat pizza. Frogilina wants to help, but it's strictly "No Girls Allowed!" After repeatedly saving the day, Frogilina is allowed into the club. Sound effects throughout the story, along with Remkiewicz's dependably lighthearted illustrations, make this a good choice for a read-aloud.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner