(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. Growing up in northwestern Cameroon, Tantoh Nforba loved the rich soil and earned the nickname "Farmer." As an adult, he has become an effective advocate for clean water and safe agricultural practices. This heartening story conveys the importance of sound agricultural practices across farms, schoolyards, communities, and nations. In Zunon's colorful mixed-media illustrations, the vibrancy of people, water, and soil showcase the movement Farmer Tantoh has built. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jason Chin. Nine pithy, five-line stanzas trace a fetus's development in utero; the story also follows a Latinx family happily awaiting a baby's arrival. As the watercolor and gouache illustrations' left-hand pages track the fetus's transformation, right-hand pages show slice-of-life scenes of the mom, dad, and soon-to-be big sister. A clever, joyful celebration of the nine months leading up to a baby's birth, appended with further details about gestational development. Bib.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Paige Keiser. After baby Brandon joins the family, Mia must share her room, and it's "twice as fun!" But as Brandon gets bigger, there's "twice the mess." Spirited illustrations soften but don't stifle Mia's emotions. Fed up Mia moves out, eventually settling into a blanket fort by the bookcase...but something--or someone--is missing. The text's light tone and warm pictures portray a loving nontraditional family allowing its members to work through frustrations.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Carin Berger. Two dapper pear seeds perform a vaudeville comedy act. During the show, readers learn that the seed-to-fruit process requires patience, soil, rain, sun, and time. Illustrations that look like mixed-media and paper collage show seeds onstage conversing in short-sentence word balloons. Slight but amusing for young children and grownups with a love of wordplay and botany. "5 'Peary' Smart Facts" are appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Maggie Caton. On the ocean floor, lonely Blobfish dreams of a life full of excitement, friends, and "delicious treats." To that end, Blobfish proclaims, "Deep-sea party! Bring a treat to share!" and inadvertently begins a wild game of telephone that spans the entire planet--and beyond. The conclusion is sweet (literally) and satisfying, and animated illustrations in candy colors bring the squishy pink protagonist to life.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell. "Taking notes, these hands are writing. / Breaking story? How exciting!" Told in rhymes that occasionally stumble, this survey of community helpers includes journalists, farmers, teachers, cooks, and architects. The friendly illustrations feature workers of different races, ethnicity, and ages. The guessing-game format will keep children engaged; this is a good choice for classroom use and one-on-one readings.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) PS Illustrated by Nate Wragg. Relying on rather clunky rhymes, this update of the classic countdown story begins with ten little ninjas sneaking out of bed. The progression varies each time, with nine astronauts zooming, five sharks swimming, and eventually one "cuddlebug...dozed off on Daddy's head." Imaginative, brightly colored digital illustrations capture the children's nighttime energy, as Dad calls on costumed Mom (the sensei/pilot/lifeguard) to settle them for bed.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) PS Illustrated by Shane McG. Eureka! A book about trains, robots, and superheroes. After Trainbots build a train ("Engine, tender, boxcars, wheels, / hitches made with iron and steel"), they jump aboard, not expecting to encounter sabotaging Badbots ("Engine stopping, hitches popping. / Now the train is flippy-flopping!"). Cushioning the Badbot-proof rhymes are dynamic illustrations suggesting an airbrushed The Little Engine That Could.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) PS Illustrated by Jason Chin. An evocative rhyming text and verdant watercolors introduce the water cycle, linking water's forms to seasonal changes and an interracial family's kid-friendly activities. The narrative moves from what water is (rain, fog, cloud, snow) to what it makes (mud, which feeds trees, which grow apples, which make cider). Additional information about the water cycle and a call for water conservation are appended. Reading list. Bib.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. In 1980s the Gambia, ever-growing piles of discarded plastic bags were attracting disease-bearing insects and killing domestic animals. Paul has written a clear and sensitive account of Isatou Ceesay and her fellow activists' ingenious solution to the problem. Zunon's collages, with vivid colors, elegant patterns, and varied textures--especially those from plastic bags--provide a beautiful entry into the story. Reading list, timeline. Glos.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2015