(2) K-3 Illustrated by Christine Davenier. Rhyming text in an upbeat, ­singsong-y rhythm winds through soft spot art, cheering on new readers and writers in this two-books-in-one picture book. The effective format celebrates becoming a reader on one side and becoming a writer on the flip side. The two stories meet in the middle with a circle of repeating text--"and readers are writers and writers are readers"--to underline the eternal connectedness of the two. Each side of the book mirrors the other in structure, providing strategies, acknowledging ­challenges, and championing the many ways of being a reader or writer. "Storybooks aren't quite your speed? / So many other things to read! / Labels, / programs, / comic books. / A recipe that you can cook." The gently illustrated vignettes give deeper context to the words and depict many different children in a wide variety of situations, ranging from funny to heartwarming. Each child appears twice in the book, once on each side, creating even more stories to imagine within the main story itself.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Christine Davenier. On a wintry day, a child bursts out of bed anticipating a special person's arrival: "Today's the day! She's on her way." As the snow begins to accumulate, a rhyming text sets the pace for an adventure. On left-hand pages, text in italics mimics the natural world ("Whirl of snow"); text on the right-hand pages respond with the human side of the story ("Off we go"). The child and an adult head off in what appears to be their own snowplow. A double-page-spread reveal of this giant vehicle interrupts the established back-and-forth rhythm with the child's singular joy: "I finally get to help!" The ­composition of the art and the increasing textual energy create urgency and tension as the snowplow battles the elements from page to page. "Frosty crystals chase and spin. / Snowplow shifts and tunnels in." Bright reds, greens, yellows, and blues from the snowplow, lights, and clothing create sharp contrasts with the white, snowy scenes. At last the pair reaches its destination--the train station--with a giant hug for the woman disembarking from the train. The book closes with a scene of the three people back at home, cozying up together on the couch. The text avoids labeling who the characters are to one another, leaving room for many families to find themselves in the story.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Steven Salerno. A pirate family takes its dinghy out while the morning gruel cools. Meanwhile, a curious golden-haired sailor inspects the pirate ship, improving it as she goes. Prince's lively swashbuckling take on the classic tale includes an alternate ending and an appended glossary for the plentiful pirate lingo. In Salerno's sketchlike illustrations, characters' expressive faces convey every arrgh! and aye!

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Joan Paley. "Meet our flag, Old Glory. / She's red and blue and white. / Her stripes are like a peppermint's; / Her stars are big and bright." So begins this slim, elementary look at the American flag. The rhyming text goes on to mention places where children might notice the pride-inspiring flag. Paley's large, bold cut-paper collages are just right for sharing with a group.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth