(2) K-3 Illustrated by Bryony Clarkson. A simple rhyming verse remarks on a pattern among some snowflakes: "Two flakes play / Four flakes sashay / Eight flakes twirl / Sixteen flakes swirl." Sidebars on each spread explain the pattern, e.g.: "2[exponent]4 = 2 to the fourth power / 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 = 16." Painted paper collages of a fenced-in wintry backyard featuring birch trees, a swing set, and various birds and animals are overlaid with the exact number of snowflakes mentioned in the text--which quickly rises to a dizzying multitude (the text stops at 2[exponent]14 = 16,384). The beautifully textured illustrations create visual interest, while the snowflakes, a combination of smudge-style dots and the delicately articulated, folded papercut versions familiar from grade-school arts and crafts, offer a counting opportunity for budding numerophiles. The story progression works on more than one level: not only does the math demonstrate the power of exponential growth (a postscript explains "What Is an Exponent?" and gives the example of a one-celled fertilized egg that divides repeatedly until it turns into a baby and then an adult with trillions of cells), but the increasing number of flakes also mimics the feeling of a storm that begins slowly and soon becomes a dazzling onslaught of snow. The book ends on a more human scale: "One snow day. Two friends play. 2[exponent]1 = 2 to the first power / 2 = 2."

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Simone Shin. No one understands Niko's abstract drawings, even though he tries very hard to capture feelings: the excitement of the ice cream truck, the determination of a bird building a nest, the sadness of being misunderstood. But when Iris moves in next door, she immediately feels what Niko is trying to express. A lovely tribute to creativity and the artistic spirit with (of course) emotive illustrations.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(1) 4-6 Graphic design meets riddle meets visual wordplay in Raczka's collection of sturdy and joyful perspectives on the ordinary stuff of the world. Each offering consists of a one-word title and a more extended poem. The poems themselves variously involve reading aloud, turning the page upside-down, and in one case, reading in a mirror. An entertaining chance to dig deep into words and their meanings.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Dan E. Burr. The more comical aspects of our forty-four presidents are highlighted in simple four-line clerihews offering the barest biographical points while making fun of some of the men's human flaws. Characteristics such as Washington's false teeth, Clinton's fast-food cravings, or George W. Bush's numerous vacation days are individually observed with editorial-style caricatures. An appendix expands on the historical anecdotes. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Glin Dibley. When the Mudville Nine drop to second place, a (gasp) female pitcher is called in. Readers will correctly predict that Joy will triumph on the mound, but the innings hold many pleasures, including rat-a-tat-tat rhymes (well, a few are missing their second "tat") and Joy's innovative methods: she employs techniques from other sports that Dibley captures in his caricaturish illustrations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. Readers are offered a day-by-day "glimpse of life at the North Pole" in twenty-five festive haiku "penned" by Santa himself. The poems are rich with tender emotions and crisp imagery, all reflected affectionately and vividly in Groenink's art. A warm seasonal collection notable for its clever, gently comical visual details (note St. Nick's adult beverage as he relaxes on December 26th).

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Nancy Doniger. In this volume, poet meets Scrabble nerd. Raczka makes poems from a single word by rearranging various letters from that word, anagram-style. Some are imagistic: moonlight is "hot / night / thin / light / moth / in / motion." Some are mini-narratives: friend is "fred / finds / ed." The concrete poem format makes you want to try some yourself.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2011

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Chad Cameron. Rhyming, uneven verse enumerates some of the characteristics and pleasures of fall, except that things are a bit topsy-turvy: "Bears gather nuts / Geese hibernate. / Squirrels fly south in / big figure eights." Illustrations rendered in warm colors capture the silliness of the brief text. Kids will have fun following the final instructions to "Go back and find all the / things that aren't right."

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Focusing on nature and seasons, each of Raczka's twenty-four haiku captures with amazing economy specific moments of a boy's life. Reynolds depicts the characters' glee and energy as well as natural elements in just a few deft lines. The pages are clean white, the book's shape is small and square, and each poem is accompanied by a delicate and funny two-color illustration.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2010

(3) 4-6 Raczka compiles some fascinating early works of seven artists: Durer, Michelangelo, Gentileschi, Sargent, Klee, Picasso, and Dalí. The text describes how each artist began painting as a youngster and went on to shape a career. These biographical sketches, along with reproductions of the astonishing works themselves, may inspire budding artists to explore their own talents at an early age.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) PS Illustrated by Judy Stead. In a few carefully crafted rhyming phrases, Raczka celebrates the pleasures of summer ("Divers, / swimmers, / flat-rock skimmers"; "joggers, / walkers, / sidewalk chalkers"). Summery illustrations, suitably carefree, enhance this spare paean to hot-weather leisure, which features such activities as reading, skygazing, barbecuing, and rope-jumping. A recipe for mini ice-pops is included.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) 4-6 Raczka "interviews" the subjects of seven Vermeer paintings, from The Milkmaid to The Geographer. The subjects provide both historical context and artistic interpretation in the interviews, which are casual and only rarely seem forced or artificial. The page design is inviting. More than an introduction to Vermeer's work, the book offers a blueprint for how to "read" and discuss art in general. Bib.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) K-3 This book presents eighteen paintings illustrating the volume's theme of action in art. Works include Lichtenstein's Blam, Rivera's The Conquest of Mexico, and Bruegel's Children's Games. Each piece is described through short captions that together form a rhymed text: "Ringmasters / Cannon Blasters...Big Top Swingers / Stone Slingers." Notes about the paintings are appended.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) PS Illustrated by Judy Stead. Words ending in –y, from "Frosty, freezy, stuffy and sneezy" to "Rosy, cozy, everyone's dozy," represent winter's spectrum. Vibrantly colored, dynamic illustrations, some contained within cloud-shaped frames, of children sledding, skating, and making snow angels, plus families sipping cocoa and reading by the fire, capture the warmth of a chilly season. A recipe for "Snowy, Blowy Ice Cream" is included.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Raczka mines the works of eighteen artists for notions of America's identity. The text uses contrasts in language ("America is natural wonders / America is man-made marvels") and art styles (paintings, photographs, sculptures) to effectively convey a theme that America is heterogeneous in history, thinking, and style. Thumbnails and information about the works are appended.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) 4-6 This informational text provides a good introduction to fourteen art styles and movements. Each spread offers a succinct description about an art form and its characteristics, including when and why the style was popular as well as the names of representative artists. A piece of art exemplifying each movement is reproduced to help readers grasp the concepts.

Reviewer: Marika Jeffrey

(4) K-3 Collected fine art paintings show people reading in various places during different time periods. Twenty-three artists--such as Van Gogh, Vermeer, Matisse, and Picasso--representing diverse styles are included. A trite rhyming text links the works; more interesting are the appended brief anecdotal notes set next to thumbnails of the paintings, which underscore the theme of "Artists as Readers and Writers."

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) PS Illustrated by Judy Stead. In this companion to Spring Things, spare rhyming text answers the title question, and the book ends with another question: "Don't you love the fall?" The answers are clever ("Rakers, leapers, corn-crop reapers. / Growers, pickers, taffy lickers"), and appended "fall facts" provide more specific information. Warmly colored illustrations and a varied design complement and extend the read-aloud-ready text.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) PS Illustrated by Judy Stead. Vibrantly colored drawings illustrate the many spring activities that end in -ing (thunderstorming, hatching, mowing, etc.). Double-page spreads splashed with primary and secondary colors provide a brilliant backdrop for the simple rhyming text that showcases how nature, people, and animals prepare for and subsequently enjoy the splendors of spring. A fill-in-the-blanks seasons quiz is included.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo

(3) 4-6 Each painting is paired with an informative narrative about the artist, his style, and the location depicted. The pieces represent some geographic and cultural diversity, but most of the works are by Western painters. The artwork is ordered according to a zigzagging world route, which is drawn on a map that ends the book.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth