(1) K-3 Life is good for our young narrator. He loves to fish, crab, swim, and just watch the river passing by, and claims a little-used and neglected neighborhood dock as his own. One summer day, a hurricane hits his small community (in what looks like the Southeast wetlands). Rocco's dramatic, naturalistic digitally colored watercolor illustrations, a mix of panels, single pages, and spreads, show the impending storm approaching and the community's preparations of boarding up houses and taping windows. When the storm hits, the wind uproots trees, rain slices through the night sky, and floods wash cars away. The next morning dawns bright and still, and the boy rushes to his dock--which, like so much in his community, has been destroyed. After a day of helping rebuild around the neighborhood, the boy tackles the dock on his own. It's too big a job, however, and he is unsuccessful until all his neighbors show up to help, and together they create not his dock but, in the narrator's words, our dock, which becomes a shared gathering place. Front endpapers present a diagram of a hurricane's formation, while the closing endpapers show a diagram of a dock's construction. As in the author's Blizzard (rev. 11/14), it is the human response to an extreme weather event that informs this strikingly illustrated, straightforwardly told book's theme.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(1) 4-6 In seven parts arranged chronologically, Rocco delivers a strikingly beautiful and highly informative account of the United States's audacious effort to send human beings to the moon. Tackling both historical and scientific concepts, the book examines everything from the space race to the mechanics of an F-1 rocket engine, with equal clarity. A plethora of full-color pencil, watercolor, and digital illustrations supports the conversational (and mostly present-tense) text. Frequent side panels feature biographical information about historical figures (often emphasizing the contributions of women, people of color, and production workers) as well as instructions for straightforward experiments for readers to try. Through skillful scaffolding, scientific concepts build in complexity throughout the book (e.g., Newton's Laws of Motion lead to Draper's Inertial Guidance System). Many formidable engineering challenges are presented through a clearly defined problem/solution format. From delicate portraits to intricate schematics to fiery liftoffs, Rocco creates a strong visual continuity throughout. The final chapter is a thrilling minute-by-minute account of the Apollo 11 mission, greatly enhanced by the previous information. A thoughtful epilogue praises the collaborative spirit of the Apollo missions and challenges readers with the following: "What new grand idea will bring together hundreds of thousands of individuals to achieve a common goal?" Extensive back matter includes a fact sheet on piloted Apollo missions, research/art notes, sources, further reading, commonly used acronyms, a map of Apollo lunar landings, and an index.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) K-3 This warm-hearted story of New England's 1978 blizzard is based on Rocco's childhood experience. After an unplowed week, the family's food supply is low and our hero springs into action. Inspired by his Arctic Survival book, young John fashions snowshoes out of tennis rackets and plans his circuitous route to the store. Little details in the digitally colored illustrations amusingly extend the story.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) YA When his fisherman father went missing, Jake and his mother lost their house, and now the family diner is in danger of being repossessed. A mysterious character named Captain and seasoned fisherman Gene Hassard help Jake earn money by learning the ways of the bay. With a lushly detailed sense of place and character, the story examines a boy coming to terms with his situation.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(4) K-3 "Every superhero gets his powers from somewhere," explains the young narrator, who, like his friends, is "dragged away to the villain's lair": the barbershop ("the big brute stole my powers"). They regain their confidence only when a girl (disappointingly, the "heroes" are all male) needs their help. The rowdy art features dialogue balloons and physical comedy befitting the droll story's comic-book allusions.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 One summer night, when there's a blackout in the city, a family abandons its electrical gadgets and spends time together, venturing outside to join a spontaneous neighborhood party. After the electricity comes back on, everyone decides to ignore it and play a board game instead. The comic strip format enhances the spare text, while the illustrations are dramatically illuminated by candles and flashlights.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Fu goes to the Master to learn how to fight, but the Master will only teach him to pour tea. Gold- and red-hued triptychs and full-spread illustrations chronicle Fu's spiritual journey. Some readers may get bored with the metaphor and lack of action, but others will enjoy Fu's triumph over his warrior enemy through the use of "purpose, flow, and patience."

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 With a subtle subtext of a boy missing his WWII soldier father, this imaginative story will engage readers despite the overly long text. Eli Treebuckle--fixer, inventor, and nightmare sufferer--heads to the Moonpowder factory at Mr. Moon's request to rescue sweet dreams for the world and for himself. The lushly rendered warm-toned illustrations brim with fantastical details.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 In this retelling, a hungry old wolf is drawn to a boy "crying wolf." The wolf convinces the boy to give him a goat but ends up sparing the goat's life (and, presumably, becomes a vegetarian) when the goat eats the weeds in his garden. The generically Asian-themed illustrations add some atmosphere to this inventive (though abstruse) version.

Reviewer: Mark Adam