(4) K-3 Illustrated by Cally Johnson-Isaacs. "The mean, miserable Jones family" ignores and mistreats their eager-to-please dog, so he strikes out on his own, working odd jobs, helping people, even competing on a TV talent show. Soon everyone--including the Joneses--realizes "That dog was AMAZING!" The dog's series of increasingly fantastic feats (firefighting! helicopter-piloting!) and the friendly mixed-media illustrations help to soften the clunky, message-heavy text.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) PS Illustrated by Cally Johnson-Isaacs. Bossy and spoiled, Ellie insists on getting everything she wants--even an elephant. The elephant gives Ellie a taste of her own medicine: refusing to share, hogging Ellie's bed, and throwing an "elephantantrum" when he doesn't get his way. Finally, Ellie wises up and flies right. Colorful mixed-media illustrations liven up the didactic tale.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) YA Depressed, withdrawn Helen is the focus here after several entries (Immortal; Betrayal; Eternal) starring her "sisters" in elemental magic. Helen's secret visits to her imprisoned antagonist mother endanger the academy, but powerful magic and self-sacrifice save the day. Given the friends' closeness in previous books, Helen’s general furtiveness seems unsupported and unlikely--as does the sudden revelation of her angelic destiny.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) PS Illustrated by Anna Currey. A rabbit family fixes up the nursery as it eagerly waits for a new baby. At last the baby arrives to the delight of all, including relatives who come for a welcome party. Told in the second person, this story in rhyme is sentimental but comforting. Watercolor illustrations use dynamic lines and warm colors to create a cheerful atmosphere.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Francesca Chessa. Lily loves to read and she finds the library to be an adventure. She meets Milly, a girl who hates to read and who loves to go exploring. Initially aghast, Lily realizes Milly's outdoor exploits are adventures too. Large-scale double-page spreads, warm, rich-hued, and vibrant, make this a good read-aloud for an audience of both book-lovers and the reading-averse.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) YA Sarah (sidekick in Immortal and Betrayal) here takes center stage. Sarah, Evie, and Helen must rely on their friendship--and their powers of elemental magic--to fight a coven obsessed with immortality. Sarah's Gypsy heritage (embodied in ancestress Maria) helps guide her. A new protagonist with a fresh perspective, plus dangers specific to Sarah's earth magic, somewhat enliven this formulaic entry.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) YA After discovering in Immortal that she and her friends have mystical powers, Evie now races to find magic that will redeem Sebastian. Meanwhile, the coven infiltrating her school's administration plots to kill Evie and force Sebastian to grant its members immortality. Evie's obsession with Sebastian is exasperating, but a welcome shift in plotting and tone allows her to create a satisfying happy ending.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) PS Illustrated by Anna Currey. Three young bunnies and their parents close the day and get ready for night. They prepare a warm supper, tidy the house, bathe, read bedtime stories, share kisses, and end with the promise of tomorrow. The story conveys a comforting sense of family and home through gentle, lilting verse and delicate, Beatrix Potter–like illustrations.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Harbour. Spoiled poodle Esme slips away from her owner, Mrs. B. Goldstein, in a city park. Esme is delighted with her freedom--until darkness falls. Luckily, streetwise mutt Samuel intervenes, and the two fall in love. Still, they must overcome Mrs. B.'s objections. Soft illustrations on creamy paper accompany the jaunty rhyme. It's a sweet story but geared more toward adults than kids.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) YA The only thing making Wyldcliffe Abbey School bearable for Evie is gorgeous, mysterious Sebastian. Even as she uncovers suspicious links between him and the school's sinister happenings--including a deceased student and an apparition identical to Evie--she refuses to believe that her beloved could be evil himself. The boarding-school intrigues are enjoyably creepy, but Evie's blind adoration grows tiresome.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Blythe. A girl plays with her new, pristine white teddy bear with a music box inside, turning him into a bedraggled thing. The bear is miffed (especially when she removes his music box), but after being left behind, he realizes love and inner beauty are what are important. Lifelike oil paintings with an old-fashioned sensibility reflect the bear's changing emotions.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Taylor. Everyone else has a dog, a young boy laments, while all he has is a goldfish. After pleading several times with his mother to get a dog of his own, he takes her advice to "want what you have" and sees in his goldfish the pet he always wanted. The digital illustrations have a friendly, nostalgic feel that echoes the message.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) YA When not-exactly-popular Jennifer is voted onto a reality show set at her British high school, she puts aside her surprise to focus on the prize: a full scholarship to the elite St. Willibald's. As events unfold, Jennifer discovers she may not want to win after all. Though clearly derivative of Louise Rennison's Georgia Nicolson series, this is a well-told, unpredictable romp.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor