(3) K-3 This picture book amusingly frames a simple errand (delivering a package) as an “expedition,” with dramatic voiceover-esque narration (“This is their story”) providing humor through its completely serious delivery. The cartoonish illustrations make varied use of the spreads as the expedition encounters obstacles (a hurt toe; an “ambush” by an adult, or “senior officer”). Sure to provide great fun as a deadpan read-aloud.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) PS Young Fred parades around the house in pure joy wearing nothing but his birthday suit. He jumps off furniture, cartwheels down the hall, and finds himself in front of his parents' closet door. Maybe he will get dressed today after all. Fred considers the way his father dresses and extracts a shirt, tie, and dress shoes from the closet, only to find these items are far too large and complicated. Next he turns to Mom's wardrobe. A sharp pink dress, green sash cleverly assembled into a belt, and heels are just what Fred was looking for. Fred carefully maneuvers his way (in Mom's too-large shoes) over to the vanity so he can complete his look. Just as Fred attempts to apply lipstick (to his cheek), Mom and Dad walk in, catching Fred in his game of dress-up. At this point in the story, some readers might expect parental disapproval of Fred's self-expression, but no such reaction occurs. Instead, the whole family finds their own funky, fabulous outfits, and the fun continues. The witty, straightforward text enhances the tale's warmth and humor. Brown's digital illustrations take on a 1970s neon glow, best seen in Fred's rosy cheeks and Mom's bright red hair. And Fred's bare bottom will have readers giggling from the first page to the last.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(1) K-3 At the end of 1938, when the Germans invaded the border region of Czechoslovakia, a young Englishman named Nicky arranged for the transport of 669 children from there to England, where they were settled with families to live out the war. In this remarkable book, Sís weaves Nicky's story with that of Vera, a Czech child who was one of those Nicky saved. The story does not end with the transport but includes the post-war years as Vera returns to Czechoslovakia in search of her parents and cousins (none survived) and returns to England for good; and as Nicky's quiet, productive life unfolds. Sís tells this multi-stranded tale in prose that is as understated as Nicholas Winton (as Nicky is eventually identified in the back matter) was himself and in illustrations that capture the complexity and heartbreaking emotion of the tale. For example, Vera kept a diary during the war, and Sís illustrates the years during which Vera lived with her foster family against a grid of diary pages; small squares include drawings such as a child with a violin, fish and chips, and a radio, all representing her years growing up in England. On subsequent pages, text overlays more journal pages, these covered with minuscule handwriting as time passes and Vera searches for family. In a final spread, when an elderly Nicholas Winton is publicly recognized for his quiet heroism and introduced to the adults he saved as children, each adult faces a seated Winton, and, inside each outline, Sís has drawn the child they were when they left Czechoslovakia. This is an exceptional story told with a powerful combination of words and pictures to engage both those who know some history of the Holocaust and those new to the topic. An appended note tells more about Nicholas Winton and Vera Diamantova.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Bob Staake. Tony, a sturdy eighteen-wheeler with a pronounced underbite, sets out to deliver his truckload of goods: "The road ahead was awful. / Tony bumped and bounced. / 'I f-feel I'll lose another w-wheel!' / The troubled truck announced." On his treacherous route Tony faces nearly every obstacle imaginable--and then some (honestly, who could predict a rocket ship in the middle of the road?). At every turn, a new fiasco dislodges another wheel from its axle until he risks losing them all. Can he make it to the end with only one, or even none? Carefully planned page-turns and perfectly executed rhymes steer readers into heightened anticipation until Tony arrives at his (surprising) destination. Staake's sharp and bold illustrations highlight Tony's wild ride in primary and secondary colors that explode with every crash, bang, and boom the truck faces on the road. A thrill for truck lovers and young mathematicians alike, this raucous read-aloud will rev up listeners, who will surely be counting on their fingers Tony's rapidly disappearing wheels--and will cheer with delight at the concluding twist.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) K-3 Two figures, one fully human, the other a more fanciful humanoid figure with horns (or is it a crescent moon bisecting its head?), fold a paper boat and launch it from their ship. The boat travels from the middle of the Pacific Ocean down along the coasts of North and South America, north past Africa until it makes land in Europe (so indicated on the endpapers). Although elements of the journey seem familiar, and the world map sets the story in the known world, this is an entirely wondrous--and wordless--trip. The paper boat passes sea turtles that spout like whales, fish with human hands, and harlequin seahorses. Like Escher's paintings, Van Allsburg's images in Ben's Dream, or Shaun Tan's otherworlds, Van den Ende's intricate pen-and-ink creations are both familiar and fantastical. The surreal, precise illustrations are full of unexpected humor (such as a whale balancing a pipe in its blowhole) as well as tension. First published in the Netherlands, Van den Ende's sophisticated picture book leaves viewers with a sense of the literal and figurative ebb and flow of life. The little paper boat meets adversity in the form of dangerous waves and ominous creatures, but gets help from equally unexpected sources. It is fragile--readers know, logically, that a paper boat cannot survive life in the ocean--but indeed it does.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) 4-6 Translated by Tiina Nunnally. Asbjørnsen and Moe first published their Norske folkeeventyr("Norwegian folktales") as a pamphlet in 1841; through the decades, they added tales and revised editions until in 1866 they reached the full contingent of sixty stories. Here, for the first time, all sixty have been translated into English (previous collections have contained about half that). With an enthusiastic foreword by Neil Gaiman and a thorough and informative translator's note by Nunnally, the collection includes tales "about magic spells, mountain-sized trolls, resourceful princesses, and the intrepid young boy named Ash Lad." The retellings are lively and clearly work to retain the flavor of the originals. The stories range from pourquoi tales to rousing adventures to domestic dramas to a few that, as Nunnally puts it, are "just plain odd." A valuable collection for scholars and readers alike.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(3) YA Ethan's love of movies keeps alive the memory of his late film-professor father. He stokes his cinephilia by working at his local art house cinema, but when budget woes threaten to close the theater, Ethan and his quirky colleagues hatch a plan to keep it afloat. An appealingly awkward romance, a rich and varied set of secondary characters, and plenty of film references make for a winning tale.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) 4-6 In 1893, Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian Renaissance man and Nobel Peace Prize winner, tried (unsuccessfully) to become the first person to reach the North Pole. The harrowing Arctic journey--documented here through black-and-white photographs, line drawings, and journal entries--became legendary. Lourie provides an intriguing portrait of the man and a worthwhile and absorbing account of his journey. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) PS Illustrated by Mircea Catusanu. In Pearson's second mock how-to (How to Eat an Airplane), the omniscient narration plays it amusingly straight (e.g., "Everyone knows that dump trucks make the best pets"). Also supplying the yuks (and sometimes yucks) is collage-like digital art. See, for example, when the boy who gamely models truck ownership throughout the book must confront his pet's, er, deposits.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Jellyfish Edgar complains about being constantly misidentified as a fish to some support-group-like starfish, who aren't fish either. Beneath his gripes ("Everyone always says, 'Edgar, you're overthinking things.' / But jellyfish don't even have brains!") is a solid point about how we shouldn't let labels define us. What the loud, cartoonish illustrations lack in decorum they compensate for with humor.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Roz (The Wild Robot) has a new life as a farm robot, but nice as everyone is there, she longs to return to her island and her goose-son, Brightbill. With obstacles predictably paced and easily overcome, this sequel lacks tension, but gentle Roz’s fans will be happy to see that she gets home. Spot and full-page grayscale illustrations once again add to the story's atmosphere.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Neil Packer. In prose at once conversational and elegant, Frankopan tells the history of humanity through that of the silk roads, focusing on the religious, cultural, intellectual, and confrontational history of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Spanning from ancient times to the present, this ambitious volume (based on Frankopan's adult book) will satisfy history buffs and casual readers alike. Packer's gorgeous art ranges in style from classical to modern as the narrative progresses.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. A boy named Finn and his dog wake to find that goblins have taken over. Boy and dog chase the sprites across twelve double-page spreads (through a garden, beneath the earth, etc.) that harbor mazes and items to find ("Finn searches for a lamp to light the way"). This seductive large-scale offering's art suggests M.C. Escher on a color bender.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vin Vogel. The title characters from Bob and Joss Get Lost! find themselves lost (again) while camping in the wilderness. High-strung Bob fears they'll never find camp, while easygoing Joss optimistically continues forward. The boys explore varied elevations (with heights noted on each spread) before returning to their campfire. There's plenty of humor to enjoy in the detailed digital illustrations, including the boys' exaggerated facial expressions.

Reviewer: Lex Higbee

(4) YA Adapted by Eric S. Singer. This deep dive into the politics of the Cold War describes a series of deplorable U.S. policies usually left out of history books. Illustrated with (often poorly reproduced) black-and-white historical photos, discussion includes the bomb, Hiroshima maidens, the Iran coup, and the Bay of Pigs. Despite some unsupported conspiracy-minded assertions about the CIA, the well-organized text will help readers understand conflicts still simmering today. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) YA The summer after high school, Cameron Carter moves from small-town California to DC to work as an intern for up-and-coming Congressman Billy Beck. Cameron bonds with a fellow staffer, who hints at secret corruption. When she turns up dead, Cameron finds himself in the middle of a dangerous conspiracy. Despite an occasionally slow-moving plot, this tale of political intrigue will appeal to thriller fans.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Roberts. In this Prince and the Pauper reimagining, a pig's accidental discovery that he can masquerade as the human prince provides the perfect opportunity to indulge his sweet tooth via the royal kitchen. The discovery of Pignatius's trick infuriates the palace staff, but the prince is delighted to have a double. Bently's rollicking rhymes match Roberts's lively illustrations filled with culinary delights and witty details.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Rebels of the Lamp series. At the end of Rebels of the Lamp, Parker and his friends unleashed a new threat: the powerful sorcerer Vesiroth, who's now trying to take over the world. They must prevent Vesiroth from using an ancient helmet to complete his goal. Surprising twists keep the action moving forward. Unfortunately, the protagonists haven't developed much since the first book and Vesiroth's characterization is quite flat.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 In another world, people send their dead into a gaping hole in the ocean called the Drain. Twelve-year-old Alec and his orphaned thief friend Wren live on Edgeland, an island beside the Drain where funerals are the main industry. When a funeral-robbing scheme gone wrong sends Alec and Wren into the Drain, the pair--and readers--journey rather aimlessly through the dystopian fantasyland's purgatory.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) YA Little McCardell is treading water in his poverty-stricken rural Idaho hometown; his grandfather is missing, his older brother jailed for domestic abuse, and Little's schoolwork is understandably suffering. Told in short, vignette-like chapters with unadorned poetic language, Little's story is bleak and heartwrenching but quite moving, with an eerie tension slowly building to a surprising conclusion.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald