(2) K-3 Illustrated by Martina Peluso. Rena "Rusty" Glickman Kanokogi (1935–2009) grew up in a cramped and noisy Coney Island apartment where "not even Shabbat brought quiet." Brash and strong, she was considered "unladylike" and a judo class was the first place she felt she fit in. As her skills developed, however, she faced barriers as a woman: e.g., she won a YMCA championship while disguised as a man but had her medal rescinded when an official saw through the ruse. The straightforward text focuses on her obsession with the sport (she practiced on subway platforms and took down "unsuspecting trash cans") and on her persistence and advocacy, including being the first woman to study at Japan's Kodokan and helping to establish women's judo as an Olympic event. Illustration layouts vary, with many of the more dynamic ones being vignettes of Glickman practicing judo moves. An author's note gives a bit more background, especially about Glickman's later life. A welcome addition to the growing canon of picture-book biographies amplifying lesser-known women, with added sports appeal.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Louise Kay Stewart. "Little by little, a sea of change began to make waves around the world." From New Zealand (1893) to Saudi Arabia (2015), twenty-one concise chronological entries recount pivotal people and events that won women the right to vote. Against airbrushed-looking backdrops, bold, edgy illustrations emphasize the determination that fueled these fights. A brief but inspiring introduction to female political empowerment on a global level. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dennis Nolan. When an aunt gives her niece, the narrator, a tiny white horse, the girl and the horse she names Pegasus form a bond. But even as Pegasus grows, develops wings, and takes the girl on nighttime flights, she knows that "you cannot own magic." Hazy, richly colored paintings add a dreamlike quality to an otherwise ponderous tale of loving and letting go.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jan Brett. Three mouse siblings slip quietly out of the house early Mother's Day morning to find presents in the woods. After nearly being caught by a fox and an owl, they give Mother a dandelion and strawberry--and Little Mouse sings a song. Brett's illustrations, rendered in glowing, brilliant colors, are the perfect complement to the cozy, sentimental story. An affectionate tribute to the holiday.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 1986

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin M. Barry. Ghost cat Sailor Boy secretly lives in a remote lighthouse with its elderly (female) keeper. The cat enjoys teasing tourists with "ghostly purrs or a little scratch at an ankle," but when Miss Maggie takes a fall during a storm, Sailor Boy finds a way to save ships from crashing. The story is somewhat bland, but Barry's gently macabre line and watercolor illustrations add atmosphere.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin Zimmer. On Valentine's Day, Mr. Goat determines to "show my first love how much she means to me"--with "ragweed salad," a "tasty" can, and "delicious rotten eggs." Saturated colors and wide-eyed, anthropomorphized characters evoke a Pixar sensibility; gross goaty details up the child appeal. That grown-up Mr. Goat's valentine is his mother is a sweet twist, befitting this confection of a tale.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jan Brett. Determined to celebrate Valentine's Day, Mrs. Bear sets "her alarm for February 14" and gets busy making valentines, retrieving treats, and trying to rouse hibernating Mr. Bear. The gentle story's surprise ending emphasizes the affection between the couple. Set against snow-white pages (sans what would become her trademark), Brett's detailed line drawings are enhanced with bursts of red and honey-brown.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) YA Moving to a new town lets River escape her rough past. When Summer, youngest of the three charismatic Grace siblings, befriends her, River is tantalized by the beautiful, close-knit family--and the rumors of witchcraft that surround them. After an unexpected twist, River's vision of magic and her new friends is transformed. Eve capably maintains a suspenseful balance between realism and the supernatural.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Galdone. These amiable books for independent readers star Basil, the "Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World." The master detective is introduced in Baker Street, where he solves a kidnapping mystery. In Cave of Cats, Basil travels to "the Orient" to help the Maharajah of Bengistan and solve an archeological mystery. Galdone's black-and-white illustrations add humor to the parodies. Review covers these titles: The Great Mouse Detective: Basil and the Cave of Cats and The Great Mouse Detective: Basil of Baker Street.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: April, 1972

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Galdone. These amiable books for independent readers star Basil, the "Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World." The master detective is introduced in Baker Street, where he solves a kidnapping mystery. In Cave of Cats, Basil travels to "the Orient" to help the Maharajah of Bengistan and solve an archeological mystery. Galdone's black-and-white illustrations add humor to the parodies. Review covers these titles: The Great Mouse Detective: Basil and the Cave of Cats and The Great Mouse Detective: Basil of Baker Street.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: August, 1958

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Paul Galdone. On a trip to Mexico, mouse detective Basil solves the cases of the Counterfeit Cheese, the missing Mousa Lisa, and the kidnapping of Dr. Dawson, as well as outwitting his arch-nemesis, Ratigan. Galdone's classic grayscale illustrations featuring plump mice are unfortunately often out of step with the old-fashioned narrative. Mexican characters are as developed as the Brits, though there are few cultural markers.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) PS Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. When Mouse finds a shoe, he goes on a quest to find its owner. On his search, he meets several different animals until he finally discovers the (kind and generous) owner. Told in playful rhyming verse supported by Ruzzier's whimsical pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, readers will delight in this cheery story with a good message about the value of honesty.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Castillo. In this heartfelt story, Callie and her parents must move from their house into an apartment. Callie is bereft at their yard sale but ends up embracing the idea that the important things in life aren't things and that as long as they have one another, they'll be okay. Castillo's ink and watercolor illustrations employ soft line, warm colors, and close-ups of tender moments.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(3) YA After her parents die of influenza, sixteen-year-old Josie is at the mercy of her austere and secretive aunt and uncle. Trapped in the lonely, windswept house on Brindle Point, Josie welcomes the warmth of Eli, a mysterious but kind young man. The gloomy Scottish atmosphere is littered with clues about Aunt Minnie and Uncle Caleb's wrongdoing, as well as Eli's true nature.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 I Am a Reader! series. Illustrated by Josée Masse. In three festive stories, readers will enjoy celebrating with Frog and his friends as they welcome a new friend to their Thanksgiving table, decorate a communal Christmas tree together, and party in their own special way on New Year's Eve. The accessible text is a good fit for newly independent readers. Colorful, well-placed illustrations capture the joy and happiness of the holidays.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) YA Game series. In this conclusion to the trilogy, Miki and Jackson continue trying to save the world by fighting the Drau in the Committee's live-action game simulation. An encounter with someone from Jackson's past forces the teens to question why they play (and kill). This action-packed sci-fi/romance's use of a female gamer as its protagonist is refreshing.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) 4-6 This seventeenth-century seafaring adventure unites Petra and Bram, a wealthy merchant's daughter and a mixed-race carpenter's son, and thrusts them into a mutinous crew of sailors. Through alternating points of view, Yohalem unfurls a thrilling and meticulously researched adventure. Her facts never outweigh her fiction, and both Petra and Bram are kids with compelling, and sometimes heartbreaking, family stories.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Brad Sneed. Lizzie's mother is about to have a baby, so Lizzie must help her grandma with the wash; the feeling of a job well done and a surprise visitor make the day-long, arduous production worth it. Though they stumble with figures and faces, the pencil and watercolor illustrations aptly evoke the 1889 setting. Plenty of old-fashioned, pioneer-life details are woven into the text.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(3) K-3 I Am a Reader! series. Illustrated by Josée Masse. This latest early reader featuring Frog and his pond companions contains two vignettes. In the first, the friends are fascinated by a rainbow and determined to find the gold that little Jumping Mouse says is at the end. Next, a fisherman invades the pond; will Frog have to leave his home? Bright illustrations help the reader make predictions and inferences about the accessible stories.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by John Manders. As with the other books in this series, rhyming couplets introduce a topic and lengthy sidebars provide more detailed information. The constraints of the format mean some topics are more relevant than others. For P readers learn the difference between a privateer and a buccaneer; "M is for Movie Pirates" seems like a stretch. Swarthy, caricatured illustrations accompany the lively text.

Reviewer: Kari Allen