(3) PS Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman. In Pet, a kid narrator instructs readers on how to care for each pet, which elicits approving sounds from the animals. In Play, a different kid narrator introduces musical instruments needed for a band and likewise spurs noisemaking ("A saxophone goes DOO-BEE-DOO. / I can DOO it--you can, too!"). In both boisterously illustrated stories in rhyme, young helpers with Peanuts-gang proportions demonstrate how to make a joyful sound. Review covers these titles: Pet This Book and Play This Book.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman. In Pet, a kid narrator instructs readers on how to care for each pet, which elicits approving sounds from the animals. In Play, a different kid narrator introduces musical instruments needed for a band and likewise spurs noisemaking ("A saxophone goes DOO-BEE-DOO. / I can DOO it--you can, too!"). In both boisterously illustrated stories in rhyme, young helpers with Peanuts-gang proportions demonstrate how to make a joyful sound. Review covers these titles: Pet This Book and Play This Book.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 1-3 Haggis and Tank Unleashed series. Illustrated by James Burks. Tank the Great Dane reads a book on castles and decides to takes her friend Haggis the Scotty on an imaginary trip to Scotland, where they enjoy high tea in a castle belonging to Prince Pants-A-Lot (who might be a werewolf...). In this third comics-style adventure, the dogs' lively dialogue includes homophones and other wordplay; appended questions help readers with comprehension.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 1-3 Finley Flowers series. Illustrated by Jessica Secheret. Finley Flowers pet-sits her neighbor's problematic cat in Pet-rified; she makes her foray into fashion design with her signature "forklets" (bracelets using her family's forks) in Fin-tastic. Finley's insatiable curiosity, a punny narrative, colorful spot art, and satisfying conclusions make the series worthwhile. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities are included. Glos.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 1-3 Finley Flowers series. Illustrated by Jessica Secheret. Finley Flowers pet-sits her neighbor's problematic cat in Pet-rified; she makes her foray into fashion design with her signature "forklets" (bracelets using her family's forks) in Fin-tastic. Finley's insatiable curiosity, a punny narrative, colorful spot art, and satisfying conclusions make the series worthwhile. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities are included. Glos.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 1-3 Haggis and Tank Unleashed series. Illustrated by James Burks. Haggis and Tank are dog friends whose playful imaginations send them sailing for treasure and on a dig for dinosaurs in these first two adventures. Their dialogue includes homophones, idiomatic expressions, and other wordplay; appended questions help readers with comprehension. Designed for emerging readers, colorful comics-style illustrations provide context for new and difficult words. Review covers the following Haggis and Tank Unleashed titles: All Paws on Deck and Digging for Dinos.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 1-3 Finley Flowers series. Illustrated by Jessica Secheret. Finley Flowers returns, each time with a problem to solve and friends to help her do it. Whether going to camp for the first time (Nature), inventing a laugh machine (New), or creating modern art (Art-Rageous), Finley triumphs. Finley's insatiable curiosity, puns galore, colorful spot art, and satisfying conclusions make the breezy series worthwhile. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities are included. Glos. Review covers these Finley Flowers titles: Art-Rageous, Nature Calls, and New & Improved.

Reviewer: Lauren Rizzuto

(3) 1-3 Finley Flowers series. Illustrated by Jessica Secheret. Finley Flowers returns, each time with a problem to solve and friends to help her do it. Whether going to camp for the first time (Nature), inventing a laugh machine (New), or creating modern art (Art-Rageous), Finley triumphs. Finley's insatiable curiosity, puns galore, colorful spot art, and satisfying conclusions make the breezy series worthwhile. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities are included. Glos. Review covers these Finley Flowers titles: Art-Rageous, Nature Calls, and New & Improved.

Reviewer: Lauren Rizzuto

(3) 1-3 Finley Flowers series. Illustrated by Jessica Secheret. Finley Flowers returns, each time with a problem to solve and friends to help her do it. Whether going to camp for the first time (Nature), inventing a laugh machine (New), or creating modern art (Art-Rageous), Finley triumphs. Finley's insatiable curiosity, puns galore, colorful spot art, and satisfying conclusions make the breezy series worthwhile. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and activities are included. Glos. Review covers these Finley Flowers titles: Art-Rageous, Nature Calls, and New & Improved.

Reviewer: Lauren Rizzuto

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Charles Santoso. The protagonist longs to be a super spy. Since wishing doesn't make it so, he follows advice from "the Chief" (his father) and acquires some gear, but still he's unable to escape detection. Entertaining wordplay ("great sneakers need great sneakers") punches up the text. Cleanly composed digital illustrations show a perky little boy and a laid-back, gray-clad dad, who could actually be a spy.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 1-3 Finley Flowers series. Illustrated by Jessica Scheret. Third grader Finley enters a cooking contest with best friend Henry; first prize is a year of free pizza--the perfect birthday gift for Henry. Through trial and (much) error, Finley learns that cooking requires skill as well as creativity, and that supporting a friend is more important than winning. A light, lively story with a satisfying conclusion and colorful spot art.

Reviewer: Lauren Rizzuto

(3) 1-3 Haggis and Tank Unleashed series. Illustrated by James Burks. Haggis and Tank are dog friends whose playful imaginations send them sailing for treasure and on a dig for dinosaurs in these first two adventures. Their dialogue includes homophones, idiomatic expressions, and other wordplay; appended questions help readers with comprehension. Designed for emerging readers, colorful comics-style illustrations provide context for new and difficult words. Review covers the following Haggis and Tank Unleashed titles: All Paws on Deck and Digging for Dinos.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(2) PS Illustrated by Catia Chien. Some people think of blue as sad, but the little girl narrator says her blue is happy. Her mother finds yellow to be "cheery," but the little girl's yellow is "worried." This is both a celebration of colors and a book about feelings and perceptions, contrasting the ways two people see the same thing. Chien's acrylic paintings fill the pages with intense hues.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013