(1) K-3 This overview of ants combines cleverly designed graphics and a funny text to convey major concepts about the familiar insects. Expressive-eyed ants march across the pages, first in a show of their large numbers and then to illustrate key ant behaviors. These are succinctly introduced as "Ants love: Family. Micronaps. Recycling. Helping others. Being caught on camera carrying stuff way bigger than they are." Descriptions of ant colonies, cooperation, communication, and ants' role in creating soil follow. The page design is thoughtful and effective; one especially impressive double-page spread describing how ants communicate through pheromones features a sequenced scenario in which doughnut sprinkles are encountered by a single ant, who then leaves a pheromone trail to communicate the food location to the colony. Humorous yet still scientifically spot-on phrases pop up throughout ("Drone. Male. Does no housework. Takes to sky. Reproduces. Drops dead"). The final pages connect ant behaviors to another social species -- humans -- so that readers can be like ants and "leave the Earth in better shape than it was when you got here."

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) PS In this retelling of an Aesop's fable, three elderly sisters don their patched-up coats--yellow, blue, and red--and head out for a walk. The next two spreads are vertically oriented: readers turn the book to the right to see the depiction of the Sun shining with joy upon the women; in the next spread they turn it left to see the petulant North Wind. The Sun and North Wind agree to see which one can remove the sisters' coats. The North Wind wreaks havoc, but the sisters, who hold fast to their coats throughout the onslaught, recognize the "lies," "spitefulness," "mockery," "pity," and "loneliness" inherent in his taunts. The gentle heat of the Sun, however, prompts the sisters to remove their coats. Stead writes with a spare and eloquent lyricism. He weaves a tender memory motif with the notion of threads--"memories began to unspool like brightly colored thread"--and the yellow, blue, and red both of the birds who leave and then return and of the sisters' clothing. At one point, the sisters wave to the birds and "wove the sight into a memory to be kept for later." Stead's line work is beguiling: the scribbly North Wind conveys anger and chaos; scenes with the Sun contain delicate lines as well as warm, gentle hues in colored pencils. A moving and welcome retelling, like a breath of fresh air.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Louis tells his grandma that he wants a dog. When she replies that there are already enough dogs in the neighborhood, Louis goes door to door to get a record of how many. As a result, he doesn't get just a tally of the dogs; he also gets to know his neighbors--Mr. Pierce, whose dog Harvey "will always live in my heart"; a blind woman with a guide dog; and many more (including a surprise appearance by Sadie from Stead and Cordell's Special Delivery, rev. 3/15). Meanwhile, in a subplot told only in the pictures, civic-minded Grandma rolls up her sleeves and establishes a dog park in a previously neglected part of town, City Hall clearly having given her an unsatisfactory response to the letter we saw her typing. As she tells Louis, "Sometimes if you want something done you've just got to do it yourself." Cordell brings to the page a vivid cast of characters as Louis canvasses the neighborhood. His shaggy, loose-lined illustrations in warm pastels are detailed and filled with humor. (The man who owns a dog named E. B. looks a lot like the Charlotte's Web author.) Stead creates an indelible character in Grandma, who is fierce, determined, and kind, and he leaves plenty of room in his lively text for Cordell to add layer upon layer to this already nuanced tale--one that ends sweetly, in more ways than one.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(2) PS Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. A hungry mule, milk cow, and miniature horse wait for the sun to rise. Declaring that the sun is late ("and so is the farmer"), they go to Barn Owl for advice. Barn Owl gives the trio instructions for persuading the sun to rise, the steps of a journey that will deliver them "all the way to the edge of the world." They are also instructed to bring Rooster along: "Rooster will know what to do." The animals muster their courage and set out, pondering the nature of dreams. The gentle text--there is an eloquent opening passage about the silence of the barn in the early-morning hours--leaves space for child listeners to ponder their own dreamscapes. The illustrations, which contribute moments of subtle humor (the edge of the world, the trio imagines, is designated by a sign that says merely, "THE EDGE"), are dominated by beguiling shades of blues and then glow with warm peaches and yellows at the break of day as the trio makes their way to the farmer's house. Their bravery pays off, as the farmer wakes, and she feeds them--because, yes, Rooster knows what to do: "COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!"

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Sadie and her sensational Aunt Josephine are back for a third adventure (Special Delivery, rev. 3/15; The Only Fish in the Sea, rev. 7/17), which starts with a knock at the door: "Close the curtains, Sadie! And turn out the lights! It could be a vacuum salesman. Or more likely, a suitor." After a lifetime of traveling the world, Aunt J declares she simply wants rest, but the thought of these previous escapades sends her reminiscing about her time as a nine-year-old in Peru cataloging frogs for science. With Cordell's well-suited scratchy pen-and-ink lines and soft watercolor washes, the story Aunt Josephine relates to Sadie (when a giant frog swallows one of Josephine's admirers, she hurries after it to make sure the amphibian specimen is catalogued properly) plays out hilariously in giant thought bubbles while a morning breakfast-in-bed routine with Sadie carries on in the background. Text and art duel with each other to make the antics more and more outlandish, and every page-turn yields an unexpected and wonderfully ridiculous plot development. Josephine finds herself headed toward the Panama Canal, where she boards a bathtub and tries to heed her own grandmother's final words ("If nothing else, Josephine, see Paris") but winds up stranded on the Canary Islands after an encounter with some pirates. The story goes on to include a whale ride and more, but Aunt Josephine notes she has yet to see Paris or find that giant frog. All the while, someone keeps knocking at the door, where the perfect ending awaits on the other side.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Amos McGee and his menagerie of zoo-animal pals (A Sick Day for Amos McGee, rev. 5/10) return for a second tale of steadfast interspecies friendship. After the sleep-deprived zookeeper misses the bus to work, forgets his lunch, and drops his hat, an afternoon at the beach is in jeopardy. The City Zoo's elephant, tortoise, penguin, rhinoceros, and owl come to Amos's aid, completing his work duties in entertaining fashion and locating his missing possessions (with help from a friendly neighborhood mouse and yellow bird). While echoing many of the narrative beats and visual idiosyncrasies of the Caldecott-winning original, this companion volume features a significant increase in double-page spreads--resulting in a deliberately paced narrative punctuated by slight variations across repeat settings. For example, a notable sequence of six sparely illustrated scenes, of the tortoise incrementally returning to the zoo with Amos's lost items, is equal parts humorous, heartwarming, and triumphant--thanks to the less-is-more text and canny layouts. A limited color palette is applied to detailed pencil drawings through a woodblock printing process, resulting in a pleasing woodgrain texture across all printed surfaces--from tree foliage to rhinoceros hide. A sweet conclusion finds Amos and the animals with time to catch the afternoon bus for the beach. An elegant and assured addition to the gentle world of Amos and his friends.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) K-3 Translated by Elisabeth Lauffer. Jacob could fly before he could crawl--an abnormal feat for a human child. Once his parents got over the initial shock, they began to enjoy the many benefits of having a son who could fly. When the family decides to take a Mediterranean vacation, they're able to save on airfare, as Jacob insists on flying there himself. Along the way, he encounters fifteen cows, has a bite to eat with thirty-one squirrels, and joins a flock of eighty-three birds. When one of the birds is caught by a bird-catcher, Jacob comes up with a plan to rescue his new friend. Disguising himself with feathers and a tied-on beak, Jacob is able to fool the bird-catcher into believing he is the rarest of birds. The man quickly grabs his net and runs outside just as the remaining eighty-two birds swoop into the house to set free each and every feathered friend in the man's collection. After a small celebration, Jacob finally arrives at his destination, where his parents have been patiently awaiting him. The book's illustrations, rendered in Japanese ink, crayon, and inkpen, are charmingly old-fashioned and playful. Jacob's adventure is exciting, and the story is filled with child-pleasing details (for instance, the contents of Jacob's backpack: "cheese sandwiches, water, and a compass--just in case").

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) YA Book of Dust series. Don't start here. While bibliographically this second entry in the trilogy follows La Belle Sauvage, biographically it picks up when Lyra is twenty, with the events of the initial His Dark Materials trilogy ten years in her past. The novel is rich in incident but sprawling. Devotees will enjoy the often-surprising but neatly done connections to the previous volumes, however this book provides no resolutions to any of the conflicts and quests it proposes.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Painfully shy Harriet "wants to be alone" to play her cello. Frustrated by an owl's persistent hooting, she hurls a teacup (imagined into existence) at it. The teacup hits the moon, causing it to fall and block the chimney. An unlikely friendship ensues. Eventually, Harriet helps Mister Moon return to the sky and reluctantly, but satisfyingly, agrees to play for him. The text employs whimsical turns of phrase and gentle, playful fantasy. The illustrations establish a close emotional connection.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(4) PS Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. This board-book edition of the 2011 Caldecott Award–winner is a sturdier alternative to the original picture book--even if it's not really a board-book story. Kindly zookeeper Amos McGee plays chess with the elephant, reads to the owl, etc. When Amos stays home one day, his friends have just the right medicine: they make time to visit their pal. The detailed pencil and woodblock illustrations enhance the gentle text's cozy mood.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010

(4) K-3 The author of A Sick Day for Amos McGee describes his life in the country, remarking on his surroundings, including the animals he routinely encounters; the mixed-media illustrations are imbued with his customary sensitivity. There's no story here, which may be an obstacle for Stead's young readers: the book reads like a prose poem full of free-associative thoughts about his dog, his grandmother, and so on.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 This significantly longer follow-up to A Home for Bird includes three short stories instead of just one. Patient toad Vernon gets some unexpected help from a snail, he goes on a nontraditional fishing outing with Skunk and Porcupine, and his two friends cheer him up when he misses Bird. Unfussy mixed-media illustrations perfectly capture Stead's laidback dry wit and lovable, oddball animal characters.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ella Bailey. A girl struggles to pick the perfect name for her new cat: Jane? Rambo? Mr. Maestro? Fed up, he runs away; his return improbably involves a trip to the zoo, a (gorilla) replacement, an art heist, and a feline sleuth. The girl's oblivious first-person narration plays it straight, allowing pastel-toned illustrations full of clever cat details to reveal the humorously outrageous story.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Hindley. A young boy receives an invitation to Nigel's "HATTIEST PARTY OF ALL TIME." Armed with a hat-wearing monkey, the boy encounters tight security and faces additional entrance criteria until he learns he's at the wrong address (and party). Detailed double-page illustrations show guests arriving at each side-by-side party. Readers will enjoy noticing the boy's mistake before he does.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Fred Fordham. Intersecting story lines and a large cast of characters swirl around John Blake and his time-hopping ship the Mary Alice. Pullman's first original graphic novel is a narrative of corporate greed, murder, and collusion. Cinematic illustrations, a strong sense of atmosphere, and liberal deployment of panels carry much of the storytelling. Readers searching for a rollicking comic adventure will be thoroughly satisfied.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(2) 4-6 Book of Dust series. This prequel to the His Dark Materials trilogy finds infant Lyra in the care of eleven-year-old Malcolm, an appealingly sturdy hero. Malcolm, accomplice Alice, and the baby make their way to hoped-for safety through flooded Oxford. Although set a decade before The Golden Compass, readers should start there--a good deal of this entry's pleasure comes from familiarity with the world's conventions and characters.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) 4-6 Adapted by Stéphane Melchior. Translated by Annie Eaton. Illustrated by Clément Oubrerie. Coloring by Clément Oubrerie with Philippe Bruno. This edition compiles all three sections of the French graphic-novel adaptation (volumes one and two were previously published individually in the U.S.). In part three, Lyra and Iorek dethrone the usurper bear king, then deliver the alethiometer to Lord Asriel--and young Roger to his sad fate. Oubrerie's illustrations capably convey the starkly beautiful setting, the bears' violent battle, and Lyra's intense emotions.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 4-6 Not-So-Impossible Tales series. Illustrated by Sarah McIntyre. Humanoid Emily, who lives above the Lost Property Office of galactic amusement park Funfair Moon, dreams of becoming an expert repair girl. When a vindictive park inspector arrives, the rides all seem to break at once, jeopardizing Funfair's existence. This fourth standalone in the adventure series is carried by buoyant two-color illustrations, lighthearted mystery, breezy humor, and a delightful cast of extraterrestrial creatures.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) YA Railhead introduced a world of sentient trains and interplanetary travel. Now, via a new portal, human thief Zen and android girl Nova find a galaxy containing the secret of the intergalactic rails' origins. Meanwhile, the new empress summons a thief to uncover Zen's role in her father's death. Diversity in alien species and the mystery of the rails should maintain science-fiction fans' interest. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Little Amy Scott has rudely rejected a goldfish as a birthday present and then unceremoniously tossed it (still in a plastic baggie) into the sea. Sherman and his friend Sadie immediately set off to rescue the goldfish, aided by a band of full-of-antics monkeys. Energetic ink and watercolor illustrations accompany a text full of broad humor, heart, and a satisfying comeuppance for Little Amy Scott.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017