(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lian Cho. The refrain “today, I will dare to be daring” is repeated as children complete activities that make them nervous (going down a slide; trying a new food). Wallace sensitively handles these concerns and acknowledges that some fears are harder to face than others. One child contemplates heading down into a dark basement three times throughout the book; Wallace’s playful rhyme scheme is absent from those pages, giving the child's fears heft. It takes them three times before accomplishing it. Cho’s dynamic gouache and colored-pencil illustrations capture both the children’s apprehension and eventual relief and joy.

Reviewer:

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lian Cho. The simple act of welcoming friends and neighbors takes the spotlight in this heartening picture book. Donovan's feather-light rhyming couplets trail over and through each watercolor and colored-pencil illustration, her words ("Dear neighbor, come in. // No stranger dwells here; I greet you as kin") a gentle incantation. Cho's vibrant illustrations--most featuring delicious-looking family meals that span countries and cultures--alternate perspectives playfully; one image, for example, closes in on a crowded family table, and the next pans out to a double-page spread showing backlit windows in a sunset skyline. Inviting scenes are peppered with hand-lettered welcomes in different languages along with a pronunciation guide. Source notes and further reading suggestions make this an informative, inviting read.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lian Cho. Band director Mr. V introduces a diverse class of students to seven instruments. Mr. V places each in its musical family, sometimes offering a little history, and briefly describes how it works, how to play, and how it sounds ("a clarinet is like eating rich chocolate cake, bold and sweet at the same time"). Every time an interested kid attempts to play, however, rambunctious Felicity pounds on the bass drum: "BOOM BOOM BOOM." The lighthearted narrative and lively cartoon illustrations balance humor and information nicely. Back matter provides some biographical information about seven professional musicians (who make cameos as the students), band director Tom Venable (aka Mr. V and the author's father), and the book's author and illustrator.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Lian Cho. Lalani lives on an isolated island under the control of an all-powerful leader where gender roles are strictly defined and sailors tragically search for new lands and never return. She finds a foreign creature living on a sacred mountain and sets off on a journey, bringing about major changes to her village. Kelly does an excellent job of world-building and keeps the tale firmly in its environment magic and legends; characters deal with bullying, abuse of power, and other problems with resonance in the real world.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019