(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. This curated collection of transportation advancements begins in eighteenth-century France with the invention of the hot-air balloon. Kirkfield steers readers through a chronological tour of eight more innovations such as the steam locomotive, liquid-fuel-propelled rocket, and folding wheelchair. A chapter about Raye Montague, a Black female engineer who pioneered computer-generated ship design, is notable among the mostly white men featured. The narrative emphasizes inventors' perseverance and ability to learn from mistakes. Copious cartoon illustrations help set the time period, add humor, and break up the narrative. A timeline from 8000 BCE to 2012 CE runs from the front endpapers to the back. A list of related websites, a bibliography, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. From dung beetles to rotten logs to that weird stuff in the back of your refrigerator, this book covers all kinds of decomposition; there's also a chapter that relates what happens when there is no decomposition, specifically in overflowing landfills. The tone is light but respectful, and plenty of real-world examples and illustrations will keep readers engaged. Hands-on activities are scattered through the text. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Middle schoolers Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi are selected for a secret ten-thousand-dollar scholarship contest requiring they solve three clues each. What is the scholarship's connection to prankster billionaire Enoch Ambrose's recent death, and why were these three selected as contestants? This puzzle novel with heart blends the devious complexity of The Westing Game and Chasing Vermeer with its own twists and intriguing contemporary-world connections.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Voluble, irrepressible Jordie is delighted to spend time with the dog owned by her new neighbor, Professor Reese. The elderly physicist also has a laboratory equipped with a teleportation device, and she welcomes Jordie and brother TJ as young lab assistants. Combining Jordie's self-discipline struggles in school and at home with science, sci-fi, and mystery, Kerley's adventure has wide appeal.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. This primer explains how itching works in the layers and nerve endings of human skin, and which bugs, plants, and fungi can cause it. Funny cartooned illustrations depict dressed-up fleas, lice, bedbugs, nettles, poison ivy, and more. Sidebars offer "Soothe the Itch" and "Avoid the Itch" tips. An entertaining and informative volume for middle-grade readers fascinated by the slightly disgusting. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. In December 1862, Union and Confederate forces made camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia. Excerpts of letters home, alternating between Confederate and Union soldiers, reveal parallel hopes and fears. And the beloved song "Home Sweet Home," sung by soldiers on both sides, epitomizes that connection. Mixed-media collages layered on each page visually reinforce the theme: there can be overlapping commonalities even among enemies in war. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Photographs by Greg Endries. In 1943, naval engineer Richard James brought home a walking torsion spring. With some entrepreneurial risk-taking and clever marketing, he and his wife, Betty, transformed his discovery into a toy sensation, the Slinky. Engaging illustrations--photographed dioramas posing digital art with found objects--resemble period advertisements, while the text effectively distills the excitement of the enterprising invention for young audiences. Bib.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Ohio's Moonpenny Island is lousy with fossils--specifically trilobites (one of the first creatures to develop eyes) from the Cambrian period--as sixth-grade townie Flor learns when a geologist and his daughter come to explore. Flor's growing, if sometimes awkward, awareness of change and heightened understanding of those around her result in a unique protagonist who, like a fossil, creates a lasting imprint.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2015

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. After he's falsely accused of writing "magic sucks" on a school wall, budding graffiti artist Clay tries to unravel several weird--and possibly supernatural--mysteries at Earth Ranch, a summer camp for troubled youth on an isolated volcanic island. Humorous narration, well-placed footnotes, and allusions to The Tempest will hook fans of funny mystery and adventure stories. Full-page black-and-white illustrations are appropriately offbeat.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. George Ferris wanted a magnificent, moving symbol for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. But Ferris received little encouragement and had to develop his invention without outside financing and by overcoming numerous unforeseen problems. The straightforward account includes some awkward tangential facts. Ford's digital art with ink and watercolor nicely highlights the finished edifice against a night sky. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. In this adaptation of the cumulative Christmas song, students and their teacher visit the Big Apple's famous sights; some irrelevant choices--"Two Folks in Love" in Central Park and "Eight Babes a–Bawling" in Grand Central--could have been seen at home. A map on the final spread identifying sights worth visiting will be useful for travelers. Ford's energetic illustrations capture the city's bustle.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Bosch's novel presents the story of a missing author who is in danger...or simply too lazy to finish his own book. Readers are invited to fill in the blanks and are led through the process with a series of questionnaires, exercises, and sidebars. The conceit wears thin, but there's some solid advice in the mix which may prove useful to budding writers.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. A stolen mummy with a missing finger leads Cass, Max-Ernest, and Yo-Yoji on a quest to recover the Egyptian relic and to unwrap its connection to the immortality-seeking cult that sparked the trio's earlier escapades. Secrets left unrevealed in this final volume may frustrate readers, but the series' trademark mix of mystery, puzzles, and puns should please them nonetheless.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. Adventure number four finds Cass wandering through a medieval world after eating Time Travel Chocolate, while Max-Ernest desperately searches for an antidote to return her to the present. The book's blend of mystery, fantasy, puzzles, puns, and a puckish, sometimes snarky sense of humor will keep readers engaged and eager for the next installment. Playful illustrations open each chapter.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. In Cass and Max-Ernest's third adventure, the friends pursue the Tuning Fork, a mythical Aztec cooking instrument, to save Cass's mom from her kidnapper, evil dessert chef and chocolatier Señor Hugo. Mystery, adventure, humor, and fantasy meld in this story. A surprise "to-be-continued ending"--and lots of chocolate (some recipes appended)--make this a toothsome read. Playful illustrations open each chapter.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. In this sequel to The Name of This Book Is Secret, tenacious Cass and Max-Ernest, working for the secret Terces Society, are searching for the homunculus, a five-hundred-year-old man in a bottle. Embedded in the often humorous text are interactive codes and puzzles. Fans of mystery and adventure will find this playful story, its villains, and its well-paced plot engaging.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Gilbert Ford. A Lemony Snicket–style warning begins the book: "Do not read beyond this page." What follows is the quest of eleven-year-olds Cassandra and Max-Ernest to solve the disappearance of an eccentric magician. Scattered with word games and codes, this book will delight kids who love challenges, despite its self-conscious quirkiness and an ending that doesn't quite fulfill the promise of its built-up beginning.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute