(4) K-3 Translated by Laura Watkinson. Illustrated by Philip Hopman. In this Dutch import, after two friends--dog William and panda Bobby--have an argument, the former says, "Just get on your bike and leave!" Leave Bobby does: he rides around the animal-populated city, blowing off steam until he feels contrite. Like bicycling Bobby, the story meanders, but readers will enjoy the seek-and-find aspect as Bobby is practically Waldo-like in the bustling oversize spreads.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 Translated by David Colmer. Illustrated by Philip Hopman. This sequel to A Dog like Sam has a similar arc to its predecessor, with a focus on relationships between dog and human. The author maintains tension without sentimentalizing the dog, the boy, or rural life. A straightforward prose style is matched by the elegant pen-and-ink drawings that pull us even further into the distinctive landscape and into each scene's emotional tenor.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(2) 4-6 Translated by David Colmer. Illustrated by Philip Hopman. Great Pyrenees dog Sam appears one day at Kix's family's farm. The story seems to be headed along familiar foundling-pet lines, but things take a darker turn when Sam's original owner--the mentally unstable adult son of an unpleasant neighbor--turns up. This Dutch import speaks the international language of dog-lovers while also providing an unvarnished yet ultimately compassionate portrait of mental illness.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(2) 4-6 Translated by Laura Watkinson. Illustrated by Philip Hopman. Mikis makes friends with his grandpa's donkey, Tsaki, becoming the animal's advocate. Fortunately, the old man is kind as well as gruff; though "Mikis had to give his grandpa donkey lessons," he eventually builds Tsaki an airier stable with Mikis's help. In this affecting picture of a close-knit Greek community, loosely drawn illustrations capture windswept landscapes, village life, and human character with equal aplomb.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) 4-6 Translated by Laura Watkinson. Illustrated by Philip Hopman. In 1941, Polish soldiers escaped to Iran where they joined the British army--and adopted a bear cub who became a functioning member of their group. Tak makes a fascinating tale of the wartime progress of the clever animal. First published in Holland in 2008, this fictionalized account of one of World War II's happier oddities includes appealing drawings and clear historical maps.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2011

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Philip Hopman. In this zany tale, Tom cures his father's fear of animals by secretly training exotic pets to pose as pieces of furniture. When the trick comes to light, Dad admits the animals aren't so dangerous after all. A matter-of-fact narrative makes the preposterous seem possible, and the detailed tongue-in-cheek illustrations demonstrate how a polar bear, for example, can pretend to be an armchair.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Philip Hopman. Having heard about "stern teachers and homework and bullies," Davy avoids school on his first day and builds his own version. His school on wheels inspires the students at the real school to take off from their humorless teacher. The protagonist's creativity and the narrative insouciance is reminiscent of Hoban or Dahl, while the illustrations resemble a painterly Blake.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Philip Hopman. Twenty-two orphans happily clamber all over their stone manor orphanage playing with nothing but their imaginations. When a stern headmistress forbids them to do anything even slightly dangerous, they outwit her, spreading their joie de vivre her way. Watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations capitalize on the text in comic detail.

Reviewer: Suzy Schmidt