(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. MacDonald's tale about Mossy and Tangle, who travel through Fairyland with a golden key, is here illustrated with Sanderson's precise and delicate scratchboard art. Adding power to the story, the palette of only black and white reinforces the sense that a serious vision underpins the magical quest the two protagonists pursue. An afterword by Jane Yolen and an illustrator's note add value.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Rescued from a fire by traveling-circus girl May, Luna the Friesian horse is given to May as a reward. Luna helps May overcome her mobility impairment so she can perform in the circus like her sister. Although this installment's setting (1855 Netherlands) is less fully realized than other books in the series, Luna's gentle narration and the strong horse-human bond will move readers. Background information is appended.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Jingle, a Clydesdale working in 1915 Wisconsin, has a special bond with his human girl, Kari. On Christmas Eve, the family's newfangled Model T slides into a snow bank, and it's Jingle and Kari to the rescue. Details about Jul (Norwegian Christmas season) and the transition to cars embellish this sweet horse's-eye-view tale. An appendix includes information on Clydesdales and the setting as well as activities.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Darcy is a Connemara pony owned by a family living on the West Coast of Ireland in the early twentieth century. As with the other books in the series, this is one part history, three parts horse book. Readers will root for the plucky horse protagonist and the children who care for her. Information on the breed and the historical setting is appended.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Yatimah, an Arabian filly with a ninth-century Bedouin tribe, learns to be a good war mare; however, her owner hasn't forgiven her for the fact that his favorite horse died foaling her. This well-constructed tale, illustrated with textured black-and-white drawings, effectively incorporates cultural and historical details. An appendix provides more information about Arabian horses and Bedouins.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. A Thoroughbred colt in Depression-era California, Chance has the spirit to be a winning racehorse but he won't obey his trainers. With the right trainer and jockey he becomes a champion--until an injury throws him out of contention. Chance's compelling narrative voice and his special connection with his jockey's daughter make this a particularly sympathetic series entry.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 The text presents the story of the birth of Jesus and his early childhood. The writing style will be familiar to Bible readers, but there's no information about which version of the Gospels this came from. Sanderson's lush oil illustrations successfully mimic the appearance of illuminated manuscripts with rich colors and classical forms in this pretty but prosaic treatment.

Reviewer: Brittany Schlorff

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Horse Maestoso Petra narrates his life in Austria under German occupation during WWII. A Lipizzaner stallion, Petra is thrilled to perform with the Spanish Riding School, run-ins with Nazis and bomb raids not withstanding. Kendall effectively incorporates history and horsemanship into her engaging story. An appendix gives more information about horses; additional details about historical fact versus fiction would have been welcome.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Appaloosa yearling Golden Sun learns to trust his young Nimi'ipuu owner, Little Turtle, while coaching an abused mare to trust her new owner, Pale Moon. Gentle episodes in the horse's life lead to a vision quest where both horse and boy become healers and save Pale Moon. Sanderson smoothly incorporates details about Nimi'ipuu culture. Series fans will enjoy this from-the-horse’s-mouth entry.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) PS Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. In lilting rhymes, Yolen soothes baby horses on the farm, a beach, the moor, or in a stall, reassuring them that their mamas are watching over them as they play or sleep. In the final vignette, a human mama puts her own daughter to bed. Gently idyllic illustrations show different horse breeds, along with realistic wildflowers and butterflies, in this warm bedtime snuggler.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. In Elska, a silver dapple Icelandic horse living in Iceland in 1000 CE, tells about her life. The Morgan colt in Bell's Star carries a runaway slave to Canada and learns about freedom. This straight-from-the-horses'-mouths series, though overly emotional and anthropomorphic for adults, is perfect for its primary-grade horse-loving audience. Occasional black-and-white illustrations and fact-filled appendices add much to both stories. Review covers these Horse Diaries titles: Elska and Bell's Star.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2009

(2) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. In Elska, a silver dapple Icelandic horse living in Iceland in 1000 CE, tells about her life. The Morgan colt in Bell's Star carries a runaway slave to Canada and learns about freedom. This straight-from-the-horses'-mouths series, though overly emotional and anthropomorphic for adults, is perfect for its primary-grade horse-loving audience. Occasional black-and-white illustrations and fact-filled appendices add much to both stories. Review covers these Horse Diaries titles: Elska and Bell's Star.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2009

(3) 1-3 Horse Diaries series. Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. Quarter horse Koda, born in 1840s Missouri, describes traveling with his (human) family along the Oregon Trail. The story has moments of tension, and the foal's engaging voice smooths the mild historical lesson and inserted facts about quarter horses. Black-and-white drawings that strive for realism accompany the text. An appendix gives more background.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson. A gentle rhyme that incorporates some unusual words describes the flight of the unicorns, as they move away from human habitations and into waterways and seas. The illustrations juxtapose scenes of the mythical creatures in the wild against images that show the growth of civilization. Some may find the environmental message heavy-handed, but readers who enjoy unicorn lore will appreciate this new vision of an old theme.

Reviewer: Anne St. John