(2) PS Illustrated by Erin Stead. Big Bear and Little Bear enjoy a summer idyll. It starts with a joyous declaration from Big Bear -- "I'm just in the mood for fishing" -- that [cf2just encapsulates a child's immersive enthusiasm. The two bears get dressed, find their poles, bake blueberry scones (of course; as Big Bear observes, "Fishermen need nice, warm blueberry scones"), and pack a storybook. These preparations traverse several beautifully orchestrated page-turns, each new necessity building listeners' anticipation. Big Bear's warm confidence coaxes Little Bear past some apprehension at the dock; in the boat at last, they "dip their poles" and wait, nibbling scones and reading stories until a fish finally appears, then swims away, leaving Big Bear and Little Bear to retreat contentedly to their hammock. Stead's delicate pencil and watercolor paintings depict beguiling details -- Big Bear's bunny slippers, the honeybees on the wallpaper, the echinacea in bloom -- without ever distracting from the total delight these bears have in each other. In their gently hairy bulk and the tender tilts of their heads, they recall Sendak's Little Bear and his mother. The text is equally gentle in its phrasing. Dialogue is set in italics rather than enclosed in quotation marks; pre-readers may not notice, but the unusual typographical choice will draw the attention of adults and older children to the warm, brown letters and the creamy negative space. It's hard to imagine a nicer day than this.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(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) 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 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

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. The late author's poem describes a brief but seemingly habitual encounter between a customer of milk-truck driver Tom Jones and Jones's horse, Tony. The significance of the encounter is revealed through tender, plain, and assured verse. Restrained pencil drawings develop a soothing atmosphere; levels of detail, tone, and sharpness are masterfully calibrated to guide the reader across each page of this radically gentle picture book.

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

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. From Twain's notes on a bedtime tale spun for his children, Philip Stead develops a folktale-like story full of nonsense. It involves the orphaned Johnny (illustrated as African American), his pet chicken, a handful of blue seeds, and a life-expanding journey. The story maintains wry humor throughout and provides timely commentary on human nature. Erin Stead's pictures invite a child's contemplation of tiny but meaningful details.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles delivers messages in bottles to their proper recipients but secretly wants to receive one himself. When he finds a party invitation with no addressee, he decides to go, ultimately delivering--and receiving--the message perfectly. Stead's art, using woodblock prints, oil pastels, and pencil, brings out the dreamlike quality of the quiet story about the power of connection.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. When Peter, his father, and their dog move to a house in the woods, Peter fashions first Lenny out of pillows, blankets, and string and then Lucy as protection against the "unfriendly" forest. But something is missing. Enter Millie--the girl-next-door who becomes a good friend. A controlled palette in the illustrations slowly adds color to the initial gray, indicating a progressive sense of hope.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(2) PS Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. "If you want to see a whale / you will need a window"--if you're a kid inside a landlocked house. Stead's illustrations seem literal, but on second glance a paper hat becomes a distant ship, a yellow armchair turns into a yellow boat, etc. On the last double-page spread, the whale is just under the surface of the water where the boy is watching.

Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2013

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. A boy and his companions--a dog, rabbit, and turtle--are on a search for spring. The pacing is exactly right in Fogliano's poetic, understated text with straightforward, childlike observations. Stead's graceful illustrations are woodblock prints with pencil in a palette of browns, grays, light blue, bright green, and touches of red, all set against negative space that most often suggests a cloudy sky.

Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2012

(2) PS Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Bear wants to share a story, but his friends are busy preparing for winter. Come spring, he's forgotten his story! With some prompting from the others, Bear begins: "It was almost winter and Bear was getting sleepy"--a reprise of the book's first line. This perfectly cyclical, quietly entrancing book features scenes of sleepy, soft-edged creatures floating on imagination-freeing white.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012

(2) PS Illustrated by Erin E. Stead. Every day kindly zookeeper Amos McGee plays chess with the elephant, keeps the penguin company, reads stories 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 attentively detailed pencil and woodblock illustrations reveal character and enhance the cozy mood of the gentle text.

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