(3) 1-3 Toy Academy series. Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. Grumboldt, a stuffed toy who longs for action-hero status and placement with a loving child (Some Assembly Required), is doing well in his Toy Academy classes...until he's assigned sidekick duty to self-centered bully Rex. Short chapters and cartoon-style black-and-white illustrations should attract independent readers eager for longer stories with plenty of action and laughs.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Toy Academy series. Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. The screenwriter of the animated film Minions starts a new chapter-book series. Grumbolt, a clumsily handmade stuffed animal, doesn't fit into a specific toy category, but he nevertheless tries his best at Toy Academy, hoping to secure placement with a child. Abundant laughs and fast-moving adventures propel the profusely illustrated story. Readers who enjoy animate-toy tales will look forward to subsequent volumes.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) PS Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. Colorful, energetic illustrations depict a small red racecar struggling to win a race. Spirited rhymes and sound words make this ode to car-racing suited for reading aloud ("SLIP! SLAM! SQUEAL! SOAR! / Through the tunnel! Thunder! Roar!"). A surprise ending reveals it's been little boy Maxwell's imaginative backyard play all along, and there's no doubt as to which car will ultimately win.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. In this metafictional fairy-tale retelling, the narrator pushes reluctant hero Jack to follow the prescribed story line, but young Jack--via speech balloons--keeps highlighting the plot's ridiculousness. Their playful banter ends with Jack refusing to follow the narrator's ending and instead opening up a beans restaurant with the giant. Taylor's cartoony digital illustrations enhance the humor and feature lots of recognizable fairy-tale characters.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant