(2) K-3 Illustrated by Madeline Valentine. Teddy loves his redheaded doll in a pink dress with the "sickest fighting skills." One morning, his mother accidentally throws the doll away and must perform some sick moves of her own to catch up with the garbage truck. The story's implicit messages--presenting gender nonconformity as perfectly normal; that parents can become superheroic for their children--ring loud, true, and (particularly in the mixed-media illustrations) funny.

Reviewer: Nell Beram | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) PS Illustrated by Madeline Valentine. "A screen door sings a lullaby of summer things," as a young girl heads inside to begin her bedtime routine, all while remembering the fun she had at the beach earlier that day. From sandy seascapes to inky nighttime scenes, digitally composed gouache illustrations and spare, lyrical rhyming text communicate the happiness and fatigue that accompany a sun-kissed day on the shore.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(2) PS Illustrated by Madeline Valentine. Henry's doting family members fall over each other with cries of "Let me!" when Henry wants to make his own meal or brush his own "widdle toofers." Henry is sick of it. The text, with the parents talking in baby talk while Henry shows his competence, is a laugh-out-loud riff on "The Little Red Hen"; droll graphite and gouache cartoon drawings are irresistible.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Madeline Valentine. After winning a pet store contest, Ava is disappointed to receive not a dog but a parakeet as her prize. Gradually she warms to the bird, and in a touching scene, she uses a straw to drip water down its throat to save its life. Suitably enough, this terrific, warmly illustrated story about patience takes its own sweet time.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Madeline Valentine. Humorous text and subdued gouache illustrations follow a girl trying to discover her talent amidst a family of prize-winning gardeners, expert soccer players, and super crafters. Readers will find amusement in Albertine's awkward and ill-fated attempts at gymnastics, swimming, and woodworking. Ultimately it is her ability to laugh at herself that enables Albertine to figure out her true talent.

Reviewer: Ashleigh Finn