(4) 4-6 Spellbound: Haunted series. Illustrated by Daniela Volpari. Stu and his friend Dan encounter spooky sounds and ghostly figures in four quick, semi-scary adventures. Aimed at reluctant or struggling middle-grade readers, the spare texts of this adequate hi-lo series include key words highlighted with varying typefaces. The dark, shadowy illustrations on every spread reflect the facile stories' eerie tone. Review covers these Spellbound: Haunted titles: A Deadly Fall, Hoops Shadow, Lost in the Dark, and Phantom Flames.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) 4-6 Spellbound: Haunted series. Illustrated by Daniela Volpari. Stu and his friend Dan encounter spooky sounds and ghostly figures in four quick, semi-scary adventures. Aimed at reluctant or struggling middle-grade readers, the spare texts of this adequate hi-lo series include key words highlighted with varying typefaces. The dark, shadowy illustrations on every spread reflect the facile stories' eerie tone. Review covers these Spellbound: Haunted titles: A Deadly Fall, Hoops Shadow, Lost in the Dark, and Phantom Flames.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Daniela Volpari. With spare text and dynamic, stylized illustrations, this Italian import depicts a young girl named Amelia confidently proclaiming her intent to fly someday. The big square trim provides space for the feisty heroine to swoop across full-bleed double spreads. An endnote (without references) on Amelia Earhart broadly contextualizes this little Amelia's adventures, which include a jarring off-message moment in which she receives a gun.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin