(2) K-3 Dressed up by his friend the robin in flowers, berries, and ribbons, a restless fir tree nonetheless longs to see new places. When the axe-men come, the fir is happy to go with them to be the town's Christmas tree, even though afterward he's burned for firewood. Inspired by the morose events of Hans Christian ­Andersen's "The Fir Tree," Jameson's retelling benefits from his striking grayscale pencil drawings, digitally colored and enhanced with textural elements such as Celtic knots and ­Victorian scrollwork leaves. The resulting transcendent folk-art visuals of nature in the Russian-inflected setting will invite repeat examination.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(4) K-3 Translated by Olga Varshaver. Illustrated by Victoria Semykina. After a paper boat floating in a pond overhears a duck reminiscing about the ocean, it sails off to find the sea, interacting with various watercrafts along the way. Just as the journey is a long haul for the paper boat, the story (translated from the Russian) is a lengthy haul for the reader, although the dominantly blue mixed-media art couldn't be more scenic.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stephen Biesty. From pioneering aircraft to the modern-day space shuttle, this in-depth volume uses labeled diagrams and lift-the-flaps to introduce flight history and explain how eight vehicles work. The British collaborators (Trains) demonstrate the variety and international breadth of manmade flying machines. The wide-trim board-book format provides a sturdy foundation for repeat readings of Graham’s dense text and Biesty's trademark ink and colored-pencil cross-sections.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) PS Illustrated by Kasia Matyjaszek. A dark-skinned, curly-haired little girl likes to play dress-up. One day, she is a penguin. And the next day...and the next. Her family mostly indulges her fancy but grows exasperated with her commitment to penguin-hood when she slides down the stairs on her belly, is a penguin at her aunt's wedding, and tries to catch fish sticks in her "beak." A funny and preschooler-relatable romp with bright, stylized mixed-media illustrations.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) K-3 The little boy and his grandad from Rain and Snow return for more weather-related imaginative adventures. They set off on the hottest day of year for a picnic (Sun) and fly a kite in autumn wind gusts (Storm). As usual, the outings turn slightly fantastical, told with some visual clues. Expansive ink and watercolor pictures add to the stories' appeal. Review includes these titles: Storm and Sun.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) K-3 The little boy and his grandad from Rain and Snow return for more weather-related imaginative adventures. They set off on the hottest day of year for a picnic (Sun) and fly a kite in autumn wind gusts (Storm). As usual, the outings turn slightly fantastical, told with some visual clues. Expansive ink and watercolor pictures add to the stories' appeal. Review includes these titles: Storm and Sun.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) PS A mysterious egg appears in a yard and hatches a dinosaur. An unseen character narrating in first-person plural straightforwardly explains how having a pet dinosaur is definitely not easy ("we play outside as much as possible, though he doesn't always bring the ball back"); the stylized, two-tone (blue and red) illustrations provide the humor (Dino's too-short arms can't reach the ball).

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 When Percy lies about what happened to the sweater his grandmother knitted for him, he feels badly. When he keeps lying, the lie becomes the monsterlike Whopper, which gets bigger and bigger until it overwhelms (eats) him; telling the truth makes Percy himself again. Although obvious in its concept, the story effectively illustrates a situation kids commonly face with understated humor and expressive mixed-media art.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stephen Biesty. From the first steam locomotive to new magnetic levitation trains, this in-depth look uses labeled diagrams to introduce railroad history, explain each train's inner workings, and highlight socioeconomic disparities. The board book format with lift-the-flaps initially signals a younger audience, but dense text and Biesty's trademark cross-sectional illustrations in ink and colored pencil add complexity, acknowledging the diverse age range of train lovers.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Two children are disappointed when they can't find any animals during their class trip to the zoo, but when they are accidentally left behind, they discover the fantastical world of the "Midnight Zoo." Vivid digital and pencil illustrations complement a propulsive text, and viewers will enjoy searching for the hidden animals (though finding them is not easy) in the first half of the book.

Reviewer: Emily Day

(3) K-3 In this meditative story, urban red fox Fred dislikes city living with its accompanying noise, scraps of food, and fast pace. Curious Fred ponders where birds fly to and discovers their destination via a tunnel. In "the wild," the exhilarated fox finds clean air, trees, soft ground, other animals, and, ultimately, contentment. The mixed-media illustrations' clean graphic design accentuates the dichotomy between city and wild life.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 Monsterlike creature George and dog Boris befriend a sea monster named Nepo while nighttime sand-sculpting (gradually, as shown in panels). They eventually reign over a sand castle worthy of a gatefold spread. The darkly colored seaside landscape creates a dreamlike feel, and young readers will likely pore over the colored-pencil illustrations full of nods to imaginer-in-chief Maurice Sendak.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 The little boy from Snow imagines all the fun he and his granddad could have outside on a very rainy day; when Grandad finally agrees, the boy's fantasies about sea monsters and a floating city have materialized. Despite the slightly awkward transition into fantasy, the boy's relatable imagination will win kids over. Usher's ink and watercolor art skillfully depicts raindrops and vast puddles.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) K-3 Sausage gourmand Scruff (One Hundred Bones) stops by the butcher shop only to learn that--"SHOCK! HORROR!"--all the sausages have been stolen, and he is the prime suspect. Scruff recruits his fellow dogs to help catch the real thief and clear his name. Collage-style digital illustrations accompany the exuberant text, imbuing Scruff and friends with abundant personality (and the pages with abundant sausages).

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) PS Jumping out from behind rocks and trees to scare other forest creatures is Bear's idea of fun. Unfazed, brave Rabbit gives him a hug and a lecture to teach him that kindness--not intimidation--is the way to go. The singsongy text falters, and Bear's immediate transformation from bully to friend is too easy, but mixed-media illustrations of anthropomorphized animals clearly convey their emotions.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) PS Since the original edition already sported sturdy pages, rounded corners, and the same die-cuts, this smaller-size board-book edition is neither an improvement nor any more useful. Still, very young children will have success with this cheerful farm animal guessing game since Gibbs provides so many clues about the animal peeking through each die-cut hole.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013

(4) K-3 Cat detective William (William & the Missing Masterpiece) helps a dazzling starlet recover the stolen winners' statues for the Golden Cuckoo Awards ceremony in Hollywood. Although the identity of the culprit is a bit too obvious, readers will still enjoy following William as he searches for clues throughout the sprawling Cuckoo Studios. Hancocks's pencil and gouache art depicts Old Hollywood in all its glitz and glamour.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) PS Illustrated by Lauren Tobia. This ebullient book is, at face value, a rhyming ode to babies on the go ("strolling in buggies and backpacks and slings, / rolling in store aisles in car seats and things"). But Tobia's art, depicting a bustling supermarket, a ride on a crowded bus, and more, turns it into a celebration of city life and families of many permutations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Russell Ayto. A "meow"-less cat, a "woof"-less dog, and a "squeak"-less mouse seek the help of a witch-like old woman in hopes that she can "find you a spell / to make you all well." Things go hilariously wrong (hence the title) throughout this book, of which every aspect is just right: percussive, unpredictable rhymes; creepy-funny angular art; and a didn't-see-it-coming ending.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Newspaper clippings begin and end this wordless story about two children who set out to solve the mystery of whether a mythical Great Spotted Whale lives in the nearby waters. Dark pencil drawings depict the brave pair, with their old-fashioned camera and recording equipment, experiencing turmoil at sea on their quest. There is a lot to savor in the detailed art.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey