(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie. A soothing text follows a mongoose through the Serengeti from early evening into the night as he visits zebras, elephants, and other animals who are all sleeping (or settling down) before heading to his own burrow for the night. Light-infused, painterly spreads show the progression into night, with occasional sequential panels adding visual interest. Back matter gives more information on the featured animals, the Serengeti, and nocturnal and diurnal animals; all the ones in the book, it explains, “live in the Serengeti and rest for all or part of the night.”

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Margarita Kukhtina. Santa, who’s almost-but-not-quite done with his rounds, makes a Goldilocks-esque stop at the Three Bears’ house...and promptly conks out (“Who’s that sleeping in MY chair?”). When he can’t be roused, Baby Bear -- assisted by the Fairy-Tale Rescue Rangers team of Little Red Riding Hood, the Seven Dwarfs, the Three Little Pigs, and the Gingerbread Man -- takes the lead. Peacock’s text includes lots of funny fairy-tale flourishes (“‘Quick, Gingerbread Man,’ cried Baby Bear. ‘Run, run, as fast as you can, and deliver all the presents!’”) enhanced by Kukhtina’s spry, cartoony, digital-looking ­illustrations. On Christmas morning, Santa wakes up in a mild panic, but everything’s under control -- and Baby Bear gets her own apt reward.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Welsh presents an account about the migration habits of six different animals that can function as a comforting bedtime story or thoughtful read-aloud. With lyrical patterned text, we follow the travels of an arctic tern "in search of summer in the sky," followed by the oft-repeated line, "It was time to move south for winter." Next, humpback whales swim "in search of summer in the waves" and caribou climb "in search of summer in the hills." Canada geese soar "in search of summer on the lake," a leatherback turtle dives deep "in search of summer in the ocean," and monarch butterflies sail and flutter "in search of summer in the trees," each acknowledging that "it was time to move south for winter." The simple, descriptive lines are accompanied by expansive, double-page illustrations in washes of cool blues that capture the sweep and movement of the story while also providing small details that enhance the informative aspects. For example, the life cycle of the arctic tern is suggested by the changing colors of its feathers, beak, and legs as it migrates and grows to adulthood, ending with a nest and a new baby tern being born. The last line of text--"Time to move north for summer"--provides another satisfying, full-circle moment. Brief back matter offers a paragraph of helpful information about the six animals depicted, along with a simple image of Earth showing the migration patterns of each one.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Isabelle Follath. What are little girls made of? More than "sugar and spice and everything nice" in Willis's narrative-flipping revision of the classic rhyme. Her update? "Sun and rain and heart and brain / that's what girls are made of." Sixteen more nursery rhymes get a similar feminist refresh, with girls and women redrawn as capable, brave, and independent. Jill fixes Jack's broken crown--and their scooter--after a tumble down the hill; Little Miss Muffet contentedly sits on her tuffet while petting a spider; and Little Bo-Peep rescues her sheep from a slimy ditch. In Willis's clever rewrites, girls take center stage; there's a queen, not a king; girls fight pirates and build spaceships. Plus, they speak up for themselves, as in this showstopper: "Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie, / kissed a girl as she walked by. / 'Don't kiss me unless I say!' / she said, and sent him on his way." Follath's mixed-media illustrations play nicely with pattern and texture. They're winsome and powerful portraits: a girl in a wheelchair can, of course, wear knight's armor and wield a sword. And what does this gender ­stereotype–busting book say about boys? Why, Joe can be a princess, and Kai can hold a teddy bear while pushing a pram, because what are boys made of? "Except for little things, much the same [as girls] / that's what boys are made of."

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Alison Friend. There are many important things in the life of busy Mr. Brown, a well-dressed tiger. He works an important job at an important office, and he's often found carrying his briefcase full of "very important things." As always, he totes his lunch over to the park to enjoy a peaceful midday meal outside. Trouble begins when a baby elephant snags the briefcase, carrying it off while being strollered away. The narrative offers humor in its repetition and pacing, following the highs and lows of the tiger's attempts to retrieve the case: "Fortunately for Mr. Brown, the baby and his briefcase were not far away...but unfortunately for Mr. Brown, the briefcase got hooked onto an ice-cream cart...and the ice-cream seller pedaled away!" A wild pursuit ensues, taking Mr. Brown on the Ferris wheel and a tricycle before making his way home. When at last a very disheveled Mr. Brown reclaims his lost case, readers will find that the cherished items inside aren't quite what they'd expected. The mixed-media illustrations create texture for all the sights and sounds of a park and fairground, while the simplified shapes and visible crayonlike shading bring a childlike touch to Mr. Brown's world. For fans of Peter Brown's Mr. Tiger Goes Wild (rev. 11/13) and Remy Charlip's classic Fortunately, this story will take readers on a romp to retrieve what's been lost and to remember what's important.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(3) K-3 Caveman Dave thinks his rock is better than caveman Jon's: "Dave's rock bigger"; one throw later, he realizes that "Jon's rock faster." Their rivalry builds until they find a creative way to defuse it. The blunt art serves the prehistoric milieu, and the book's humor--the protagonists' immaturity, their caveman-speak--illuminates the stupidity of fighting over small (albeit heavy) things.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Briony May Smith. In this warmhearted story, a girl feels she'll never shine like her older sister until her grandfather briefly (and simply, for preschoolers) describes the birth of the universe and the stars: "Everything and everyone is made of stardust." Appealing, detailed illustrations encourage repeated perusals, with the final pages hinting that the little sister indeed finds her way to shine (as an astronaut in adulthood).

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. This hefty, vividly illustrated anthology includes a seasonal poem from a variety of poets, one for each day of the year. The selections range from humorous to poignant, some rhyming and some in free verse, often several to a spread. The mixed-media art depicts brilliant flowers, expansive skies, and leafy meadows by turn. A keepsake volume, ideal for one-on-one daily sharing. Several helpful indices are included.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup. Unlike the other chameleons, Leon can't seem to change color to match his surroundings. Readers are interactively encouraged to count, whisper, smile, and more as neon-orange Leon searches for an environment (green jungle? yellow desert?) in which his brilliant glow will fit. Teckentrup's bold digital illustrations play with variations in shade and texture, demonstrating the many ways an animal can blend in--or not, in Leon's case.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) PS Engaging full-bleed illustrations shore up a spare, low-tension text to show what a boy and his dog do with a stick: "throw it," "balance with it," "swish it," "stir with it," and so on. The boy drops the stick from a bridge, and it floats downstream to a little girl. She uses the "very useful stick" in a tent she's building, and the two (plus pup) play together.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) PS Illustrated by Chris Mould. When Prince Freddie learns about a dragon attack, he rushes to save the day...until he realizes he needs to pee. Each time he stops to relieve himself, he's interrupted by ogres, a princess in need, and other princely conundrums. The ridiculous plot, bathroom humor, and slapstick acrylic illustrations will have children in stitches, and repetition in the text works well for storytime.

Reviewer: Jessica Costello

(2) PS Illustrated by Helen Stephens. While out Christmas shopping with Mommy, Noah plays with his stuffed elephant, Oliver. Careful viewers may notice when Oliver slips off a coffee-shop table, but the stuffed elephant's whereabouts are a mystery to Noah for several suspenseful spreads in this rhyming tale with a just-right ending. Loose-lined pen-and-ink and watercolor-wash illustrations with copious white space and frequent warm, bright touches of yellow add to the appeal.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) K-3 While raiding a house for breakfast, a little mouse gathers a teetering stack of snacks--a bright blueberry, crunchy cookies, etc.--only to drop them when reaching for "his favorite." As it happens, the sunflower seed is all he can carry as he makes a quick escape from the resident cat. The alliterative, read-aloud-ready story is well served by visual humor in the watercolor, gouache, and pencil-crayon illustrations, including an amusing last-page joke.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) PS Pip and Posy bring home a Christmas tree and decorate it with sweets. When the decorations begin to disappear (from the humorous and brightly colored gouache illustrations, it's clear Pip has eaten them all), the friends replace them with paper decorations. Pip's inability to resist temptation is relatable, and Posy is an admirably nonjudgmental friend. A sweet and funny addition to Scheffler's winning preschool series.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018