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Rylant, Cynthia

Hornbeam All In

48 pp. | Simon/Beach Lane | December, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9781665924818 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781665924825 $10.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Arthur Howard. This cozy transitional reader introduces a new character in prolific author Rylant's pantheon: Hornbeam, a moose who loves his friends, sleeping, and potato salad. Three short chapters tell everyday stories: Hornbeam attends a friend's family reunion, he sleeps over at another friend's house, and he learns how to swim. This is for new readers who have mastered phonics and are tiptoeing their way into independent reading. The book has a lot of repetition and only a handful of sentences per page, but there are also compound sentences, multisyllabic words, and phonetic challenges (Eureka, Gladys, spaghetti). Frequent collaborator Howard's loose lines, soft watercolors, and goofy details match Rylant's vibe. Hornbeam trying on swimsuits and caps, for instance, is sure to spark smiles, as will the detail that friend Adorabelle is a skunk who is into competitive swimming. The stories have the feeling of a happy, full life in progress. Hornbeam goes to the sleepover because his furnace breaks on a cold day, and when his snoring keeps his friend up all night, the friend uses the time to catch up on chores like scrubbing the floor. Another winner from a proven team.
Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

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