Horn Book Herald: November 2024

(3) 4-6 Prolific wildlife photographer Eszterhas (My Wild Life) turns her lens on meerkats: “little animals with huge personalities!” Dated diary-like entries catalog her twelve-day experience in the Makgadikgadi Pan in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert observing and interacting with a family of meerkats, including a litter of two-week-old pups. The text is enthusiastic (“I still can’t believe what happened today even as I’m writing about it”), accessible, and informative, and the clear, lively photographs, shared in a scrapbook-like format, bring readers up close and personal with the creatures and their habitat. A brief interview with a meerkat habituator and a naturalist guide (Eszterhas’s guides on the trip) and information about the Indigenous Ju/’hoansi people add further context. A glossary is also appended.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 In this early reader comic with a simple but effective rhyming text, Fox plays tricks on Pig during a day of digging on the beach, but gets his comeuppance each time. Helpfully for new readers, each speaker’s speech bubbles are a different shape and color. The thick-lined digital-looking illustrations’ palette, with plenty of yellows and blues, is appropriate to the beach setting.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) PS Illustrated by Carla Martell. A bunch of animals joyfully calling out their animal sounds are caught off guard when Duck says “meow.” Much prodding by an unusual menagerie (“‘Grunt!’ says Yak”) cannot convince Duck to quack. Duck’s mama surely can teach Duck what to say; in a heartwarming conclusion it’s revealed that she, a cat, already has. Bright, simple drawings with whimsical details add to the light humor.

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(3) K-3 When a mischief of mice goes missing, a scurry of squirrels decides to investigate, with varying amounts of help from other animal groups, including a cauldron of bats and a prickle of porcupines (really!). Luckily, a sleuth of bears shows up to solve the mystery. The unusual collective nouns, introduced in loosely rhyming text, are charming; cozy watercolor illustrations depict a wintry forest setting at night. Back matter gives additional facts about the referenced animals.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diana Hernández. Toucan Grecia’s life is upended when a group of humans senselessly destroy her upper beak in this picture book based on a true story. News of the injury spreads, inspiring her rescue team of veterinarians and engineers to build her a 3D-printed prosthetic beak and sparking demands that lead to Costa Rica’s first anti-animal cruelty law. Cartoony digital illustrations soften the story’s darker moments, showcasing the beauty of Grecia’s rainforest home and the passion of Grecia’s diverse supporters. Back matter includes an author’s note, timeline, additional facts about Grecia’s life, and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 In this early reader, an unlikely pair finds friendship. At first, Dog rebuffs Rat’s attempt to play out of fear, but once Dog sees how much fun Rat is having, the canine joins in. The use of one-syllable words such as fast and new along with lots of repetition make this a good choice for children who are relatively new to reading but comfortable with sight words. Meisel’s colorful watercolor, acrylic, and pencil illustrations add humor.

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(4) 1-3 Translated by Jennifer Croft . Illustrated by Marjana Prokhasko. This quiet book follows the first year of life for twin mole pups Purl and Crawly. Each chapter describes one of their adventures, including befriending a young beaver, rescuing a mole from the river, and sledding on the day of the first snow. While the text, translated from Ukrainian, can be stilted and meandering, the luminous colored pencil-style illustrations (featuring woodland creatures wearing adorable seasonal attire) add humor and liveliness to the young moles’ story.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns