(4) 4-6 Translated by John Brownjohn. Aspiring author Optimus Yarnspinner (a dinosaur) journeys to the city of Bookholm. Seeking the author of a certain perfect manuscript, he discovers wondrous books, countless dangers, unsavory characters, and inspiration. The story's erratic pacing and adult-oriented references make the audience difficult to discern, but the humor and appealingly dark and creepy line drawings may win Optimus some fellow adventurers.

Reviewer: Becca Schaffner

(4) 4-6 Translated by John Brownjohn. Smoothly translated from German, Moers's hefty bildungsroman centers on the fantastical adventures of Rumo, a Wolperting. Wolpertings, or highly developed dogs, are well described and shown through the author's pen-and-ink drawings, but many of the novel's lands and secondary creatures are overdone. Moers's affinity for dark topics and his unflinching descriptions may make some readers squirm.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(4) 4-6 Translated by John Brownjohn. Summer in Vicki's touristy seaside New England town heats up when she begins to uncover the secrets of the Storm Goddess. This slave ship, dating back to 1772, has a storied past that ties tightly into Vicki's family history and carries a deadly curse that only she can lift. The dialogue in this German import can sometimes be clunky and slow-moving.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(4) 1-3 Translated by John Brownjohn. Illustrated by Joe Cepeda. Freddy, a very intelligent golden hamster, first engineers his purchase from the pet store, then overcomes obstacles to arrange a new life as "a civilized hamster free to roam wherever he wants" and writes this, his autobiography. The plot occasionally becomes pedestrian, but Freddy's first-person voice is original, and Cepeda's line drawings add pizzazz.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam