(3) K-3 Illustrated by John Ledda. There is indeed something odd about Freddie’s new babysitter, who scares the dog, doesn’t talk much, and eats garbage for dinner. Eventually Freddie realizes what is already clear from the digital art—the babysitter is three adorable raccoons inside a trench coat, the top one wearing a hat and moustache. Readers will delight in being in on the joke from the start, and the deadpan narration (“Was this babysitter raised in the wild?” Freddie wonders) amplifies the humor.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(3) K-3 Translated by Lawson Polly . As autumn nights grow colder, Mole becomes a frequent, greedy guest at Fox’s house, where Fox tells stories of a raccoon who turns into a “scuffling monster.” Fox’s annoyance with Mole’s freeloading grows to anger, and soon, the tales of transformation become creepily real. This picture book’s smoothly translated text has a storyteller’s cadence and chapter breaks, which help to build suspense. Fox as a striking, slithering, sinister monster is the star of the atmospheric mixed-media illustrations.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) 1-3 Plum, a "peppy little purple peacock" at the Athensville Zoo, is the only animal in his enclosure one rainy day when Scratch, a bossy, greedy raccoon, and his gang invade the zoo. The subsequent chaos disrupts what had been a bucolic home. Plum and his friends--including a domestic cat named Jeremy, a ningbing named Itch, a family of chipmunks, and a bear who lives in the nearby woods--work together to solve the problem. The comic sequel to Leave It to Plum!(rev. 9/22) is heavily illustrated with Phelan's movement-filled black-and-white drawings. Plum sports expressive curly feathers that stand at attention when he is happy but crumple when Scratch is demanding something. At important points in the story, wordless spreads convey the drama of the moment. As he did in the previous book, Phelan weaves ideas important to elementary-school students through the story. Plum accomplishes his goal by working with others; Scratch realizes that family can be made from those who care about you, even if they are not the same species; and all the zoo animals learn about leadership and problem-solving.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Jessixa Bagley. Pearl was born at the Lancaster Avenue branch of the (fictional) New York City Library, and as the circulation librarian's daughter, she has felt at home there for more than a decade. But the library building is neglected and in disrepair, and developers want to repurpose it for housing. When Pearl discovers the library's beloved statue of Edna St. Vincent Millay is missing its head, she leads a search for it while organizing neighborhood enthusiasm for both "Vincent" and the library. In a surprise fantastical twist, she discovers that the raccoons living in the library's basement are book lovers, skilled journalists, and some of her most valuable allies in the fight to save her home. The richly developed cast of characters--library manager Bruce, Pearl's classmate Francine, journalist Jonathan Yoiks--supports a solid and fast-moving plot with an entertaining narrative reveal. Bagley's illustrations bring Pearl's world to life, and the explanatory sidebars that appear throughout the book ("A Sidebar About Exclamation Points"; "A Sidebar About Homelessness") are informative as well as plot-shaping. Pearl's growth over the course of the story is satisfying, and the book effectively delivers its multiple messages without overwhelming readers.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(3) 4-6 True Tales of Rescue series. Photographs by Shelly Ross. The rescue stories of four orphaned raccoon kits and an injured anteater pup are used to spotlight the work of two animal sanctuaries in these series entries. Accessible text, engaging photographs, and frequent informational sidebars allow readers to shadow the volunteer caregivers as they work toward the ultimate goal: releasing the animals back into the wild. One of the young creatures "narrates" part of each book. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these True Tales of Rescue titles: Anteater Adventure and Racoon Rescue.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Green Light Readers series. This latest entertaining early reader about dog Buster and his pal Phoebe consists of two short stories originally published separately in different Buster books. The first has the two canines digging for bones and sharing the bounty, and the second has the pair thwarting a raccoon and getting sprayed by skunks. The full-color ink and watercolor illustrations are expressive and engaging for beginning readers.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. Raccoon Manny (Super Manny Stands Up!) and hedgehog Gertie go around town "saving the planet from danger" every weekend. The pals inspire others to help clean up the litter-filled park because, "every superhero needs a planet worth saving." An earthy color palette and imaginative, proactive characters help make this a positive storytime choice for Earth Day and every day.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Tails from History series. Illustrated by Rachel Sanson. This amusing easy reader tells the silly-but-true story of President Calvin Coolidge's misfit pet Rebecca, a raccoon who ate her meals at the table and even participated in the White House Easter Egg Roll. Sanson's playful, cheery illustrations prominently feature the Coolidges' menagerie of unusual pets (including a donkey and a wallaby) while highlighting Rebecca's personality and her struggle to fit in. Additional facts are appended.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(3) K-3 Eager to expand their friendship circle, Bear, Raccoon, and Squirrel attempt to socialize with a family camping in the woods--only to frighten the "city folks" away. Textured and humorous watercolor, gouache, and digital illustrations display the critters as they prepare for their "Welcome Party" surprise. A lighthearted story that also gently conveys that good intentions can have unintended consequences.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) PS Illustrated by Alison Friend. "Beaver was good at making lots of things," but he struggles to make friends. Raccoon has the same problem, and together they build a snowman to keep them company. Through teamwork, discovery, sadness, and relief, the animals realize they can be friends. The dialogue-heavy text is simple and clear. Cozy digital illustrations show the creatures on their journey toward friendship.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 4-6 With their spaceship low on fuel, Rocket and Groot make an emergency landing on Planet Happyhappyfunfun. They encounter self-driving minivans, killer trucks, and a bookmobile; and they are tasked with finding President Dina the Wonder Lizard's missing daughter. This second absurdist-silly Guardians of the Galaxy romp, told almost entirely in dialogue and heavily illustrated with wacky cartoons, successfully tones down the franchise characters for a younger audience.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. At home, raccoon Manny wears different-color capes that give him imagined superpowers. At school, he wears an invisible cape, which comes in handy when a bully picks on a schoolmate. Manny courageously speaks up, encouraging other students to don their invisible capes and join in. The appealing mixed-media illustrations show the impact one individual can have when speaking out against bullies.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 4-6 Wild Ones series. When raccoon Kit learns his presumed-dead mother is alive at the zoo, he leads a mission to liberate the entire captive menagerie. But not all the zoo's residents want freedom, and a pompous peacock rallies Kit's old enemies to destroy him. Fans of animal adventures will enjoy Kit's savvy and unlikely heroics as well as the series' signature humor and colorful urban-wildlife characters.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 Amazing Animals series. Vivid photographs providing up-close views of the daily lives and habits of the title mammals are the highlights of these slim volumes. Minimal texts touch on habitat, appearance, diet, and offspring, and each supplies a folk-story answer to a question about the creature (e.g., "Why are meerkats always on the lookout? People in Africa tell a story about this..."). Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Amazing Animals titles: Meerkats, Bighorn Sheep, and Raccoons.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 1-3 Like all raccoons, Remington (Remy) is a collector--but he's no thief. When a newspaper implicates Remy in a museum robbery, the record must be set straight. He travels to Mouseville, Rat City, and Pigeon Plaza, declaring "all the city critters must unite!" to find the real thief. This illustrated chapter book relies on age-appropriate visual comedy to enliven an otherwise insipid plot.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) 4-6 Rocket and Groot (from the Guardians of the Galaxy comic and movie franchises) crash-land on a planet full of killer strip malls and must escape with the aid of their intelligent tape dispenser, Veronica. Told through Captain's Log transcripted dialogue (each character's in a different typeface) and illustrated with wacky rudimentary cartoons, the story tones down the original (foul-mouthed in Rocket's case) characters for a silly romp.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) K-3 John Wayne–esque hero Paws McDraw, "the fastest doodler in the west," draws his way out of trouble à la Harold and the Purple Crayon. While the engaging cartoony illustrations evoke a comedic animal-populated version of the Wild West, Paws's nonsensical problem-solving sketches and the assurance that "he always saves the day" leave the story devoid of much drama.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Woodland Wildlife series. Each book presents very basic information about a common small mammal in easy-to-read but choppy sentences. Texts cover habitat, reproduction, diet, and predators (no mention is made of the fact that many live among people). Large appealing photos will entice readers to browse. A simplistic range map is included; three critical thinking questions appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pebble Plus: Woodland Wildlife titles: Gray Squirrels, Raccoons, and Red Foxes.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 Wild Ones series. When smooth-talking Coyote and his otter gang attack Ankle Snap Alley and steal the citizens' winter food supply, young raccoon Kit and his friends form a new Moonlight Brigade to outwit the trickster and save their home. Kit continues to grow as an unlikely hero, while the series' likable characters and expanding society of urban creatures will enthrall lovers of animal adventures.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 Everyday Animals series. These volumes give only the most basic facts about the common mammals, with choppy texts reflecting the facing color photos: "Raccoons have long tails. Their tails have black rings." Still, this gives emergent readers good practice, and kids will appreciate that they may see these critters in their backyard. Four of the highlighted animal's features are summarized at book's end. Glos., ind. Review covers these Everyday Animals titles: Deer, Rabbits, Raccoons, and Squirrels.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen