(1) K-3 I Like to Read: Comics series. Pickle (a dog) and a bird friend decide to drive to Clover Farm to get some strawberries and fresh cream, but soon after they set out, the car breaks down. Instead of listening to the bird's advice ("check the engine"), Pickle exclaims, "This car is junk!" and starts a quest to purchase a new car. This beginning reader in comics format has two to six panels and multiple lines of dialogue per page, so it's best for readers who are building independence; short words and ample repetition support practice. The digital illustrations are in restful shades of blue and green that are a fine match for the story's gentle tone. The use of patterns -- particularly polka dots -- adds a sense of whimsy and visual interest as Pickle goes through the trials and tribulations of car shopping. He wants the fast car until he gets pulled over on his test drive; then he knocks over a bin of oranges while trying out an oversized SUV. And let's not even talk about the price of the fancy car. Eventually, Pickle's mechanic suggests that perhaps filling the old car's gas tank and getting a tune-up might be a better solution. Amusing and highly entertaining.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Translated by Antony Shugaar. The squirrel protagonist and narrator encounters a mushroom sitting on a log and declares, "This is definitely a best friend. At least I think he is." With this conviction in mind, the squirrel sets out to mold the mushroom, Pock, in its image of a best friend, showing him "the tree I like most, my secret places in the forest, things you wouldn't show anyone except a best friend." The two spend a few seasons together in quiet but content companionship, and Pock's best-friend status seems secure, until "spring arrives, and so does Moo," a dragonfly. As the squirrel discovers shared hobbies with the insect, it wonders whether Moo, not Pock, is actually its best friend. This leads to a crisis of decision-making, hilariously expressed: "Moo... Pock...Mo...Mock...Poo...Po...Aaarrrgh!" Just when it seems things can't get more confusing, yet another new friend appears: Gunther the mouse. Through a distinctive first-person narrative voice that sometimes verges on stream of consciousness, this book explores the question of what makes a best friend and whether it's possible to have more than one. Tallec's earth-tone illustrations imbue the pages with an ambience befitting the whimsical forest setting. The characters' simply drawn faces are evocative, their expressions rendered humorously hyperbolic through their stylized cartoonlike eyes in this funny picture book.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) YA This unconventional teen-pregnancy tale follows sixteen-year-old Ben, who had sex with his friend Maxie "as a scientific test." He wanted to confirm that he was gay; she was participating in "some kind of TikTok social experiment thing. " Now Maxie is pregnant. Influenced by her parents, she plans to pursue adoption. But Ben wants to keep the baby himself; he hopes to provide his child with the stable male presence he didn't have (his mother recently married her third husband since Ben's father died). Ben gets a job and prioritizes Maxie's doctor's appointments over his beloved robotics club. But is he really prepared for fatherhood? Ben's desire to do the right thing is endearing, although his naiveté in identifying what that means is both exasperating and comical (why wouldn't Maxie want to hear his opinions about prenatal meal planning?). Luckily, Ben has a supportive network to lean on, including his mom; his new stepfather (whom he is learning to trust); and Gio, his crush. They guide Ben to consider what it means to be a good parent and what's really best for his and Maxie's baby. The (convenient) answer leads to a moving conclusion in which Ben displays his newfound emotional maturity and relationship skills--the romance with Gio is a highlight--and finds peace with the decision he and Maxie make. "I know without any doubt...that I've made the right choice. This is right. This is family."

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 4-6 Survival Scout series. This humorous and informative comic-format guide showcases all things survival in the great outdoors. After getting lost while hiking and later abandoned by her exaggeratedly incompetent grown-up brother (he gets chased away by a bear), protagonist Scout is left alone in the wilderness. She has no communication devices and only half of the gear she needs, but she is determined to pull through. Straightforward narration documents Scout's planning and behavior as she tends to her most immediate priorities of shelter, signals, water, and food. As she confronts each challenge (how to light a fire, use a compass, etc.), readers gain access to her decision-making processes and her persistence and problem-solving skills when tasks don't immediately go as planned. Each survival scenario is presented with tension, but none verges on scary or stressful. A silly cast of talking critters (especially a friendly skunk) lightens the tone, offering clarifications and lots of laugh-out-loud jokes. The thick-lined, brightly colored illustrations are jam-packed with diagrams, labels, and other instructions akin to what one would see in a survival handbook; a variety of layouts and visual perspectives allows for readers to focus on the facts and soak in the beauty of the setting. An appendix includes information on knot-tying, Morse code, first aid, bear safety, skunk scent remedies, and going to the bathroom; resources for further reading; and an author's note.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Brittany Cicchese. "There are four people in our family. Rosie, Tulip, Daddy and me. I am Mommy." So begins this funny, heartwarming story of a feline-loving family in need of a cat. Mommy narrates the ensuing swirl of drama, evident in the lively illustrations, with dry humor and unflappable spirit. Rosie and Tulip want a kitten; Daddy thinks an older cat would be better. When he confidently defers to Mommy, he finds himself overruled. Selecting a name also requires shrewd diplomacy, brilliantly executed from the mother's perspective (Daddy is not in agreement with the choice). Throughout, she manages the conflicts by seeking strategies that will lead to "less fighting" and more "rejoicing." A soft, warm color palette sets the tone for the characters whose illustrated expressions and actions extend the story beyond the protagonist's point of view. After one unfortunate trip to a non-operational animal shelter that leaves everyone gloomy, Mommy sets off alone to visit another with clear instructions about what to bring home. There are many kittens, but she ends up with one that's nothing like what anyone expected: "He wasn't small. In fact, he was almost an older cat. And he wasn't very cute. He couldn't be our kitten." Mommy forges ahead anyway, and everyone, even Daddy, finds themselves rejoicing. Irresistible endpapers full of mischievous cats bookend the story.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) YA Vivian Lantz is determined to break her streak of terrible first days of school. She decides on a new style, writes out a plan in the notebook her best friend gave her before moving away, and is sure that this time will be perfect. But things go wrong on the first day of eighth grade, including a flood at home, a collision with a classmate that lands her in the mud, the unexpected start of her period, and an exchange with the school newspaper advisor that leaves her uncertain about following in her favorite writer's footsteps. She goes to bed, hoping for a better second day--and instead wakes up to the first day of eighth grade, round two. Stuck in a time loop, Vivian tries to fix the day's mistakes, only to see things go wrong in different ways. The process repeats again and again, as Vivian discovers all the problems with her initial plan for eighth-grade success and learns a few things about friends, family, and charting her own path. Vivian's tween angst is palpable, and the book's lessons about making friends, learning whom to trust, and developing a sense of self are unsurprising but well delivered, making for an enjoyable read.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) K-3 My First I Can Read Book series. Fox and his friends are back in this newest installment in Tabor's Geisel-winning (for Fox the Tiger) beginning-reader series. "Fox has a problem." When Fox's kite gets stuck in a tree, he sees many other kites stuck in trees. He brings in a giant fan to blow them down, and it blows all the kites, along with all the leaves on the trees, into Bear's den. "Now Bear has a problem..." This sets off a chain reaction of questionable choices and humorously disastrous results. Tabor is skilled at letting a controlled vocabulary and tight sentences play it straight while his illustrations bring the comedy. Short statements that lean on sight words and repetition read like wry commentary on Fox's antics, which are made plain in Tabor's colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations. The composition here is perfectly planned--not a line or gesture wasted--and the images grow ever more absurd as the pages turn and Fox brings in a giant vacuum to suck up all the leaves and accidentally sucks up Bear and blocks Rabbit's burrow. By the time readers learn that Fox has "a sharp idea" above an image of Fox's hand holding a very large, very sharp needle, they'll be giggling in anticipation of exactly how badly this is all going to end.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by J Yang. This timely picture book by activist Grimm, with help from author Lukoff (When Aidan Became a Brother, rev. 7/19) and artist Yang, tells the true story of young Gavin's charge into the fight for transgender rights. Like many kids, Gavin is able to make certain decisions himself. Will he eat a worm on a dare? Probably not. Will he sneak a pet frog into his room? Likely, yes. However, there are some choices kids don't make, including the gender they're assigned at birth. But Gavin can choose whether to come out to his family and to face down bigotry within his community. When his school challenges his right to use the boys' bathroom, Gavin stands up for himself and other transgender students by speaking at a school committee meeting, and later, on national news and in court alongside the ACLU. Though Gavin faces intimidating opponents, the text remains encouraging from the first page to the last. Yang's dynamic digital illustrations have a comics-style quality; Gavin's determination as he encounters new challenges and questions what to do is clearly conveyed. Background characters represent individuals of many skin tones, sizes, abilities, and cultures. The transgender flag's cotton-candy pink and light blue shades appear in soft clouds overhead and on protest signs on several pages, perhaps as a reminder that Gavin is not alone in his fight for justice. This true story of courage and resiliency is sure to inspire young advocates everywhere. Notes from the authors are appended.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey. The Pumphrey brothers employ understated storytelling, wry humor, and skillful cartooning throughout this entertaining original fable. The premise is simple. Four bayou critters (an opossum, a squirrel, a rabbit, and a mouse) are attempting to cross a river when they happen upon a mysterious green tail. The opossum, squirrel, and rabbit each makes a different, uninformed assumption about the tail (respectively declaring it "sneaky," "scary," and "mean"), but all three share the same fate: a scaly "SMACK" into the river. Only the mouse seeks out more information, discovering that the tail is tied to a log. Evoking heroic mice from folklore, the mouse frees the stranger (unsurprisingly revealed to be an alligator) with a few nibbles. An amusing tension builds when the alligator offers the mouse a ride across the river, leading to the conclusion: "I think we've become friends. And friends don't eat friends. Besides...I ate some strangers earlier." Pitch-perfect pacing develops a repetitive rhythm reminiscent of oral storytelling, while, in the illustrations, subtle variations in body language, eye position, and panel size/shape provide meaningful subtext. The earthy palette and block-print imagery are graphically grounded, while conveying plenty of textural nuance and depth through subtle layering. Both a cautionary tale and a thrilling romp, this surefire read-aloud will be embraced especially by fans of Klassen's celebrated hat trilogy.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) K-3 Translated by Nick Frost. Illustrated by Qin Leng. "I simply can't decide what I want to do." Standing frozen on the doorstep, young Clover struggles to choose--should she go mushroom picking? Or to the river to look for mussels? There are so many things to do around her family's goat farm. Reminded by her brother that there are no wrong answers, Clover opts to go to the river, where she sees her goat, Peony, disappearing into the forest. To find Peony, Clover journeys alone into the forest, making important decisions along the way. Keep going or turn back? Go left or right? She asks a tree, a stream, and the wind, but they don't offer any advice. Still, Clover finds strength and learns to act quickly and decisively in the process. Leng's engaging ink and watercolor illustrations add an inviting visual narrative. This story about decision-making and self-trust is also an homage to nature and its power--­sometimes wild and scary, at other times soothing, calming, and inspiring.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Santat. Though oversize, this eighty-eight-page picture book is not for story hour; it's perhaps best suited for just one or two listeners. And get comfortable; kids will insist on multiple readings because, while the story begins the same way each time (Rosie must take a cake to her sick grandma), the choose-your-own-path format results in multiple endings (and middles). After introducing Rosie, the text asks, "What next, Rosie? Which coat will you wear?" Readers choose either her faux fur coat or her favorite red cape and are sent to a specific page number depending on their choice. Those pages tell more of the story and offer further choices (kiss your scary-looking granny or run for the door; jump out a window with your eyes open or closed). The numerous possible endings are split fairly evenly between happy and not-so-happy ones. In the latter, Rosie usually finds herself dead--not as morbid as it sounds because, if readers choose (and they will), Rosie can start her story over and hope for a better outcome. The humorously grim text is well matched with amusing illustrations that keep even the darker story elements lighthearted, as readers meet (or not) such characters as Snow White, a wicked queen, Jack, and Sleeping Beauty. Santat's Rosie is small but sturdy and never terribly perturbed, even when she finds herself swallowed by the wolf ("You've got no choice. You sit and wait. It's dark, and what a bore! / You're not quite sure if this is death. You've never died before!"). Both text and art are endlessly clever.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Dana Sanmar. Unbeknownst to Clara, she is the object of la Lotería, a game of chance being played out by two friends, Life and Lady Death. The events of her life begin to be determined by the game, and when her orphaned cousin Esteban disappears into a giant cactus, Clara follows. The two end up in the legendary Aztec land Aztlán, where the devil has captured Esteban to add to the king's ill-fated collection of children. Clara cajoles, fights, tricks, and trades to overcome all obstacles, intent on freeing Esteban and ensuring him a full life at home in Oaxaca City. Will she live or die this day? Card by card, the players observe Clara's choices, arguing for free will (Life says we have it) or determinism (Death's take on choice). Clara's unexpected decisions lead to the story's heart: "Even when you have no choice about what has happened to you, you can still decide what you're going to do about it." The tale is a scaffolding for this debate, and what a lush, verdant scaffolding it is. The story (with grayscale illustrations) is filled with Mexican imagery, abundant with descriptions of food, flowers, vegetable gardens, forests, markets, and fetes, and especially of the jungle and ornate architecture, spiral stairs, curlicues, and darksome caves of Aztlán. Clara's valor and littleness stand out amidst this lavish context. In her author's note, Valenti explains the sources for her themes and imagery.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) K-3 Translated by Kathryn Bishop. Illustrated by Annika Siems. On the title page, a boy boasts to his friends that he is going fishing with his grandad: "We'll catch a big fish, and I'll pull it out of the water all by myself!" The friends are unimpressed and laugh at him ("as usual"). Nevertheless, grandfather and grandson set off in their canoe, paddling through giant water lily pads, and begin fishing. Siems's painterly illustrations fill each spread, showing the scenes underwater and in the boat, using muted browns, blues, greens, and grays. One especially effective spread provides an overhead view of the lily pads and the boy's finger creating concentric circles in the water, capturing the luminous natural beauty. When they finally net a big fish, Grandad shows the boy the babies inside the creature's mouth, ­explaining that it's a father fish who will carry them for a month. He offers the child a choice--taking the fish to show to his friends, or allowing it to live with its children in peace. The understated story allows readers to see a community living close to the natural world (although the setting is unspecified in the text, the back-cover copy describes "a little boy of the Amazon"), and they will appreciate a tale in which a young person has an important decision to make.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(2) YA When Astrid's brain tumor comes back, she doesn't want to go through chemo and hospitals again. Instead she investigates cryopreservation as a possibility and road-trips from Massachusetts to Arizona to tour the cryopreservation facility, posting vlog updates along the way. Astrid's matter-of-fact voice contains a good amount of gallows humor, and the existential questions she raises are thought-provoking and ripe for discussion. Her eventual decision, while it feels inevitable, is devastating.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) YA Practical teen Audrey questions her future the summer after graduation. Her professor parents push their local liberal arts college, but Audrey considers pursuing nursing out of state. A surprising (and authentic) romance with a boy devoted to their seaside-California hometown makes her decision harder. This breezy summer story boasts a well-balanced mix of romantic, family, and personal conflicts that will appeal to Sarah Dessen fans.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) YA High-school senior Yvonne realizes that she has lost her passion for the violin and isn't good enough to attend a music conservatory after graduation. She struggles to forge a new path, finding an ally in street musician Omar and risking her relationship with current love interest Warren. It takes an unplanned pregnancy for Yvonne to decide who she wants to be. Colbert's characters are complex: equal parts endearing and infuriating.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku

(3) YA Introspective narration alternates between that of pregnant sixteen-year-old Ivy, choosing adoptive parents for her baby in 2017, and the parallel story of her own mother, Bridget, sixteen years prior. Readers who carefully follow the nonlinear narrative will find an original and thoughtful lens through which to examine teenage pregnancy and adoption.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisa Weber. In a quirky (if gimmicky) presentation, the events of Abraham Lincoln's life are explained to him in the second person. The central conceit is that Lincoln's success was dictated by the important decisions he made in his life and career, several of which are outlined in multiple-choice format throughout the narrative. An unconventional and humorous way to approach biography. Reading list, timeline, websites.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Survivor Diaries series. When twelve-year-old twins Ashley and Ryan are caught in an avalanche on a skiing trip in Wyoming's Grand Teton Mountains, Ashley's quick-thinking and instinctual decision-making help them survive. On a sixth-grade geocaching field trip in New Mexico, former best friends Jen and Martin must rely on each other when they're separated from their class during a dust storm. These well-paced and easy-to-read wilderness stories integrate real survival techniques; region-specific tips are also appended. Review covers these Survivor Diaries titles: Avalanche! and Dust Storm!.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) YA After a tragic day on a lake--when Lark must choose between saving either Alec, the guy she likes, or Annabelle, an almost-five-year-old she knows--Lark's life splits in two. In one version, Alec is in a coma; in a parallel reality, Annabelle is the one hospitalized. The Sliding Doors premise, though occasionally difficult to follow, offers a unique perspective on grief and loss.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith