(2) PS Illustrated by Bruce Ingman. In this tale of humorously escalating adventure and silliness, Elsie discovers a series of animals under the family dining table, an extravagant catalog that includes an elephant, kangaroo, and penguin. What to do with such a zoo? In each case the visitor finds a useful role in the family (e.g., car-washing, unloading groceries). The form and tone of the narrative beautifully capture the experience of an adult co-creating a story with a young child on the spot. The pleasures of pattern; the back-and-forth of improvisation; delicious, suspenseful page-turns; and the loopy energy of a plot twist coming in from left field -- all add up to a warm and jokey conversation happening in the immediate present. "There was once a girl. Elsie, her name was -- yes, Elsie Cannon." Ingman's naive-style paintings in primary colors, reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans, are perfectly suited to the flavor of the tale as they pursue and develop their own subplots. An anthropomorphic boiled egg, piano stool, saltshaker, and cutlery add an obbligato of animation, comedy, and naughtiness. What happened to Mildred the family cat? Oh, there she is, sipping lemonade at the picnic. And what about Bertie, that boiled egg who appears on almost every spread? Is he possibly our unidentified narrator? Ahlberg, a veteran of almost fifty years of picture book writing, pulls yet another irresistible rabbit out of his storyteller's hat.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Julia on the Go! series. Illustrated by Julie Kim. The rec center is nine-year-old Julia Nam's second home: it's where her parents' restaurant, Sushi to Go, is located, as well as the library and the swimming pool where she is the youngest member of the swim team. Fiercely driven, Julia goes hard in warm-ups and doesn't let up until practice is over. She lives for time trials, which her coach calls Personal Best Day, or PBD. When an ear infection forces her to take a ten-day break from swimming, she goes stir-crazy at the thought of missing PBD and the chance to qualify to compete in a regional meet. Her parents advise her that she needs to be patient and "roll with it," punning on the sushi rolls they sell. But she just can't, and readers benefit from the often-humorous trouble she gets into. Kim's black-and-white illustrations bring the rec center environment to life. Ahn subtly fleshes out Julia's world, noting in passing how the young athlete sometimes went to school hungry when her Korean immigrant parents juggled part-time jobs. This spirited first book in a projected series delivers a meaningful message about resilience, the value of patience and flexibility, and the benefits of teamwork and community building.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. A jaunty, rhythmic text sets the mood for considering similarities and differences among people: "Somewhere in the big big city across a beep-beep street...up two tall buildings...two happy babies look out their morning windows at the very same time. / This baby. / And that baby." Rich, textured mixed-media art showcases an urban environment full of color, music, and life. The two babies set about their similarly structured but individual days. They both like games and songs, but not the same ones. They both require frequent diaper changes, get hungry, and need naps. The illustrations create humorous distinctions in the parallel routines, and the well-paced story offers plenty of room to pause and notice these details. When one baby's nap ends in tears and the other's failed nap ends in grumpiness, both are whisked out for walks headed in opposite directions. In an appropriate conclusion to this cheerful compare-and-contrast story, the babies end up at the same park bench, each one delighted to see the other.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(1) K-3 Picture books about imaginary play can be belabored or overly precious. Not so Blackall's brilliantly constructed latest. The opening setting is a living room (just a suggestion of one -- we mostly see an ocean-colored rug). Here we meet a child gathering items needed for a pretend sea voyage while an adult vacuums. As the child exhorts the adult to join in, we begin to see intimations of the coming seascape: the cat, poking its head under the rug, creates swelling waves; patterned pillows evoke shark fins; etc. Then, with a page-turn, we are plunged into the book's make-believe world -- child and adult aboard a fully rigged multi-masted schooner on the high seas, about to encounter a storm (and sharks!). The mixed-media and digital illustrations are alternately gorgeous and rich in character and humor. For example, on one spread the adult's cell phone rings ("blah blah blah..."), temporarily returning us to real life ("we are in the doldrums," bemoans the discouraged child). Blackall excels at setting the stage for the imaginary play with one-to-one equivalents (the vacuum, with its long cord, easily transforms into a giant squid; a paper-towel roll becomes a spyglass) and then making us forget all that, immersing us in the book's imaginary world, wholly capturing the experience of imaginary play. "ANCHORS...AWEIGH!" Glossary of sailing terms included.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Tales of the Feathered Serpent series. Illustrated by Charlene Bowles. his follow-up to Rise of the Halfling King (rev. 11/20) tells the story -- again in graphic-novel form -- of Mayan demigod twins Hunahpu and Xbalanke, sons of demigods One Hunahpu and Lady Blood, a royal ruler of Xibalba (the Underworld), "the only good and lovely creature in that place." Wooed by the trapped soul of One Hunahpu, Lady Blood leaves Xibalba to give birth in the Overworld. From the start, her sons are forced to compete with their older twin half-brothers for the attention of their grandmother, the goddess of the cornfields. With the encouragement of Lady Blood to achieve their "destiny" to rescue their father and uncle from Xibalba, the younger twins concoct a musical plan to trick their older brothers and get them out of the way for a bit. Straightforward and humorous language paired with clear, eye-catching comics-style illustrations make this an engaging retelling of a selection from the Mayan Popol Vuh. An appended author's note further explains the origin of the story and inspiration for the series, and a list of characters in the opening pages is helpful for navigating the tale. A Spanish edition, Los héroes gemelos y la magia de la canción, will be published in spring 2025.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(2) YA In a graphic memoir set in 1993, thirteen-year-old Chinese Canadian Ruth is apprehensive about her family's upcoming move from Toronto to Hong Kong. While her parents are thrilled (her mother is returning home after thirty years), Ruth loves her life in Toronto and doesn't want to leave. Her father tries to reassure her, telling her that "it's okay to be nervous about change and the unknown. Just remember that you'll be okay. The unknown is simply a part of life." But adjusting to the move is difficult. Ruth feels alienated from her extended family, struggling to communicate in Cantonese and often breaching Chinese etiquette. When a new friend begins ignoring her and her father's job takes him away from the family during the week, Ruth's emotions erupt over a double-page panel. She finds understanding when her mother shares her immigration story and when her father acknowledges her difficulties. Showing the courage, perseverance, and patience of her ancestors, Ruth gains confidence in herself and learns to thrive in her new home. Ruth's emotional world is active and relatable, and she is depicted with a range of facial expressions. Panels set in 1993 are shown in a soft, neutral color palette and reflect the bustle of her modern-day life in Hong Kong; flashbacks to her parents' stories are sepia-toned, evoking nostalgia about villages and farms. Sincere and engaging, Chen's memoir explores themes of cross-cultural family dynamics and finding a place to belong through human connection.

Reviewer: Kristine Techavanich | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) 4-6 After "a bunch of water ruin[s] her life," all that our twelve-year-old protagonist wants to do is get back to normal. But what does normal look like for "Temple Baxter, flood victim"? It doesn't look like living in temporary quarters for weeks, switching schools, and constantly babysitting her three-year-old sister while her parents work and deal with the extensive repairs on their home. When her former private school friends ghost her, she's further unmoored. A natural organizer, Temple lands on the coping strategy of planning a fundraiser. With the help of neighborhood frenemy Jesse and new friend Asha, whose reframing of "flood victim" as "aquatic adventurer" helps Temple find her footing, she recruits local media, some big-name acts, and (just in time) a venue. With a plot that leans on the "plucky kids save the day with a big show" trope, this could read like a heartwarming feature story on the local news. But Faris elevates it with a keen sensitivity to Temple's emotional development as the tween comes to a maturing sense of her place in her family and community. Her desperate insistence that her parents level with her will strike chords of recognition in readers who are also teetering on the brink of agency. Sincere and heartfelt.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Kate Hindley. Hindley brings a Richard Scarry vibe to Fitzgerald's zany bedtime frolic. From the start, the direct-address narrator breaks the book's titular promise: the "quickest bedtime story EVER" is "only ten words. BUT before we begin, listen up." Listeners join a cast of pajama-clad animals in a series of interactive bedtime-stalling antics. They pledge to go to bed at the end of the book, while grownups promise to use their best reading voices. Everyone warms up (aided by silly, near-page-filling text), stretches (rotating the book to achieve a full vertical extension), tucks in their toys (from biggest to smallest, in colors and patterns, or "even try out [their] own ideas"), practices careful page-turning, and so on. Finally it's time for the story, which sums up this delightful romp: "Once upon a bed, / you laughed, / and played, / and read." Colorfully cluttered illustrations offer myriad details, inviting repeat readings, encouraged by the book's closing words: "(Until tomorrow!)." In the final pages, Hindley's bright, wakeful colors give way to sleepy shades of blue, glowing from decorative string lights, and everyone -- well, almost everyone -- is sound asleep.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Laura Dronzek. This adventure of discovery kicks off on the title-page spread with an adult and child walking a dog. The story's second-person voice immediately engages readers: "If you found a little ball on the grass and it was there for days, you could take it home." What about a flower? An empty box? A kitten? Each one ends up at the child's home. Henkes constructs the text conditionally, which will spark many conversations with young children about what is fair for the taking: if the ball was there for multiple days; if the flower sprung forth from a crack in the sidewalk; if the box was on the curb as garbage; and if the kitten was scared and "didn't belong to anyone and it didn't have a mother and you got permission from everyone," you would be "lucky" to take them home. The story taps into the inherent caretaking tendencies of many young children: the kitten is safe in a new home, sleeping in the warm box, playing with the red ball and dog. In nearly every spread, Dronzek's brightly colored illustrations in multicolored borders appear on the recto; the text, perfect for emerging readers, is placed on the verso. Tableaux, dominated by simple square shapes, are reduced to their essentials: ball, flower, box, kitten -- all "happy" in a warm home because the child took the time to notice them.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Erin Stead. Big Bear and Little Bear enjoy a summer idyll. It starts with a joyous declaration from Big Bear -- "I'm just in the mood for fishing" -- that [cf2just encapsulates a child's immersive enthusiasm. The two bears get dressed, find their poles, bake blueberry scones (of course; as Big Bear observes, "Fishermen need nice, warm blueberry scones"), and pack a storybook. These preparations traverse several beautifully orchestrated page-turns, each new necessity building listeners' anticipation. Big Bear's warm confidence coaxes Little Bear past some apprehension at the dock; in the boat at last, they "dip their poles" and wait, nibbling scones and reading stories until a fish finally appears, then swims away, leaving Big Bear and Little Bear to retreat contentedly to their hammock. Stead's delicate pencil and watercolor paintings depict beguiling details -- Big Bear's bunny slippers, the honeybees on the wallpaper, the echinacea in bloom -- without ever distracting from the total delight these bears have in each other. In their gently hairy bulk and the tender tilts of their heads, they recall Sendak's Little Bear and his mother. The text is equally gentle in its phrasing. Dialogue is set in italics rather than enclosed in quotation marks; pre-readers may not notice, but the unusual typographical choice will draw the attention of adults and older children to the warm, brown letters and the creamy negative space. It's hard to imagine a nicer day than this.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) YA Thirteen-year-old Deena Rahman's world revolves around spending time with her friends, creating art, and appeasing her Pakistani American family. Deena also helps her mother run a clothing boutique selling Pakistani outfits, hoping to alleviate tension in their home over finances. Deena often overhears her parents fighting about money and feels guilty for their having to spend it on things she needs, such as dental work. She also hesitates to tell them about things she and her brother, Musa, would benefit from, such as art classes for her and talent scouts to further Musa's chances at a soccer scholarship. She tries to ignore the daily nausea and gnawing in her stomach, but soon the physical manifestations of stress demand attention. Both Deena and her parents must confront her anxiety issues and the importance of support. With helpful friends and an artist mentor, she learns to deprioritize others' expectations and advocate for herself, including pushing back against her parents' reluctance to allow her to see a school psychologist. A sensitive look at the effects of anxiety and the pressures of today (including social media) on young people's mental health.

Reviewer: Sadaf Siddique | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Charity Brown, youngest of four, is dealing with the lingering effects of polio and starting to question the beliefs and rules of her parents, who adhere to the precepts of a strict Christian sect. "We had to avoid places where the Devil might lurk, like cinemas, or those coffee bars with juke boxes that play wickedly sinful pop music." The family's plain, thrifty, and restrained domestic life changes drastically when the Browns come into an unexpected inheritance that includes a mansion and decide to set up a kind of hostel for the "weary and heavy-laden." Set in postwar London, this narrative touches on antisemitism, racism, and the oppression of women but folds these issues deftly into a child-centered story of a spirited girl who feels inadequate, longs for a friend, is embarrassed by her parents' behavior in public, and frets about how the idea of a loving God can be reconciled with the sorrows of the world. The tone here, warm and gently funny, matches the setting, as well-orchestrated scenes of family dinner disasters, a teenage brother with attitude, not having the right clothes, an adored auntie who is a bit "fast," and a short-lived crush could have been plucked from a mid-twentieth-century children's novel. A nuanced portrait of growing up outside the mainstream.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) 4-6 In this novel set in 1973, all seventh grader Melanie wants is to be one of the popular Shimmers. As her best friend, Vicky, seems to be having more success achieving that goal than Melanie is, the sudden appearance of a new friend is welcome. New classmate Dorit was born in Israel and has moved from place to place, and she and Melanie discover they have a lot in common. In fact, each has a parent with symptoms of what the author's note identifies as PTSD -- Melanie's mother from a car accident and Dorit's father from fighting in the Six-Day War. The Shimmers are less than compassionate, and in an attempt to impress them, Melanie crosses a line in what she shares about Dorit and her family. The start of the Yom Kippur War believably heightens emotions, while Melanie's growing understanding of the Watergate scandal mirrors issues of trust among Melanie and her peers in this tale of friendship dynamics that doesn't reach for easy resolutions or immediate forgiveness.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Having written several works of historical fiction with d/Deaf characters, LeZotte (Show Me a Sign, rev. 9/20, and sequels) now turns to a setting in which the issues that compromise the mental and physical well-being of d/Deaf children are contemporary and immediate. This first-person, present-tense verse novel accelerates suspensefully in a series of vignettes, events, and reflections. Effie lives with her older sister and alcoholic father, having been cast out of her mother and stepfather's house. None of her family has learned American Sign Language, the only language fully accessible for her; it's left to her school interpreter, Miss Kathy, to provide deep refreshment to Effie's love and communication-thirsty soul. In brief, spare entries, Effie conveys her fears and isolation, enjoys a new friendship with a classmate with cerebral palsy, and finally finds a way to tell Miss Kathy about her stepfather's sexual predation. Miss Kathy applies for custody, which is granted after a tense three-day hearing; Effie's father is found to be an unfit guardian because he refuses to learn ASL. (LeZotte reports in her author's note that she based her plot on a similar, historic case in the d/Deaf community, and that three out of four hearing parents do not learn to sign with their deaf children.) LeZotte packs a great deal into this very quick work, and while the complexity of anguish, isolation, language trauma, and sexual abuse Effie suffers could merit fuller expression, the story can pique interest and raise awareness of what it is like to grow up d/Deaf in a non-signing family, using ASL interpreters, or confronting false assumptions about disability.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) YA A Japanese American author-illustrator describes her inner journey to find herself while taking an actual journey to Japan. With an Asian mother and a white father, nineteen-year-old Christine has never felt as if she fit in anywhere and hopes that a year living in the country of her birth will make her feel like a whole person instead of just "half." Initially excited, Christine soon finds fitting in just as hard in Japan -- she's exoticized for being biracial, and her lack of fluency in the language makes her feel awkward and lonely. Her range of emotions is well expressed in the illustrations, which are tinted in various shades of purple that manage to suit both her upbeat outlook and her eventual depression. Pops of pink (neon and pastel) add interest, and the book's only full-color scene (a single-page illustration of a blooming cherry tree) highlights Christine's crucial realization that the blossoms' beauty lies not in their short life but in their resilient return year after year. With support from her Japanese grandparents and through regular conversations with a therapist, Christine slowly and believably regains hope and learns it's okay to be uncertain about what life holds for her. Biracial identity, mental health, and Japanese culture are explored in this deeply personal graphic memoir.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) 4-6 After his parents unexpectedly announce their divorce, eleven-year-old James decides his new friend Yan's time machine might give him a chance to go back to a happier past. When James's mother moves out, he must adapt to frequent switches between two homes and to parents redefining themselves at midlife. Some of the changes are, in his opinion, improvements, such as his mother's first-ever entry into his school's annual cake-making fundraiser; others, such as meeting Yan on his route to school with Mom, take some time to appreciate. When Yan's time machine doesn't have the intended effect (it's a proxy server that lets her access the 1990s-era internet), she goes to work adapting it to help James. Chapter headings count down the time remaining until their launch, and James reflects on experiences that will never happen again now that his parents have split up. When Yan's machine takes him back to those perfect moments, though, he sees them from a different perspective and discovers that the divorce was not such a surprise after all. Marr effectively blends elements of an adventure story with a quieter, character-driven plot. Subjects such as racial identity (James and Yan, like Marr, are both Chinese Australian, but Yan is a recent immigrant) and bullying are seamlessly integrated into the story, and James's realization that the adults around him are more complex than he'd realized is well handled. An enjoyable read with an innovative twist on the time-travel narrative. Sarah

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(2) 4-6 What began as a quest to reunite lost socks with their owners soon leads to new friendships, important discoveries about neighbors, and a deeper sense of community for two Asian American girls in New York City. Ten-year-old Magnolia Wu lives with her parents and their dog, Mister Pants, in a tiny apartment above their laundromat. Magnolia helps her parents run the business, including keeping track of lost socks on a bulletin board, and her world feels complete. One day, Magnolia meets Iris Lam, newly arrived from California. Despite initial awkwardness, the two find a common interest in reuniting socks and owners, using Magnolia's knowledge of the customers and Iris's guidance to "look for the little things." Each new mission teaches them a little more about their neighbors, their families, and each other, amidst a shared trauma of anti-Asian microaggressions and harassment. Fittingly, their strong personalities lead to a heated argument and estrangement that shows Magnolia she needs her friend to make a complete pair, just like the lost socks. Miller's fresh and honest storytelling approach and her endearing characters are spot-on for early-middle-grade readers confronting the highs and lows of friendship, racial tension, and the trials of growing up. Whimsical black-and-white illustrations add levity and charm.

Reviewer: J. Elizabeth Mills | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Ellen Heck. "Cold winter winds rattle your window and the blast of the foghorn weaves into your morning dreams, warning ships away from the rocky cliffs behind you." In a second-person narrative voice, Partridge (Parks for the People, rev. 3/22) follows the 1930s construction of the Golden Gate Bridge through the eyes of two fictional siblings, the children of one of the workers. This enables her to highlight key events, simplify complex processes, and weave in compelling factual details. Double-page spreads feature the children observing the construction from up close and from afar. Inset illustrations zoom in to provide extra detail about the construction work, while the bottom of every spread provides a visual timeline of the bridge's progress. Heck's textured art, varied compositions, and striking color choices (blues and greens contrast with the famous reddish orange) provide the appropriate mood and gravitas for the accomplishment of such a noted architectural wonder and historical landmark. An informative afterword provides intriguing additional details such as the challenges presented by tides and currents; the expert Mohawk Indians who came west and worked as riveters; and the choice of the iconic International Orange.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(2) PS "Brandon had a special plaid blanket. He also had a new baby brother." His parents are entirely preoccupied with the baby, and big brother feels neglected. He kicks up a fuss at suppertime ("Mommy, I do not want to eat in the big-boy chair anymore"), bathtime, and bedtime. Fortunately, his beloved blanket, in a swirly mix of lilacs and blues, comes to the rescue, transforming into a series of animals (Toucan, Sea Lion, Owl) to distract and entertain him. Soon his blanket captivates not only Brandon but also his brother, and Brandon is too busy and happy to feel left out. Then comes one naptime when Baby doesn't want to be alone and cries inconsolably. Fortunately, Brandon knows what to do. He enlists not only his own plaid blanket but Baby's -- also plaid, but in yellows and pinks -- as well to help, and the two blankets transform into Owl and Little Owl to watch over a now-comforted and snoozing Baby. "Brandon loved his special plaid blanket. As for his baby brother? Brandon loved him, too." The situation is of course hugely relatable, and readers and listeners will be drawn in further by the liberal sprinkling of chantable sounds ("Swish, snap, splash!") throughout the text. Pinkney's signature art, created with India ink, opaque watercolors, and acrylics, is all movement and swooping lines and adds even more energy and dynamism.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Audrey Helen Weber. In Rex's fantastical tale, a baby tumbles out the door and around the world without once waking up. Tumblebaby's rollicking escapade involves besting scoundrels and coyotes (and then leading those coyotes to rescue people from a fire and build a community center), as well as grabbing the gold at the Winter Olympics. Rex's lighthearted, folksy storytelling is full of infectious humor, such as when a small coyote tries to bite the baby and ends up getting "a mouthful of diaper" instead. Bouncy rhymes occasionally break up the narrative, neatly summing up and moving the story forward ("Tumblebaby hi, / Tumblebaby ho, / Tumblebaby fly / down the driveway / and go"). Pithy homespun aphorisms add bigger-picture observations, such as "money comes and money goes." The surreal nonsense is brought to life in Weber's whimsical, color-saturated gouache and acrylic paintings, which feature a purple Tumblebaby with a multicolored face and curved shapes that give a sense of tumbling movement. Ultimately, Tumblebaby returns home to their parents (shown only as pairs of hands, one beige set and one green). "And that baby? That was you...People always forget the things they did when they were babies." This absurd, dreamlike story's intriguing premise may provoke further imagining from young readers and listeners.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024