(2) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Princess Marigold has grown up in the shadow of her perfect older sister, Rosalind, who was abducted by a wizard long before Marigold was born. When Rosalind miraculously finds her way home, Marigold is ambivalent and rashly decides that she's wicked and doesn't belong in the kingdom. She runs away to a place where she can embrace her so-called wickedness: the fortress of the wizard who held Rosalind captive for fifteen years. She can stay with Wizard Torville and his imp, Pettifog, if she passes a test to prove that she's evil: "I'll give you seven days to do something so vile that even an imp can't deny your wicked nature." Hijinks ensue (including Marigold mistakenly turning Torville into a sentient blob). When a pair of wizards plots to destroy a peace treaty among the kingdoms, Marigold must reckon with what it really means to be wicked. What began as sisterly revenge becomes part of a complicated web of spells that could undo the Cacophonous Kingdoms altogether. Carlson's deftly told story tackles questions of good versus evil and sibling bonds with a cast of oddball creatures and lots of humor. Clever, quirky, and cozy.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) YA Divine Traitors series. Seventeen-year-old Faron is the Childe Empyrean, blessed five years ago to wield the power of her island's gods. Now that San Irie's war against the colonizing Langlish and their dragons is won, Faron uses that ability to show off with classmates. Faron's sister, Elara, has no such blessings beyond the regular magic of islanders to summon ancestor spirits, but she wants to build a name for herself beyond her family's status, and to keep Faron, their country, and the island's young queen safe. When Elara unexpectedly discovers she's a "dragon Rider," the sisters and their friends are pulled deeper into machinations between the political powers and the gods. Cole's writing is vivid and rich; the depth and care placed in the world- and character-building make the novel a delight to read. The story, set years after war, feels rich and lived in. The characters have foibles, backstories, traumas, and nuances that make them as sympathetic as they can be frustrating, and their believable flaws directly fuel the narrative elements that lead toward peril. The romances the characters explore -- sapphic and demisexual -- hold charm and tension, helping to propel this magic-infused, Jamaican-inspired tale, and a cliffhanger ending with gripping plotlines yet unresolved will leave readers eager for the projected sequel.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Ever since the plague three centuries ago, during which the Prince of Dantessa challenged Lady Death to a game of noctis for the lives of her people, inhabitants of the tiny magical island compete for wealth and standing by taking wagers in the Great Game, the magic system that oversees all games of chance. But when Pia's Gramps loses a final game and is banished, Pia will do whatever it takes to win the money it would take to recall him to play. Her opportunity comes when she is recruited by the Seafoxes into a tournament that carries a hefty prize. Their chief rival is the Krakens, captained by Renzo, once Pia's greatest childhood friend but now her enemy. Can the Seafoxes compete in an arena where the wealthy can afford magical boons that give them considerable advantages -- and can they find a way to break the Great Game so that wealth doesn't automatically equal winning? Befitting a society run by games, some of the magic is silly (one game involves dueling with swordfish; some boons involve being given zebra stripes or invulnerability while standing on one foot), but things become very serious when Lady Death herself appears in order to compete in the tournament. Inventive and unexpected, this creative fantasy will entertain readers while striking deeper notes of honor and teamwork in the face of peril.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 1-3 The First Cat in Space series. Illustrated by Shawn Harris. Following The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza (rev. 7/22) is an elaborate and emotionally sincere graphic novel that fortunately retains much of the oddball absurdity of its predecessor. This space-Western whodunit sees the return of the series' heroic trio: stoic First Cat, courageous Moon Queen, and reputable robot Loz 4000; however, the friend group finds itself fractured due to the pint-sized droid's self-assigned exile for an honest mistake. After the queen's soup is mysteriously poisoned, she has only twenty-four hours to obtain lifesaving "golden glumpfoozles" (a.k.a. yellow apples). Joined by First Cat, Her Majesty's episodic lunar adventure is rife with near-constant twists, danger, and subterfuge. Loz 4000 faces peril as well, including unjust imprisonment with a baby pirate, but it's through this relationship that Loz learns to overcome feelings of self-doubt to be the hero that the story needs. Thoughtful plotting, revealing flashbacks, and strong continuity result in a remarkably cogent caper that improves upon re-reading. Harris's lively pencil and charcoal cartooning perfectly pairs with the humorous storytelling and at times experiments with unconventional panel layouts, green monochrome monitor imagery, and expressive shifts in digital color to effectually convey mood, meaning, and setting. Extras include First Cat Fan Club info and a one-page comic announcement: "There's going to be a book 3!"

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Alejandro Mesa. This Spanglish take on “The Night Before Christmas” shares a family’s traditions for “la noche before Three Kings Day” (Día de los Reyes or Día de Reyes in Spanish), which celebrates the arrival of the Reyes Magos on the sixth day of January. Cheerful digital illustrations with a mid-century-esque flair show the family decorating shoeboxes to leave out for gifts and candy from the Reyes Magos, eating “scrumptious comida,” and dancing. The elaborately drawn Reyes Magos shine -- literally -- when they finally arrive, and the whimsical spread depicting them flying off on camels is a fitting finale.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) YA A fanciful treat set in the 1590s, Cotter's debut novel takes us from London's Rose Theatre to the court of Elizabeth I, onto the ship of famed pirate queen Grainne Ni Mhaille, and off to a trial at Dover Castle. Aptly, an excerpt of Elizabethan love poetry opens most sections of the story. Although this is a tale of traitors, murder, spying, poison, play-acting, and breathless risks and escapes, it is also the love story of actor and commoner Elias Wilde, his farming family made destitute by the queen, and Lord James Edmund Bauffremont of Bloomsbury: would-be medical man, scion of a brutal father, and reluctant fiancé of a noblewoman. When Elias witnesses the savage murder of his friend Kit Marlowe, he vows to unmask the culprit. He thus comes into the employ of Lord Bloomsbury and finds himself disguised as a lord, ineffectually sleuthing but somehow winning the good graces of the queen, who appoints him and Bloomsbury her spymasters. Their career is one of wrong turns, misinterpretations, and bad judgments; what runs steadily through all the novel's eventfulness is Elias's fraught emotion: his forlorn urge to find his family and his growing passion and confidence in James's love. Cotter packs many sly literary and historical references into this playfully far-fetched queer tale, along with much romance and affection.

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

(2) YA Illustrated by Chris Riddell. Crossley-Holland (the Arthur Trilogy, including The Seeing Stone, rev. 11/01) presents a retelling of several Arthurian stories and parts of Thomas Malory's sweeping Morte d'Arthur. He has shaped his work "to tell one story illustrating each stage of Arthur's dream and the idea behind it... Each tale springs from a strong moral sense of what's right, what's wrong, and how we're all part of it." Readers will find the arc of Arthur's childhood, his dream of the Round Table and its shattered fallout, and his death at his son's hand. Crossley-Holland doesn't shy away from tales that are difficult, perhaps even off-putting to our current sensibilities (the story of Erec and Enide springs to mind) or from the strange, stark Christian images--such as the Holy Grail and the Fisher King--of the knights' quests. The volume is all the more challenging and thought-provoking for it. His attentiveness to the natural world and his clear, jewel-like language are counterpointed by Riddell's abundant illustrations, which rather than idealizing scenes offer vague, untidy landscapes and dwell on the blood, horror, and grotesquerie of men wounding one another. While Riddell's depicted women tend toward the willowy, his knights, with their stubble, unkempt hair, and mobile facial features, have a spotty, irregular realism that brings them into our world of imperfections.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Liddy's excitement about a family trip to the Dim Sum Palace keeps her wide awake. "Is it a real palace? Will I meet an empress?" Getting out of bed, she follows a delicious smell that leads her to the very establishment "and into a kitchen where she found two busy chefs making dim sum." Liddy is small, and the nighttime kitchen, its dim sum wonders, and the two chefs are huge, an entertaining homage to Sendak's In the Night Kitchen. She falls into a bowl of dumpling filling and is "folded and pinched" until "she looked good enough to eat!" In fact, she's served to the Empress; luckily, Liddy catches the Empress's attention and, instead of being eaten, is welcomed as a guest. The story's heartwarming ending embraces the magic of family and the joy of sharing meals. Fang's playful storytelling and vibrant illustrations capture the essence of childhood wonder and imagination. The beautifully decorated endpapers showcase forty different dim sum dishes, further immersing readers in the culinary experience. A delightful celebration of food, culture, and family traditions.

Reviewer: Weileen Wang | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) PS Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo. Ramón and his not-so-mythical friend El Cucuy are back for “Nochebuena, the final day of Las Posadas.” With an eye-catching backdrop of cut paper–inspired digital illustrations, Ramón explains the Navidad tradition to El Cucuy and how they will invite the revelers into their family’s house as the last stop. After Ramón reassures him that “por supuesto” he is a part of their family, El Cucuy, in turn, teaches the traditions to Ramón’s snowman, whom he had previously dismissed as “not real.” Continuing the themes of welcoming and belonging from ­El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! (rev. 7/21), this is an enjoyable addition to the quirky series. Author and illustrator notes give more information on Las Posadas and related celebrations.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mónica Paola Rodríguez. Lucía is afraid the Three Kings won’t be able to find her in her new home: unlike Puerto Rico, Ohio in January has no grass to guide their camels. Lucía’s family reassures her, and together they keep old holiday traditions alive (Mamá bakes mallorcas) and make new ones (they gather pine needles for the camels). Soft, digitally rendered illustrations highlight the beauty and fun Lucía finds in her family’s new experience of winter and the warmth they create for the holiday. More information about the holiday is appended. Concurrently published in Spanish as El verde de mis sueños.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) YA Gael, a highly trained assassin, is the male alter ego of Valencia, companion to the ruler of Eliana. Cade is the half-brother of the ruler of Adare, in a war against Eliana. Gael and Cade meet when Gael gets caught behind enemy lines, and Cade (himself in disguise as his royal brother) doesn't execute him but instead returns him to his own court, taking a first step toward peace. Covert identities and revelations keep readers on their toes: for instance, Cade will not hurt Gael because he's sworn an oath to "harm not our own," meaning men and boys who, like him, had not been assigned male at birth. With both Cade and Gael/Valencia skilled in hand-to-hand combat and strategic thinking, their sparring, told from alternating points of view, is always engaging, while an injured knee (Cade) and a hypermobile spine (Gael) humanize them, sympathetically showing athletic characters living with chronic pain. Magic is omnipresent (luminous foxes, quetzals born from tapestries), lending an extrasensory dimension to the tale, and astute readers will pick up on Irish and Mexican elements from the two kingdoms. Everyone's happily-ever-after is threatened by a climactic revelation, but those hoping for a feel-good ending will not be disappointed.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Sylvia Bi. This energetic and optimistic graphic novel overflows with collectivism and an activist spirit. In the fictional world of Siannerra (inspired by Italian city-states of the late Middle Ages and Renaissance), Mestra Aronne prints and distributes avvisi--news-filled pamphlets--for her community. She also serves as mentor and caregiver for apprentice Cinzia, who walks using a cane. When one of the pamphlets informs the community that their magistrate is lying and stealing, guards show up to arrest both printer and apprentice. Cinzia escapes, aided by Contessina Elena, the daughter of the principessa and niece of the corrupt magistrate. Rumors about Elena abound (people say she is "odd" and unfit to rule), but Cinzia and Elena become fast friends. When the magistrate announces that Mestra Aronne will be hanged for treason, the girls--alongside like-minded allies--race to locate the evidence against the magistrate and distribute the truth to the people. Friendship, family, home, and political risk-taking are thoughtfully presented through well-paced dialogue and inset boxes showcasing characters' inner thoughts. Line work is clear and consistent, especially in jam-packed spreads and in sun-drenched red-orange hues of chaotic city scenes. Atmosphere is further delineated through swirling song lyrics and chants, spread in cursive across expertly placed panels. This lively, inclusive, and engaging story is also a timely reminder of the value of a free press.

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

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. The Rosca de Reyes for Three Kings Day looks delicious, but Marta is terrified of accidentally swallowing the Niño Dios figure hidden inside the cake. She fears the religious ramifications of eating Baby Jesus, as well as letting down her family on Candelaria Day in February: whoever finds the baby brings tamales to the celebration, and “no baby meant no tamales.” ­Marta’s anxieties (an appended note shares how they are based on the author’s own childhood worries) are humorously described and tempered by comical watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations featuring a cheeky Niño Dios. Eventually, Marta faces her fears, and with a “CHOMP!” triumphantly finds Niño Dios, ensuring tamales for her cheering family. Back matter also includes information on Three Kings Day.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. It’s Nochebuena eve in the ­pastelería, “a night when wonder reigns, for those who believe in magic.” In Nutcracker-like fashion, Esperanza, a sugar figurine, is brought to life and proceeds to wake up the rest of the characters adorning a Christmas-tree cake. When a mischievous cat knocks down the intricate dessert, the figurines work together to re-bake it. With mixed-media illustrations that seem to shimmer with sugar and fairy dust (and an appended note about the author’s grandmother’s real-life sugar creations), this book is sure to satisfy any reader’s sweet tooth. Concurrently published in Spanish as Esperanza Caramelo, la estrella de Nochebuena.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) 4-6 A boy, born eleventh in line to the crown, finds himself to be first after a series of mysterious and unlikely accidents--and then he becomes king. Alba, an oracle's apprentice, is stricken by the way her harsh predictions affect that gormless boy king. And Rae, a shepherd couple's foundling daughter, grows up happily in the high wilds of the mountains, wondering why she feels a strong connection to a nearby wolf. Focusing on these three characters, Andrews's narrator weaves a fable-like story of betrayal and love, revenge and destiny, in sure, poetic prose. "Mountain-found," "wind-cold," "empty-bellied," a hand as "soft as plum blossoms"--every word draws us into a tactile, living world, one in which insects, worms, grubs, and beetles are as vital as a huge wolf, a royal advisor, and even the act of writing. With a magical Romulus-and-Remus theme and some fairy-tale features, this leisurely tale is richly atmospheric and nicely surprising. Chapter-opening framed decorations (akin to medieval illuminations) by Yuta Onoda make the book an attractive object in itself and suit Andrews's writing perfectly--­delicate and earthy at once, both realistic and magical.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Translated by Matthias Wieland. The main story here employs the benign fairy-tale trope of a questing traveler who pauses on the journey to help out those in need. Albie, a mouse in red track pants, is summoned by the king, a pig, to deliver a scroll to a neighboring castle. Even though speed is of the essence, Albie interrupts the trip to administer first aid to an injured squirrel, retrieve a lost toy, and babysit for a harassed mother. He also meets his true love. Concurrently, a wordless strip running along the bottom of the pages shows what the king is up to during Albie's long absence. While the mouse's world is full of color, connection, and kindness, the king's monochromatic scenes suggest boredom, restlessness, and even grief, along with underscoring just how very long our deliverer's trip is taking. Humorously, Albie takes a wrong turn and ends up back home, scroll undelivered. The king, delighted to see him, throws the scroll into the fire and invites Albie to live in a cottage on the castle grounds, with visiting privileges for all the friends he made on his ­journey. (Looking back, we wonder what was in that scroll.) There's more to this fable than a tidy ending and the sheer visual fun of seeing a squirrel in a full-body cast.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(1) YA "Those you are about to meet are real people, not stereotypes. They are women and men who truly were, through their words and their deeds, voices of the people." Bruchac’s (Abenaki) biographical poems provide chronological introductions to thirty-four notable Native Americans, from the Peacemaker, a Wendat (Huron) leader who united five warring nations around 1000 C.E., to twentieth-century activist Wilma Mankiller, who was the Cherokee Nation's first woman head chief. What stand out most, however, are the accompanying reproductions of artwork by different contemporary Native artists working in a variety of media. Bruchac explains his selection process: some artists were paired with biographical subjects from the same tribe; other artists' work "connects to the subject of the biography in an important way." An appended "More about the Voices" section provides short ­paragraphs of information about the people highlighted, and Bruchac includes a poem about his own life. Intended, per the author's note, to educate non-Native readers and to further inspire Native ones, this ambitious undertaking should encourage all people to learn more about the biographical subjects and to seek out work by the featured artists.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) YA This fifth of Cashore's Graceling Realm novels (Graceling, rev. 11/08, and sequels) encompasses a sea voyage, a shipwreck, a life-threatening trek across the frozen north, the discovery of a powerful explosive and related national conflict, several survivors of abusive childhoods, a pregnant blue fox, and a few romances. At the center of its eventfulness and its attention to information and imagery related to ships, sailing, and the far north is narrator Hava, Queen Bitterblue's Graceling half-sister and a handy, multilingual spy. Hava's Graceling magic is to be able to make herself invisible by blending into the setting, a gift that seems as much a burdensome outcome of a traumatic childhood as it is a useful ability. In amongst the threads and pressures of physical survival, plots and plotting, romance, and care for the blue fox and her kits, Hava begins to understand and resolve some of her own emotional damage. Cashore has included a great deal in this novel; it tends toward the sprawling. But as ever, her colorfully realized world presents readers with serious ideas, both psychological and political, and an appealing warmth in its human relationships--and here, the delight of bumptious, telepathic baby foxes.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) YA This clever, gender-swapped retelling of My Fair Lady is set in an alternate version of 1830s England ruled by Queen Charlotte (who, a historical note explains, was King George IV's only heir but died before ascending the throne). Gender roles have taken steps, albeit small ones, toward being less restrictive than they actually were at that time, and the profession of Culinarian is reserved for women, with its practitioners revered. Culinarian-in- training Helena Higgins sets her sights on turning street-food vendor Elijah Little into a "gentleman chef" for her final project. Those familiar with the musical can almost imagine the rest, though some intentional plot deviations may keep them on their toes. The mostly jovial novel (full of nods to the source material; song lyrics serve as chapter titles) thoughtfully explores real-world issues: Elijah is hiding his Jewishness; Penelope Pickering, whose ancestry is partly from the Philippine Islands, is passing as white; and Helena's evolving attitude toward both adds depth to her snobbish character. This creative take on a classic musical (itself an adaptation of a play) could stand on its own, but for My Fair Lady fans it's especially delicious.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) K-3 Translated by Jeremy Tiang. "Deep in the Kunlun Hills, there lived a mystical deer," the Nine Color Deer, so called because of the varied colors in her fur. One day she saves a drowning man (by leaping from wave to wave and walking on water), and in return asks only that he not tell anyone where she is. He keeps his promise until the imperial palace announces that the queen had dreamt of a magical deer with great powers that can "help our kingdom prosper," and the king summons assistance to find the deer. The lure of the reward money, which would aid his poor family, causes the man to break his long-held promise, and he leads the king and soldiers to the Nine Color Deer. The deer's magic saves her ("a dazzling white light blossomed around her") from the soldiers' arrows; the kingdom and the man she'd once saved realize the errors of their ways. Translator Tiang's fascinating closing note relates that this story's first iteration is from two thousand years ago; Duan's version is inspired by the famous Dunhuang paintings in China's Mogao Caves. Her textured illustrations (painted with a "comprehensive technique, involving acrylic, mineral color and Photoshop"), using a soft, subdued palette, honor the style of the original cave paintings; they are wispy and fine-lined and capture the delicacy and eloquence of the mystical deer and her world. A beguiling and welcome new telling of a traditional tale.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022