(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) K-3 Illustrated by Alleanna Harris. August Wilson (1945–2005), the renowned African American playwright, was born with "a song inside him." He liked words and the way they had their own kind of music. Although learning was easy, attending school, where "nobody looked like him," was difficult. He was targeted by bullies, and when a teacher questioned whether an assigned paper was really his own work (because it was "so good"), he walked out, never to return. At the public library, he voraciously read history, science, poetry, novels, and Greek philosophy. "And he found shelves of books written by Black authors. He read them all." At the same time, he was learning from music and became captivated by blues singer Bessie Smith. "August had never heard the blues before, but it sounded like...well, it sounded like food he didn't know he was hungry for." When he began writing, he collected stories from enslavement and everyday situations in the lives of Black people and shaped them into plays. He "wrote those people alive," affirming the theme that "everybody carries a song inside them." Harris's emotionally resonant illustrations (sketches composed with digital ink pens and finished using digital gouache brushes) support Denmead's lyrical narrative and inspirational tone. An annotated bibliography of Wilson's Century Cycle of plays and an extensive author's note are appended.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Nabila Adani. The Al-Qarawiyyin Library of Fez, which serves as the first-person narrator of this nonfiction picture book, beckons the reader to hear the tale of its founding, glory days, disrepair, and restoration. From a humble start ("I began as a small corner for books") within a Moroccan mosque founded in 859 CE by Fatima al Fihri, the library becomes a grand part of Al-Qarawiyyin University, a place of tranquility, reflection, and learning. Though the knowledge held within its walls is a constant, amid changing kingdoms and threat from a great fire, the library falls into disuse. Passing by the building as a child, Aziza Chaouni, who holds a familial connection to the library, later returns as an adult architect. Her team restores and preserves the library and its materials for generations of learners to come. Khan's poetic text is accompanied by Adani's equally gentle, textured imagery of geometric patterns, tiles, and architectural features of Fez. The digital illustrations are further enriched with small details from Kufic script in the Qur'an to the variety of skin tones and dress styles displayed. An author's note, a glossary, and references are included in the back matter. A lovingly told ode to libraries, Islamic intellectual history, storytelling, and the role of women in Muslim history.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(1) 4-6 Eleven-and-a-half-year-old Delilah "Dally" Peteharrington's mother wants to prepare her to take over the family business. Every afternoon, she meets with tutors to learn "important business-ish things," but what she really wants is to go on adventures like the ones her grandfather took her on before he died. When her mother refuses to let her sign up for Adventure Club at school, Dally decides to take matters into her own hands. She sneaks into her grandfather's study to find the envelope he left for her -- which she is not supposed to open until she turns twenty-one. Inside is a map that leads Dally to a secret library; from there, she can go back in time. With each visit to the past, Dally learns more about the Peteharringtons and how they got their wealth. Magoon adeptly and naturally weaves issues of race, class, and gender into a creative fantasy adventure. Readers will enjoy time-traveling with Dally and learning her family secrets, and many will especially enjoy Dally's time as a pirate. A family tree shown near the end of the book helps make connections among the many characters.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by April Harrison. Few people have had more of an impact on African American children's literature than griot, educator, and librarian Augusta Baker (1911–1998). Her path to becoming a master storyteller began in Baltimore with listening to her grandmother's folktales. A class on folklore in college further inspired her, and she became a children's librarian in Harlem. It became apparent that while most of the children in the library were Black, most books available to them had no Black characters, and the ones that did "were RUDE, MEAN, and JUST PLAIN WRONG." Baker created a book collection that showcased realistic and positive depictions of African Americans and shared her knowledge with other educators and librarians. Her work carried her to becoming the first Black coordinator of children's services for all of New York Public Library, hosting radio shows, teaching classes, and traveling the country as the "Mistress of Storytelling." McDaniel gives an account of Baker's life that is as celebratory as the heroes in her folktales, attesting that Baker internalized the message that "where there's a will, there's a way." Harrison's exuberant mixed-media-collage illustrations capture the vibrancy of both the storyteller and her stories, creating worlds and words that leap off pages. Back matter includes a timeline, citations, and an author's note, where McDaniel celebrates her own childhood librarian.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Erika Lynne Jones. Finally, the secret's out: librarians can be loud! Penelope is thrilled when she is selected to be her school's ­student-­librarian of the week. She's been preparing for this moment all year by alphabetizing her home pantry and stickering any book she can find. There's only one problem: Penelope can't quite harness her "library voice." Books fly off the shelves and computer screens shatter as Penelope innocently shouts curious questions at her classmates. After one great big bellow leaves students ducking for cover and the library in shambles, Penelope starts to question whether she's meant to be a librarian after all. Her disappointment is short-lived, as she soon discovers storytime, where both her enthusiasm and her volume are of great benefit. Jones's mixed-media and collage illustrations are playful and eye-catching, with a three-dimensional feel. Penelope's shouts e=xplode across the page in giant speech bubbles reverberating all the way to outer space (the astronauts know her by name). Brown-skinned Penelope sports a rainbow skirt with ­red-and-white striped socks--a style as loud as her booming voice. Although she may want to steer clear of a research library, Penelope's eager attitude lands her the perfect gig. This one is sure to be a ­storytime favorite--especially for librarians.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 Sixth grader Amelia MacGuffin is a worrier. As the eldest of five siblings, she worries about everything from changing the part in her hair to the MacGuffin family's tight finances. So when the mythically lucky wooden staff that is the centerpiece of the annual Dragonfly Day Festival goes missing from Urchin Beach's town square, Amelia decides to channel her worry into finding the thief. Her investigation is hampered by the unexpected arrival of a lost dog in her backyard, a flood that threatens both the festival and the delicate ecosystem that supports the native dragonflies, and the sheer number of possible suspects. With the help of a local mystery author, a trusted librarian, and her own common sense, Amelia surprises herself by solving the crime. But bringing the (beloved and well-known) criminal to justice will prove to be a much harder task. This charming small-town mystery romp will appeal to a wide range of junior detectives, especially those who are also invested in issues of climate change and environmental preservation. Amelia's close-knit beach community of family, friends, and neighbors forms a relatable cast of secondary characters who provide both support and comic relief. Fans of Yan Glaser's resourceful Vanderbeeker clan and Pennypacker's problem-solving protagonists will be delighted that the ending suggests this is just the first of Amelia's adventures.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) K-3 When a blizzard forces the branch library (appropriately operating out of a tree) to close early, a little story-loving mouse named Hubert opts to "take a shortcut home through the hollow...even though it was spooky." The soft art uses line and color to convey mood and atmosphere. Hubert looks especially small and powerless,­ standing at the wooded entrance to the hollow as the storm blusters around him. The snow drifts are deep, and the dark trees appear to have contorted faces. And then, a stranger--taller, sleeker, with a bushy tail peeking out of the bottom of her long pink coat--steps out from behind a tree and offers her hand to Hubert. Spare text tracks their progress through the hollow, while the illustrations tell a more dramatic story. Faces leer at them, Hubert nearly slips into a chasm, and the landscape itself begins to look like a family of giant, sleepy bears. A wordless double gatefold primarily in black and white provides scale and brings the bears, now wide awake, to life--and the biggest one looks irritated. Once Hubert and his protector reach safety, they part ways; but when the mouse looks back, he only sees one set of footprints. Like Hubert, readers can make the tale their own and decide what really happened on that strange and precarious trip. A map in the front of the book shows Hubert's path, along with some fantastical details from this story (and perhaps others).

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

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan. Kanzi (the Arabic-speaking Egyptian girl whose potholed transition to life in America was portrayed in The Arabic Quilt) feels marginalized when her school's library is denuded of books that reflect the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups. Adult characters scaffold a discussion with the kids about the current book banning movement (some readers might find the school librarian's explanation for the bans simplistic). Kanzi proposes a school-wide protest-slash-bake-sale that sees her using her voice for change, raises money to buy books to donate to Little Free Libraries, gains local attention, and occasions a book ban reversal. Digital illustrations incorporating Arabic text add to the instructiveness of a story put into context by an author’s note.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Lonely, neglected Leeva Thornblossom's greedy parents believe her job is to make them rich and famous. Since this hasn't happened yet, they require Leeva to follow her Employee Manual and perform such duties as washing dishes and cooking the books for the town of Nutsmore, where her mother is mayor and her father is treasurer. Versatile author Pennypacker (Clementine, rev. 1/07; Pax, rev. 3/16) has written a book that is by turns outrageous and wise, funny and touching, fantastical and true; Cordell's sketches contribute to the levity. Although forbidden to leave the Thornblossoms' property, Leeva begins her exploration of the outside world by sneaking to the library next door, where she befriends the kind librarian, Pauline Flowers, and her nephew. Under Mrs. Flowers's direction, Leeva begins reading books to answer her question, "What are people for?" Leeva's social circle and her understanding of the world expand exponentially, and eventually she and her new friends (and a badger) play a role in ridding the town of the adult Thornblossoms and returning all the money they stole. By story's end, Leeva knows exactly what people are for: "Everything that happens is better when someone else shares it with you."

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

(2) YA Illustrated by Zeke Peña. In the previous installment (Miles Morales, rev. 9/17), sixteen-year-old Miles ("Boricua and Black and Brooklyn as hell") was bitten by a radioactive spider, became the latest Spider-Man, and defeated the Warden, head of an ancient white supremacist organization. Now he sits in In-School Suspension (ISS) for standing up to his racist history teacher, along with classmate Tobin Rogers, who is in ISS for removing books--Baldwin, Morrison, Angelou, Angie Thomas--from the school library. Even more weirdly, Tobin was eating the pages; all that were found were the books' spines. Add a termite infestation at school for an intriguing puzzle for Miles to solve. This sequel is more multilayered than the first installment, with action-packed digital drawings, Miles's first-person poems, and a third-person narrative all capturing a day in the life of Miles Morales--his neighborhood, his crush on Alicia Carson, his friendship with Ganke, and his conflicts with teachers. There is room, though, for a climactic action scene in the boys' bathroom, where a creepy monster is thrillingly unmasked.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey. An intriguing photograph of writers Maya Angelou and Amiri Baraka dancing at a party at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is the springboard for Reynolds's first (traditional) picture book. In 1991, people in Harlem gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Langston Hughes Auditorium and the literary brilliance of its namesake. At the "fancy-foot, get-down, all-out bash," guests boogie to the beats and bops of music as renowned word-makers are pictured leaning in from the spines of books on the shelves, captivated by the dazzling whirlwind of excitement. The master poet, Langston Hughes, was called "the 'word-making king.'" He "could make the word America look like two friends making pinky promises to be cool, to be true" and turn words into laughter, "bringing joy to the little and the big." In his own evocative and kinetic style of word-making, Reynolds exudes reverence for Langston and the festive tempo of the occasion. The Pumphreys' vibrant illustrations, created with digitized handmade stamps, extend the theme of wordsmithing in creative interpretations of text, as in the double-page spread of Angelou and Baraka dancing with the letters of their first names forming the shape of their bodies. A jubilant tribute to the enduring legacy of one of the most prominent voices of the Harlem Renaissance and others whom he has inspired.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Castillo. Realized through pithy prose, this ode to the power of stories follows two children and their dad during a day at the library, and highlights the vistas that open up through the “world of reading.” Schu pinpoints the capacity of reading to cultivate the (young) human person as a field of possibility. Underscoring the text’s message that stories can endlessly grow our minds, hearts, and connections with other people, Castillo’s ink, watercolor, and pastel illustrations provide ever-expanding views of the inside of a library filled with diverse children, presided over by a dedicated librarian (who resembles the author himself).

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) 4-6 Stead and Mass (Bob, rev. 7/18) pen an entertaining lightly fantastical and supernatural love letter to books, librarians, and little free libraries. Perspective rotates among a cat named Mortimer, rising sixth grader Evan, and a reclusive librarian known as Al. When Al erects a little free library, filled with former library books, it changes the trajectories of the protagonists' lives and brings to light secrets and mysteries about their small town. Evan takes home a book that he realizes was checked out by his father when he was a teen in 1999--and returned on the very day of the catastrophic fire that destroyed the town library. While he investigates, readers are also receiving details from Al's first-person narration, which is somewhat unreliable. Mortimer the cat, who had lived with his sister in the town library as a kitten, now guards the present-day little free library structure and is at first plagued, then assisted, by friendly mice who help solve the story's mysteries. There are enough twists to hold puzzle-loving readers' attention, along with great emotional authenticity throughout. Stead and Moss dedicate their book to "the librarians of the past, present, and future," and many readers will come away feeling inspired.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by April Harrison. Six-year-old Lee and his big sister Zora, a.k.a. "the boss," take an embroidery class at the library. (Lee isn't really old enough, but Zora fibs to get him in.) Lee learns to thread a needle, jabs his finger, and laboriously creates...a mess. When they get home, Zora shows their parents the fine flower she embroidered; Lee says his project is a surprise, knowing he has more to do. In the middle of the night he gets to work, slowly and patiently stitching until he makes a smiling moon. With newfound confidence, he repairs his pants pocket and, in the morning, Zora's teddy bear. Edwards's (A Hat for Mrs. Goldman, rev. 9/16) spare text is powerful in its simplicity, conveying the love between a brother and sister; the determination of a small child to learn a new skill; and the threads that hold embroidered flowers, smiling moons, a Black family, and their community together. Harrison's (H Is for Harlem, rev. 7/22) folk-art style, which employs collage, acrylic, pens, and pencils and a lush, colorful palette, is the perfect complement to Lee's first-person narration. Back matter includes step-by-step instructions for making Lee's smiling moon. A wonderful read-aloud for home, the library, and the classroom.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson. In this picture-book celebration of libraries and reading, poet Giovanni writes about the Carnegie Library, which she regularly visited as a child. Robinson's digital art resembles vibrant collages and features a young Black girl with jaunty pigtails tied with twirly yellow ribbons. Her puffy aqua dress with a Peter Pan collar helps set the time period in the 1950s. The little girl explains why she loves her library: it's "a place to be free / to be in space / to be a cook / to be a crook / to be in love / to be unhappy." She thinks about being "quick and smart" but also "contained and cautious"; she imagines herself playing jazz and sailing. Returning home with her stack of books, the girl carries out her chores before going back to reading, wrapped up in a brightly colored patchwork quilt, the patches echoing the covers of the volumes she's reading--so that in her daily life she is constantly surrounded by love and vibrancy. In a touching author's note Giovanni talks about her own childhood experience at the "colored" library, where a special librarian would get her poetry books from the main library.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Vali Mintzi. Nour and her cousin Amir are busy making plans for a secret society (with code word and handshake, natch) when war erupts in their neighborhood. It's the early days of the Syrian civil war. As things rapidly worsen, the family shelters in a basement; food becomes scarce; and shops and schools close. Amidst shelling and sniper fire, Nour and Amir collect books from piles of rubble and abandoned apartments, creating a "secret library" in a partially destroyed building. The library becomes integral, "a safe port in a sea of war." Bright red and teal-blue pencil and gouache illustrations by Mintzi (Osnat and Her Dove, rev. 3/21) overlap colors, at times superimposing two images to heighten dimension and the sense of the passage of time. Rubble and ruin are added with charcoal, which visually contrasts war's destruction with the children's hopeful bibliophilic quest. Additional appended background on Syria, historic libraries, and war's effects on material culture reveals that the book is based on a true story of a secret library started by youths in Daraya, just outside of Damascus. This dual story--one of destruction, and one of preservation and hope--focuses on the importance of reading during war and the cultural role of libraries and knowledge, especially during times of crisis.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Yas Imamura. Amid choking dust and surrounded by barbed wire, Tama lives a life made meaningful by words: she is the librarian at Minidoka, a Japanese American internment camp. Tama and her family survive constant worries and fear; unjust conditions (muddy paths to communal latrines, shared single-room housing); and stalled lives and plans. Tama finds solace in the worlds within books, and she has a friend, George, a constant presence in the library with his big voice and smile. Eventually they get married and have a child, making a "miraculous" life together in such a place. Full-spread gouache and watercolor illustrations along with smaller vignettes immerse viewers in camp life, depicting its hardships without overwhelming young readers. An earth-toned palette nevertheless remains light and hopeful, symbolized by details such as a vase of sunny flowers and a butterfly. Each individual depicted in the illustrations appears distinct (resisting stereotypes about people of color's supposed resemblance); their experiences are unique as well, as people are shown with their own belongings and varied clothing amidst the common horror of the camp. An appended author's note provides additional background and depth to the story, which was based on the author's grandparents' experiences, and also touches on other populations' struggles with hate and oppression throughout modern history.

Reviewer: J. Elizabeth Mills | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(1) K-3 This unusual picture-book adventure stars one small girl who thwarts authority, starts a revolution, and saves the world. The futuristic tale plays out in three parts. The first introduces our hero, Bix, who lives with her family in a technologically advanced society where "the Eyes"--bright yellow spheres with one eye and a retractable arm--"help everyone." Nonconformist Bix resents the interference--she can brush her own teeth, thank you--but no one else seems bothered. One fateful day, Bix evades the ever-present Eyes, follows a friendly creature, and falls down a hole. Yaccarino (The Longest Storm, rev. 11/21) steers part two in an unexpected direction with a dramatic gatefold spread revealing an abandoned "city under the city." Where Bix's controlled, impersonal world is cool light blue, purple, and white, this subterranean setting is strikingly different, featuring warm reds, black, and hints of green. More curious than afraid, Bix explores the city. She finds a "very interesting place" (a library) full of "strange-looking objects" (books) and immerses herself in learning about this ancient, pre-Eyes civilization. When she eventually returns home, she brings a contraband book to share with her family, which ends up sparking a fire in the hearts of the populace. Part three involves an uprising against the Eyes' totalitarian regime. Younger readers may not pick up on the parallels to contemporary battles over freedom of thought and expression, but the straightforward, short lines of text are written for a picture-book audience--advancing the story, developing character, and touching on deeper meaning. A stirring and thought-provoking tribute to the power of books, reading, and human connection.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Book, a new and vivacious red library book, is excited to be a part of its community, as it delights children and travels to picnics and sleepovers. But as time wears on and its popularity wanes, Book becomes forlorn, forgotten, and eventually discarded. Book longs to return to the fun it once had with young readers. After a long, lonely wait in a dark and silent box, our protagonist finally gets another chance when it is selected by a new reader at a used-book sale. Richly textured hand-drawn illustrations tenderly highlight the bright red book on each page. An author's note discusses Lehrhaupt's inspiration for Book's story and gives readers ideas for places in need of book donations, so they can pass on their own beloved volumes to new homes.

Reviewer: Maija Meadows Hasegawa | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021