(2) K-3 In a rousing adventure dedicated to the author's grandfather, who "sailed the seven seas," readers meet Gabriel, an elderly elephant who lives with his sea cat, Milou. Gabriel, whose face has "as many lines as the sea has waves," lives by the harbor, remembering the old days. Vere then rewinds the clock to visit Gabriel's boyhood, during which he revered the crew of creatures who worked on the lifeboat. (No humans here. All characters are anthropomorphized animals.) They tell Gabriel to return when he's older, but when he does, he's too large to fit in the boat. Disappointed but undeterred, he constructs his own lifeboat, built "for strength. Built for him!" In this boat, Gabriel saves a fleet during a disastrous storm. Vivid copper and rose colors dominate the palette, punctuated by cool blues and grays. Vere animates the story with seafaring language ("Heave away, haul away, heave-ho, heave-HO!") and bustling verbs ("The wind whipped and whistled. The waves turned into giants, tumbling, lashing, and crashing"). Vere describes Gabriel's determination to build a boat that can carry him as "an important thought...There is only one thing I want to do...So I will do it!" The gentle reminder to readers to pursue their passions, no matter the odds against them, makes this endearing tale an inspiring one.

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

(2) K-3 Octopus Emile rescues a deep-sea diver, who then invites Emile to live with him. Emile awes swanky party guests with his musical skills (he can play all parts at once, given his eight arms). He misses his undersea home, though, so he gets a job as a lifeguard. The story swings into action when Emile captures smugglers while simultaneously driving the police boat they've nabbed (those eight arms!). Emile's many talents and kindly green face will surely endear him to a new generation of readers. An ever-fresh Ungerer classic.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1960; November, 2019

(4) 1-3 Hound Town Chronicles series. Illustrated by Tom Connell. Three-Legged, Trapped!, and Newfie tell stories of fully trained working dogs that save characters from serious danger. Indy follows a puppy through his first year, learning basic commands before his specialized guide-dog training. Each purposeful story focuses on the dog's remarkable skills and interactions with humans. Static but cheery illustrations accompany the texts and discussion questions are appended. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Glos. Review covers these Hound Town Chronicles titles: Three-Legged Hero: A Military Dog Story, Newfie to the Rescue!: A Lifeguard Dog Story, Trapped!: A Search-and-Rescue Dog Story, and My Indy: A Guide Dog Story.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 To the Rescue! series. These books for K–2 readers present a cursory global view of rescue services and workers. Police touches on how forces of many countries protect their communities. Sea describes methods and equipment for responding to emergencies at sea. The texts, although simplistic, could stimulate discussion and further research. Engaging photos on colorful pages add interest. Quiz appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following To the Rescue! titles: Police to the Rescue Around the World and Rescue at Sea.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Dog Heroes series. These series entries introduce two more types of "dog heroes": dogs that accompany Air Force paratroopers on their high-altitude jumps (Skydiving) and dogs trained to help international Coast Guard forces on rescue missions (Lifeguard). The volumes are accessible, with numerous photographs and interesting personal anecdotes rounding out the texts. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Dog Heroes titles: Skydiving Dogs and Lifeguard Dogs.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA Steffie's mother always dives headfirst into doomed relationships--a condition Steffie dubs "love lunacy" and vows to avoid. Her own crush on Keith, a gorgeous lifeguard who offers her swimming lessons, has Steffie panicking that she's inherited the lunacy gene. Despite its formulaic romance, the plot has unexpected depth thanks to its dynamic characters, including Steffie's spirited sixty-year-old best friend.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(2) K-3 Illustrated by John O'Brien. Each double-page spread covers an event in a typical day on the stand, reminding readers that lifeguards are more than Dudley Do-Right look-alikes with zinc oxide on their noses. A brief narrative arc connects each event, while the illustrations show busy lifeguards performing their duties and sunworshipers and bathers enjoying the ocean.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2004