(2) YA Illustrated by Kate Milner. Coelho, the U.K.'s current Children's Laureate, here interweaves two narratives -- one a riff on the classical story of Theseus; the other of Theo, a contemporary biracial teen seeking his Black father. They are "two boys searching a maze of manhood," as an introductory poem by "the Oracle" proclaims. In first-person, present-tense verse -- free verse as well as rondels, sestinas, pantoums, and other tightly structured poetic forms -- the story focuses on Theo's visceral desire to know the father who long ago abandoned him and his mother. At the same time, for coursework, he pursues the project of telling Theseus's story in a series of poems. Theseus's labors as he travels to meet his father become the structure by which Theo envisions and interprets progress and setbacks, liars and swindlers, in his own quest. He has his own take on the tricksters and monsters Theseus slaughters, offering compassionate, complex readings that explore and contest ideas of masculinity and the monstrous. Coelho's verse is expressive and arresting: his description of washing a contemporary Sciron's feet is enough to curl your toenails. His mingling of contemporary urban features with the fantastic grotesqueries of the classical story creates a surreality that suits adolescent passions. Milner's pen-and-ink illustrations throughout combine the statuesque, hieroglyphic, and superheroic in a parallel expression of the mythic nature of teen quests. An appended note gives background on the story of Theseus.

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

(2) PS How do eggs get from "farm to table"? From the very outset of this cleverly presented and organized book, readers are invited to find out: "Let's go with Ruby and Ned along the stone path, past the apple trees, the cows, and the sunflowers to the henhouse." After collecting eggs "from every nook and cranny" of the henhouse, Ned and Ruby hop into their bright red truck and begin the trek to sell and deliver the eggs. While Ned runs their stall at the farmer's market, readers ride along with Ruby to her many delivery locations--bakery, school, grocery store, and back home--where she and Ned receive a sweet surprise. Composed of straightforward dialogue and simple sentences, the text both complements the busyness of the illustrations and welcomes beginning readers to navigate the narrative on their own. The book design is inventive: Some double-page spreads include a simple, nearly full-bleed map and a panel of directions with labeled illustrations. Other spreads feature a decoratively framed verso, whose details reflect the next location along Ruby's many stops, while a small vignette on the recto, shaped subtly as an egg, highlights each friendly handoff. Warm and cheerful colors brighten the folk art–like illustrations. A delightful entry point for young readers to learn valuable mapping skills and enjoy searching the pages for all the nooks and crannies where eggs can be found.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(3) K-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. A boy named Finn and his dog wake to find that goblins have taken over. Boy and dog chase the sprites across twelve double-page spreads (through a garden, beneath the earth, etc.) that harbor mazes and items to find ("Finn searches for a lamp to light the way"). This seductive large-scale offering's art suggests M.C. Escher on a color bender.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Adapted by Robert Venditti. Illustrated by Orpheus Collar & Antoine Dodé. Demigods Percy Jackson and Annabeth search the Labyrinth for Daedalus, who might help Camp Half-Blood stave off invasion by Luke, the demigod collaborating with the evil titan Kronos. The 2008 novel's abridgement into graphic-novel form is neatly carried out; dynamically illustrated panels show cartoony teens fighting humorously depicted mythological monsters and use shading and composition to create mood.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008

(3) 4-6 Trials of Apollo series. Temporarily mortal Apollo and demigod Meg team up with Piper and Jason (from Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series) to rescue Herophile the Sibyl from a burning labyrinth under Los Angeles. Meanwhile, sorceress Medea wants to extract Apollo's godly essence to turn the emperor Caligula into a new sun god. High-stakes action and trademark humor remain, but many sacrifices lead this third entry into somber territory.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA For six months in the labyrinth, the quiet, nameless girl protagonist has managed to survive the monsters mostly alone. She's discovered two other tribes of teen survivors, but deceit breeds distrust between them. With a fight threatened, the girl is caught in the middle. This sequel to the dystopic Children of Icarus continues its harrowing violence and desperate search for salvation.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) 4-6 Gabriel and friends (Gabriel Finley & the Raven's Riddle) reunite for another subterranean-NYC adventure aided by powerful raven magic. Solving riddles and mazes, the team frees Gabriel's long-absent mother from the Chamber of Rune, defeats the evil demon Corax, and unexpectedly uncovers some secrets. Weak internal logic and character development reduce this fantasy to merely a series of adventures, albeit entertaining ones punctuated with verbal wit.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) YA Pete and Gwen lead the surviving Lost Boys to safety while the effects of the Horologia virus epidemic expand. In this sometimes muddled sequel to Everland, Spinale compounds her dystopic revision of Peter Pan with the addition of Alyssa and other figures borrowed from Carroll's Wonderland. Unexpected alliances and betrayals abound, and everything leads to a poison apple tree inside a magical labyrinth.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) 4-6 Beatrix "Bea" Lee's seventh-grade year starts with her left out of her friend group. New friend Will's attempt to explore a labyrinth sets off a chain of events that reveals much about Bea and her friends, new and estranged. The book is honest about preteen difficulties. But even when Bea isn't having much fun, it's satisfying to catch the literary and musical references.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(3) K-3 These themed picture-puzzle adventures provide readers with early map and math practice. Lively cartoon illustrations show fantastical scenes scored into coordinates, which help guide the collection of randomly arranged animals and objects. Busy pages focus visual attention and reinforce basic directional skills under the guise of having fun. Review covers these titles: Find Your Way in the Jungle and Find Your Way Under the Sea.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 These themed picture-puzzle adventures provide readers with early map and math practice. Lively cartoon illustrations show fantastical scenes scored into coordinates, which help guide the collection of randomly arranged animals and objects. Busy pages focus visual attention and reinforce basic directional skills under the guise of having fun. Review covers these titles: Find Your Way in the Jungle and Find Your Way Under the Sea.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Batman & Robin Adventures series. Illustrated by Luciano Vecchio. Batman and the Boy Wonder defeat familiar foes in these accessible books. Simple story lines--featuring comic book–style sound effects ("ZWIIIIP!") within the text--combine with rapid pacing and playful banter for slight but entertaining reads. Snazzy colors and popular characters will likely appeal to reluctant readers. Discussion questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these Batman & Robin Adventures titles: The Joker's Magic Mayhem, Scarecrow's Nightmare Maze, Clayface's Slime Spree, and Two-Face Face-Off.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 1-3 Eerie Elementary series. Illustrated by Sam Ricks. For children ready for chapter books, this slightly spooky series about a personified school contains plenty of action and just enough plot complication. The third book finds hall-monitor hero Sam and friends chasing a soccer ball into the creepy woods along school grounds, where sudden fog and a strange swamp make for some narrow escapes. Shadowy black-and-white illustrations appear on every page.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA An unnamed sixteen-year-old girl becomes one of the chosen teens to traverse the labyrinth surrounding their city--eventually, they're told, to become angels. Yet in the maze there are terrors, monsters, and hard truths for which none of the teens are prepared. Much is left unresolved, but fans of the Hunger Games and Divergent books looking for a gorier next read should enjoy this paranormal dystopia.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) K-3 Each of ten two-page spreads features a maze of winding roads traveled by vehicles carrying locally sourced food; each spread segues to the next, and ultimately to a farmers' market, where locavores unite, shop, and recycle. Better still, readers are invited to scour the spreads for specified objects ("3 wind turbines," "1 boat-loading ramp," etc.). Answers appear at this well-executed book's end.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Goddess Girls series. In book thirteen, Athena outdoes herself, creating a new labyrinth for King Minos in which her fellow Mount Olympus Academy students get stuck. In the fourteenth, Iris finds herself in high demand as the school's messenger and wondering if her crush returns her affections. Fans of the entertaining mythological fantasy series will enjoy the latest adventures of the likable middle-school goddesses. Review covers these Goddess Girls titles: Athena the Proud and Iris the Colorful.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(3) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old magic nerd Dahlia loathes her Jewish summer camp until she starts dreaming about a Jewish teen in 1940s New York City who seems to be connected to a pair of ghosts haunting the camp. Readers with an interest in Jewish mysticism will enjoy the book's paranormal elements and tweens will appreciate the realistic relationships among the campers.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(3) K-3 Twelve colorful mazes represent different ecosystems, from the rainforest to the tundra. On each double-page spread, readers are invited to search for hidden animals (more than three hundred fifty in all) as they wend their way through the maze. An answer key offers detailed information about each ecosystem, including climate, flora and fauna, and endangered species. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Pamela Mishkin

(3) YA Thomas wakes up with no memory, surrounded by boys around his own age. He has been placed in a maze with obstacles and monsters to fight, but more important is figuring out how he got there--and what happened to the adults. The story is fast-paced and gripping, with unexpected twists (though readers familiar with sci-fi of this type may not be surprised).

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. Farmer Brown (Click, Clack, Moo, among other barnyard romps) has the animals helping him prepare for the annual Corn Maze Festival. They're building a Statue of Liberty maze, to which Duck adds his own personal touch. This offering hits the mark thanks to the industrious text and comical watercolors capped by a hilarious visual surprise.

Reviewer: Nell Beram