(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. This fifth entry focuses on the prickly dynamic between Nory (who turns into hybrid animals such as a "squippy"--half-squid, half-puppy) and Willa (who makes it rain indoors) plus their caught-in-the-middle friend, Elliot. As usual with this entertaining series set in a magic school, each character is fully rounded, with alternating perspectives providing broader pictures of the various classmates.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. When Abby and Jonah find themselves in "The Princess and the Pea" (Pod), Abby spends a restless night on a precarious stack of mattresses and is promptly appointed the swamp kingdom's new ruler. In Red, they land in "Little Red Riding Hood" and intervene on Little Red's behalf. As usual for these entertaining fairy-tale takeoffs, the sibs must set the stories straight and learn gentle lessons in the process. Review covers these Whatever After titles: Seeing Red and Two Peas in a Pod.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(3) 4-6 Two girls from parallel Middle Eastern–esque kingdoms discover their powerful bond. In New Hadar, poor glassblower Nalah is tired of hiding her illegal magical abilities; she disobeys her father and fashions a magic mirror that opens a portal into the Magi Kingdom, where Princess Halan looks just like Nalah but sans powers. An ambitious fantasy with strong world-building for advanced middle-grade readers.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jane Ray. In sixteenth-century Venice, a glassmaker desperate to cheer up his sullen daughter promises a glass palace to anyone who can make her smile. No one succeeds until one young glassmaker uses a secret formula to create something new: a looking glass. This gentle story's fairy-tale tone is furthered by fanciful watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations, including a striking spread with shiny foil details.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 4-6 Daughters of fairy-tale icons attend middle school in NYC. Sleeping Beauty's daughter, Aria, dreams of being a clothing designer, but her parents--understandably!--have something against needles (Fairest). Before the dance, Rosie White Charming, descendant of Snow and Prince, gets a makeover with help from her mom's magic compact (Charmed). Despite superficial fashion details and muddled lessons on beauty, the breezy takeoffs have appeal. Review covers these titles: Charmed, I'm Sure and Fairest of Them All.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. In their latest fairy-tale adventure, Abby and Jonah land in the story of "Hansel and Gretel." Those folkloric siblings--ringers for Abby and Jonah--escape through the magic mirror, leaving Abby and Jonah to be captured by the kid-eating witch. Like its predecessors, this installment is funny and a little scary, and it delivers a gentle lesson, this time about appreciation.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) PS This deceptively straightforward tale tells of animals looking in a "hole," seeing only their own reflections, and arguing about what's inside. Mark Twain's "A Fable," which provided the inspiration, is appended, and its moral sheds light on this adaptation. Large-scale illustrations zoom in on the animals' faces and use simple lines and (mostly) one-tone backgrounds to reflect the story's minimalist approach.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Polona Kosec & Marcela Calderón. Estrella and Yosef get married and move from a small Moroccan village to the city of Casablanca, but their inexperience with the world creates jealousy and distrust when they both see their reflection in a mirror for the first time ("my husband has taken another wife!"). Evocative mahogany-hued illustrations and a unique setting somewhat compensate for oddly mature themes of vanity and infidelity.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 1-3 Nightmare Club series. Illustrated by Glenn McElhinney. A Halloween sleepover at which each guest must tell a scary story sets up this series of self-contained tales. The author embraces the idea that things unseen are scarier than those described to keep the stories age-appropriate without sacrificing spookiness; a jaded, slightly meta tone adds levity. Jagged line illustrations on roomy pages complete the accessible packages. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Review covers the following the following Nightmare Club titles: A Dog's Breakfast, Guinea Pig Killer, Help! My Brother's a Zombie, and Mirrored.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. Siblings Abby and Jonah's latest adventure lands them in "The Frog Prince," where they meet the eponymous frog and the princess who's supposed to transform him. In a characteristic twist, neither frog nor princess is who they appear to be. The experience teaches Abby that perhaps the school bully is "mean because he's upset"--a welcome and gently delivered lesson about empathy.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(2) YA In this fairy-tale revisioning set in fifteenth-century Venice, Dolce believes that she's an ugly monster. Father and daughter Marin and Bianca introduce Dolce to Venetian high society, where she is considered beautiful. Though Dolce, soon married to Marin, loves stepdaughter Bianca, the girl's increasing beauty fills her with dread. Napoli's characteristic lush prose relates Dolce's journey from monster to stepmother to monster again.

Reviewer: Sarah Berman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2015

(4) 1-3 Meri's Mirror series. Illustrated by Tracy Bishop. Fourth-grade bookworm Meri Mercer receives an antique magic mirror for her birthday. The mirror lets her talk to characters from her favorite books; those characters offer Meri advice and insight as she navigates friendships and school dramas. Although too easily resolved, Meri's trials and tribulations ring true and will resonate with young chapter-book readers. Occasional black-and-white illustrations match the text's breezy tone. Review covers these Meri's Mirror titles: Facing a Frenemy, Meri Mercer Doesn't Lie, Mostly, Tattletale Traitor, and Terrible Twin Mania.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 1-3 Meri's Mirror series. Illustrated by Tracy Bishop. Fourth-grade bookworm Meri Mercer receives an antique magic mirror for her birthday. The mirror lets her talk to characters from her favorite books; those characters offer Meri advice and insight as she navigates friendships and school dramas. Although too easily resolved, Meri's trials and tribulations ring true and will resonate with young chapter-book readers. Occasional black-and-white illustrations match the text's breezy tone. Review covers these Meri's Mirror titles: Facing a Frenemy, Meri Mercer Doesn't Lie, Mostly, Tattletale Traitor, and Terrible Twin Mania.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 1-3 Meri's Mirror series. Illustrated by Tracy Bishop. Fourth-grade bookworm Meri Mercer receives an antique magic mirror for her birthday. The mirror lets her talk to characters from her favorite books; those characters offer Meri advice and insight as she navigates friendships and school dramas. Although too easily resolved, Meri's trials and tribulations ring true and will resonate with young chapter-book readers. Occasional black-and-white illustrations match the text's breezy tone. Review covers these Meri's Mirror titles: Facing a Frenemy, Meri Mercer Doesn't Lie, Mostly, Tattletale Traitor, and Terrible Twin Mania.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 1-3 Meri's Mirror series. Illustrated by Tracy Bishop. Fourth-grade bookworm Meri Mercer receives an antique magic mirror for her birthday. The mirror lets her talk to characters from her favorite books; those characters offer Meri advice and insight as she navigates friendships and school dramas. Although too easily resolved, Meri's trials and tribulations ring true and will resonate with young chapter-book readers. Occasional black-and-white illustrations match the text's breezy tone. Review covers these Meri's Mirror titles: Facing a Frenemy, Meri Mercer Doesn't Lie, Mostly, Tattletale Traitor, and Terrible Twin Mania.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. In Abby and Jonah's fourth adventure through their magic mirror, they inadvertently involve Abby's friend Robin. When they arrive in Sleeping Beauty's story, Robin pricks her finger and falls asleep, leaving Abby, Jonah, and the real Sleeping Beauty to figure out how to wake her. Like its predecessors, Dream's delightful alteration of the original tale will keep young readers entertained.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. Abby and Jonah travel through their magic mirror to the story "The Snow Queen" (which may be unfamiliar to readers, though they learn it was an inspiration for the film Frozen). They befriend a reindeer, escape from robbers, and confront the misunderstood Snow Queen. This sixth fractured fairy tale will keep readers chuckling as it delivers a subtle lesson about friendship.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) 4-6 Whatever After series. Abby and Jonah's fifth trip through their basement's magic mirror lands them in the story of Rapunzel; the tale goes astray when Abby gives Rapunzel a haircut ("The bangs weren't my best idea"). As usual, the twists are unexpected and entertaining and the humor is pitch-perfect; some just-scary-enough moments, featuring a giant tarantula and a mean sorceress, complete the package.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) YA Translated by Oliver Latsch. Cursed to die within a year, Jacob Reckless (Reckless) returns to the Mirrorworld in search of a crossbow with the power to heal him. His relationship with human-vixen shapeshifter Fox deepens during the quest, as does the reader's understanding of her backstory. Funke again twists elements of fairy tales to create a chilling, mature fantasy novel for only the most attentive readers.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax