(1) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Raschka. The very definition of music is explored in this thoughtful look at Cage's (1912–1992) controversial musical composition, 4'33", a work that debuted with a pianist "performing" four minutes and thirty-three seconds of silence in a barn in Woodstock, New York, in 1952. While there was no piano performance in the traditional sense, the absence of music amplified other sounds, such as whispers, coughs, chairs moving, and the noises of the outside world. Cage believed that "there is always something to hear inside the silence," and the book encourages readers to listen even when it feels like there is nothing to hear. It also emphasizes the art of doing nothing. Twice, the word nothing is scrawled in cursive on a double-page spread featuring just that word, giving readers space to pause and absorb the concept. Raschka's stunning illustrations further these heady concepts: staff lines, disembodied notes, accidentals, and oddly placed clefs visually capture Cage's spirit. Watercolor, pencil, and ink lend themselves well to the task of representing audiences, musicians, and experimental sound art, offering details at times and at other times just suggesting things through outlines and splotches of color. The book deftly pivots in time between Cage's childhood, the Woodstock performance, and his impact on music broadly. Extended back matter on Cage's life and work round out the book. Pair this introduction to the experimental musician with Rogers and Na's Beautiful Noise7 (rev. 11/23).

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(3) K-3 After receiving a party invitation, Dora declares parties are “too loud and too busy.” The young girl thinks of several outrageous reasons to give for declining (a gorilla stealing her party outfit; a frog eating her shoe), but at her mom’s urging, she reluctantly attends. She finds the event chaotic, but when she meets another child with similar feelings, they find a quiet spot to enjoy the fun. Humorous and expressive hand-drawn and digital illustrations enhance a realistic portrayal of an introverted child’s feelings about socializing.

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(2) PS Illustrated by Jarvis. A tired penguin perched atop the head of a gentle, goofy lion wants some sleep, but the lion is wide awake: "Tell me a story, Penguin." Penguin, whose eyes are barely open, promises a story later and falls asleep. Bright digital illustrations convey Penguin's detailed dream world in gauzy bursts of color, contrasting with the stark white backgrounds of consciousness when a loud noise startles Penguin awake. Lion feigns innocence ("Oh, Penguin! Are you awake?"), but the page-turn reveals Lion sitting behind a betraying drum set. The situation escalates: Penguin keeps falling asleep, Lion keeps interfering -- crunching on a loud snack, bouncing on a trampoline. The art deftly moves the story (all in dialogue with alternating font colors for the two characters) between dreams and reality. The animated Lion, eagerly prodding for more dream details ("Sounds magical! Tell me every little thing"), makes a funny and irresistible foil to the exhausted, frustrated Penguin. In the end, Penguin relents and tells Lion a story...about a sleepy penguin who tells a lion a story. Lion declares this story lazy, but it does the trick. Lion falls asleep, and the two friends share rainbow dreams of puppies, unicorns, and candy together at last. This contentious going-to-sleep sequence between two appealing characters has all the right ingredients for sharing aloud, whether it is time for bed or simply time for a story.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | 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) K-3 I Like to Read: Comics series. Meisel (See Me Play, rev. 7/19; and others) is an accomplished creator of early-reader picture books; in his first comic for beginning readers, Dog and Cat are napping when the sky darkens and the first rumble of thunder wakes them. Dog reacts with wide-eyed fear; insouciant Cat plays with a mouse toy. As the thunder grows louder, Dog tries several hiding spots--behind the couch, under a cushion, in a closet--but can't find a place that feels safe. Cat, meanwhile, keeps playing. (When Dog screams, "HIDE! HIDE!" Cat calmly replies, "I found my duck.") The pen-and-ink illustrations are expressive and humorous, and Meisel captures the body language of animals--particularly Dog, who we see shake, cower, and become increasingly undone. The book uses three types of lettering: one for narration, another for speech bubbles, and a third for sound effects in the illustrations. The narration text is a lighter blue in yellow text boxes (potentially harder for new readers to spot); however, the words ("Dog is scared") aren't telling anything the illustrations aren't making clear, so children of all reading abilities will be able to follow the story. In the end, Dog falls asleep and dreams about chasing the storm away, and upon waking, it's gone. Dog feels like a superhero, Cat continues to be unconcerned, and readers will be amused.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo. Riley likes to tear up old newspapers, line stuffies up by size, and draw colorful swirls. But when Bossy Older Cousin Emma and her sister, Violet, come to visit, Bossy Emma says Riley's games are boring and insists on noisy play and having tea parties. Alborozo's mixed-media illustrations are all rounded corners, soft lines, and gentle pastel hues, giving the book a peaceful feeling appropriate to its quiet protagonist, a contrast to the cousins' more raucous forms of play. When Bossy Emma and Riley glare at each other, though, it's clear there's a difference between being mild and being a pushover. Riley wants Bossy Emma to understand that she isn't the only one who knows how to play, so Riley enlists the assistance of Charlie, a gray pooch with floppy ears and a waggy tail. When the kids' game of fetch turns into Charlie's game of keep-away, the children chase him "until we all fall down laughing." The language here is straightforward and instructive, and an appended author's note reveals Miller-Lachmann wrote this based on her experiences. ("It was only in adulthood that I found out I was autistic.") Negotiating relationships with children who play differently is a universal experience, though, and this will strike a chord with many readers.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In this expert picture-book riff on the classic Caribbean folktale "La Cucaracha Martina," Otheguy celebrates big families with room for all types of dispositions. Introverted, story-loving Martina is overwhelmed by the noise from her three boisterous tías, who have come for a visit and a fiesta. With a pounding headache, Martina slips away, falls into a pot of bubbling guava fruit, and is transported to a warm island, illustrated in calming blues. On the island, she interacts with various animals until she finds the quiet ratoncito. In the end, Martina misses her loud family and makes her way back to her tías. She shares the story of her adventure, and her tías listen attentively. Colorful collages, digitally rendered, bring a sense of vibrancy. Palacios's visual representation of the cacophony of sounds in the overlays--in particular the page with all three tías--is bright and loud; you can feel the noise pop off the page. An author's note explains the folktale tie-in and explores the trope of the loud Latina.

Reviewer: Yesica Hurd | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) PS Illustrated by Dan Yaccarino. This follow-up to Firefighter Flo![cf1 (rev. 1/23) features more spirited rhymes and enjoyable noises to introduce Jane's important work as a crane operator. "Jane's in her cab, controls in hand. / The giant crane's in her command. / CLANG-CLANG! CLANG-CLANG! CLANG-CLANG!" After punching the clock ("KERCHUNK!"), Jane works the crane to move cargo to ships and then shares lunch with a seagull friend ("YEOW!"). The job becomes more stressful when the weather takes a turn and Jane needs to move big trucks off a ship. The bright contrasting colors darken as the wind intensifies, and while Jane moves a final fire truck, the bold shapes and lines of the digital illustrations lurch at alarming angles. The text declares the danger on a red background, but Jane remains focused and careful on her yellow background. In the end Jane needs help, and her seagull friends provide critical ballast where needed. When the fire truck is safely on the ground (with the firefighting team readers may recognize from the previous book), Jane rewards her seagull friends with treats and heads off to bed after a tough job successfully completed ("HOORAY!"). Even very young listeners can follow this exploration of Jane's job and workday. With its inspiring female main character, brush with danger, shout-worthy onomatopoeia, and peaceful bedtime conclusion, the story will likely resonate through many repeat readings.