(2) YA Korean American Yuna feels stifled by the traditional ways of her immigrant parents. She brings homemade lunches to school while her classmates get pizza. She stays home while her friends have sleepovers. A Korean legend passed down to Yuna from her halmoni (grandmother) says that if one gathers a thousand paper stars into a jar, a wish is granted. Yuna takes on this challenge, and upon folding the thousandth star, makes a fateful wish to return to Korea and so lead a "normal" life. The next morning, she awakes to learn that Halmoni has died unexpectedly and finds that her own hand has started transforming into paper. In Korea for her grandmother's funeral, she strives to fold another thousand stars in order to reverse her wish and bring Halmoni back to life--and avoid turning into paper ("I am a paper girl...blowing in the wind. Alone and fragile. I am invisible"). Yi's poignant graphic novel weaves together themes of isolation, belonging, guilt, death, and family along with the complex dynamics of forging a Korean American identity. The plot oscillates between the past and present, unraveling events through intermittent flashbacks. Yuna's memories unfold through pastel shades of blue; her mother's memories of her childhood and Halmoni, in sepia tones. Montage panels reflect Halmoni's endearing acts of love. Memory, magic, and mystery converge to tell an intergenerational story that captivates the imagination and heart.

Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) K-3 Art for Good series. Thoughtful book design makes a perfect container for this series entry. On heavy stock pages, Saturno and Di Cristofaro introduce young readers to a Japanese architect whose preferred medium is paper. Pritzker Prize winner Shigeru Ban has made a name for himself with his paper-tube constructions used in disaster-relief efforts, including temporary housing and such community buildings as schools and churches. Saturno uses an interactive structure to lead readers into the subject; an offstage narrator encourages a skeptical child to imagine a "house made entirely of paper and cardboard. A house you could live in." The child, rendered with angular, modernist flair and accompanied by an equally hyper-stylized cat, expostulates, "No way! That would be impossible!" But the narrator beguiles the child with the "very sturdy" paper tubes Ban uses as "bricks," while Di Cristofaro evokes the tensile strength of his innovative structures with intricate cut-paper renderings in minimalist compositions. An inserted twelve-page booklet made of brown paper contains photographs of Ban's disaster-relief projects and paragraphs of text describing them; bound in, it is smaller than the surrounding book yet integrated by its medium. A Q&A with the architect, a timeline of his life, and an exhortation to child readers "to think, to be creative, and to help" close the offering. It's all bound in a sturdy cardboard case that pays homage to Ban's work. This striking presentation is an effective invitation to children to join Ban in using creativity to solve big problems.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Graham, an expert in spinning affectionate stories from the details of ordinary family life (see most recently Ellies Dragon, rev. 11/20), here tackles the ubiquitous mystery of the missing jigsaw-puzzle piece. The Kelly family members--Mom, Dad, Kitty, Katie, and dog Lucy--receive a jigsaw puzzle in the mail from an anonymous giver that depicts an "African sunrise." Over the course of the next year, the family completes the puzzle. Well, almost. What the reader knows from the illustrations is that one piece was accidentally thrown out in the trash the very day the puzzle arrived. When the Kellys discover the problem, they go into overdrive, visiting the giant paper recycling warehouse in a wild, hopeful quest. Graham's fans will know to expect a miracle. His squiggly, interrupted pen line can render even a pile of wastepaper dynamic, and the cadence of his text makes the ordinary grand. "There were letters of love from faraway places, letters of sorrow, notes of forgiveness, bus tickets, train tickets, cards saying 'thank you,' and newspapers old and forgotten in time." Obviously inspired by our stay-at-home lives over the past couple of years, this timely tale is a celebration of wishful thinking.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(4) K-3 Translated by Olga Varshaver. Illustrated by Victoria Semykina. After a paper boat floating in a pond overhears a duck reminiscing about the ocean, it sails off to find the sea, interacting with various watercrafts along the way. Just as the journey is a long haul for the paper boat, the story (translated from the Russian) is a lengthy haul for the reader, although the dominantly blue mixed-media art couldn't be more scenic.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Amazing Origami series. In each volume, two somewhat boilerplate double-page spreads give a bit of background to this traditional Japanese craft and list the materials and basic techniques required to complete six or seven projects. Step-by-step illustrated instructions lead to three-dimensional miniature dogs, mice, iguanadons, gift boxes, rockets, boats, and more. Precision required--not for the impatient! Ind. Review covers these Amazing Origami titles: Amazing Origami Animals, Amazing Origami Dinosaurs, Amazing Origami Gifts, and Amazing Origami Vehicles.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Amazing Origami series. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Amazing Origami series. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Amazing Origami series. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) K-3 In Nu Dang, a boy loves flying his kite "more than anything else." One windy day the kite breaks free. Paper-Flower is about a girl who tries to grow a "paper-flower tree" from a bead given to her by a traveling performer. Ayer relates both tales with a storyteller's cadence; her vivid illustrations show a range of daily activities, people, and places in mid-twentieth-century Thailand.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1962; November, 2017

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Cool Makerspace series. This series centered on makerspaces should give middle-grade makers, crafters, and hobbyists fresh ideas to spark their creative imaginations. Framed with a boilerplate introduction to makerspaces and standard safety messages and materials lists, each volume offers stepped project directions illustrated with clear photos; useful "tip" sidebars appear throughout. Younger crafters may need some adult help, but they'll be motivated. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Cool Makerspace titles: Make It Yourself! Paper Pop-Up Art, Make It Yourself! Bots & Circuits, Make It Yourself! Collages & Sculptures, Make It Yourself! From Junk to Jewelry, Make It Yourself! Coloring & Doodling, and Make It Yourself! Comics & Graphic Novels.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Origami Crafting 4D series. This series adds a "fourth dimension" to traditional origami paper-folding with a downloadable app that guides viewers through folding steps, demonstrated and narrated by a child instructor. The books are suitable on their own, but the app should make the simple folds even more accessible. Each origami object turns into a decorative craft with the use of yarn, wire, hot glue, etc. Reading list. Review covers these Origami Crafting 4D titles: Easy Origami Decorations and Easy Origami Ornaments.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Origami Crafting 4D series. This series adds a "fourth dimension" to traditional origami paper-folding with a downloadable app that guides viewers through folding steps, demonstrated and narrated by a child instructor. The books are suitable on their own, but the app should make the simple folds even more accessible. Each origami object turns into a decorative craft with the use of yarn, wire, hot glue, etc. Reading list. Review covers these Origami Crafting 4D titles: Easy Origami Decorations and Easy Origami Ornaments.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Clearly illustrated step-by-step directions and simple equipment (e.g., glue, straws, scissors) help turn common household paper items into toys, decorations, masks, and headgear (tiaras, mouse ears, etc.). Paper plates and bowls may be easier to find than some of the specialized boxes required in Cardboard, but both volumes include a nice variation of projects for a range of crafting skill levels. Review covers these titles: 51 Things to Make with Cardboard Boxes and 51 Things to Make with Paper Plates.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Mezrich's wife coauthors this Bringing Down the Mouse sequel, in which likable numbers whiz Charlie and his fellow sixth-grade pals land a coveted spot at a paper-airplane competition in Washington, DC. The team believes it is working undercover to help NASA recover stolen moon rocks, but something more devious is afoot. Historical and scientific explanations sometimes awkwardly pause the otherwise swiftly moving plot.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) K-3 Super Simple Origami series. Simple animal paper-folding projects lead young crafters through stepped directions with corresponding diagrams connected by dotted lines. Each book includes boilerplate introductory material showing basic folds and symbols before five or six easy origami projects. The projects include optional use of googly eyes, markers, and more to decorate the 3D models. This series is a good starting place for origami beginners. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Origami titles: Origami Birds, Origami Dinosaurs, Origami Farm Animals, Origami Insects, Origami Pets, and Origami Zoo Animals.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Super Simple Origami series. Simple animal paper-folding projects lead young crafters through stepped directions with corresponding diagrams connected by dotted lines. Each book includes boilerplate introductory material showing basic folds and symbols before five or six easy origami projects. The projects include optional use of googly eyes, markers, and more to decorate the 3D models. This series is a good starting place for origami beginners. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Origami titles: Origami Birds, Origami Dinosaurs, Origami Farm Animals, Origami Insects, Origami Pets, and Origami Zoo Animals.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Super Simple Origami series. Simple animal paper-folding projects lead young crafters through stepped directions with corresponding diagrams connected by dotted lines. Each book includes boilerplate introductory material showing basic folds and symbols before five or six easy origami projects. The projects include optional use of googly eyes, markers, and more to decorate the 3D models. This series is a good starting place for origami beginners. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Origami titles: Origami Birds, Origami Dinosaurs, Origami Farm Animals, Origami Insects, Origami Pets, and Origami Zoo Animals.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Super Simple Origami series. Simple animal paper-folding projects lead young crafters through stepped directions with corresponding diagrams connected by dotted lines. Each book includes boilerplate introductory material showing basic folds and symbols before five or six easy origami projects. The projects include optional use of googly eyes, markers, and more to decorate the 3D models. This series is a good starting place for origami beginners. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Origami titles: Origami Birds, Origami Dinosaurs, Origami Farm Animals, Origami Insects, Origami Pets, and Origami Zoo Animals.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Super Simple Origami series. Simple animal paper-folding projects lead young crafters through stepped directions with corresponding diagrams connected by dotted lines. Each book includes boilerplate introductory material showing basic folds and symbols before five or six easy origami projects. The projects include optional use of googly eyes, markers, and more to decorate the 3D models. This series is a good starting place for origami beginners. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Origami titles: Origami Birds, Origami Dinosaurs, Origami Farm Animals, Origami Insects, Origami Pets, and Origami Zoo Animals.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Super Simple Origami series. Simple animal paper-folding projects lead young crafters through stepped directions with corresponding diagrams connected by dotted lines. Each book includes boilerplate introductory material showing basic folds and symbols before five or six easy origami projects. The projects include optional use of googly eyes, markers, and more to decorate the 3D models. This series is a good starting place for origami beginners. Glos. Review covers these Super Simple Origami titles: Origami Birds, Origami Dinosaurs, Origami Farm Animals, Origami Insects, Origami Pets, and Origami Zoo Animals.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo