(3) K-3 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. On August 28, 1963, as Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington, Sharon Langley became the first black child to ride the carousel at a previously segregated amusement park near Baltimore. Dialogue keeps the story personal in this well-paced, engaging autobiography. Cooper's warm, vintage-style art homes in on faces and, of course, the colorful carousel. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by William Goldsmith. This creatively rendered biography-in-comics, with Muir's imagined voice as narrator, is filled with the naturalist's adventures, from his childhood in Scotland to his pioneering conservation work and formation of America's National Parks. Illustrator Goldsmith's Muir is a feisty character, portrayed in loose pencil sketches with one or two accent colors. Vibrant spreads in the chapter transitions and interludes capture the stunning landscapes in which Muir found his purpose. Timeline. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) K-3 National Park Explorers series. These books describe basic features of U.S. national parks for younger elementary-aged readers. Engaging photographs of landscapes and animals appear throughout; short sentences and large-size type convey information about each park's indigenous plants and wildlife, along with details about the climate and land formations. A simple activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Park Explorers titles: Badlands, Big Bend, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 National Park Explorers series. These books describe basic features of U.S. national parks for younger elementary-aged readers. Engaging photographs of landscapes and animals appear throughout; short sentences and large-size type convey information about each park's indigenous plants and wildlife, along with details about the climate and land formations. A simple activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Park Explorers titles: Badlands, Big Bend, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 National Park Explorers series. These books describe basic features of U.S. national parks for younger elementary-aged readers. Engaging photographs of landscapes and animals appear throughout; short sentences and large-size type convey information about each park's indigenous plants and wildlife, along with details about the climate and land formations. A simple activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Park Explorers titles: Badlands, Big Bend, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 National Park Explorers series. These books describe basic features of U.S. national parks for younger elementary-aged readers. Engaging photographs of landscapes and animals appear throughout; short sentences and large-size type convey information about each park's indigenous plants and wildlife, along with details about the climate and land formations. A simple activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Park Explorers titles: Badlands, Big Bend, Grand Teton, and Rocky Mountain.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Lou Parker is a sarcastic, passionate teen with a summer job dressing as a hot dog at a rundown but beloved amusement park. Lou turns her enthusiasm into saving Magic Castle Playland from closing down, but relationship dramas among her park coworkers distract her. This is a pleasantly peppy rom-com populated with memorable characters and refreshingly nonchalant treatment of their varied evolving sexual identities.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Coyote and her father, Rodeo, travel the United States in a retrofitted school bus. Five years earlier, Coyote's mother and sisters were killed; now Rodeo refuses to talk about them. When Coyote learns a park where the family once buried a memory box will be demolished, she decides to retrieve the box--without letting Rodeo know that's why she wants to travel cross-country. Every mile inexorably brings Coyote closer to confronting her past, and its inevitable sadness, but Gemeinhart tempers her grief with triumphant growth.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) PS Pat looks like squirrel Cyril, but Pat's skinny pink tail (and rhymes-with name) reveals he's a less-beloved park rodent. Still, lonely Cyril sees "his new best friend" in Pat. The two do everything together--and annoy the other animals, who try to tell Cyril that his friend is a rat. Punchy and entertaining, with rhyming text and bright art, this boisterous but thoughtful look at friendship makes an enjoyable read-aloud.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by John Holyfield. In early-twentieth-century Birmingham, Alabama, fictional African American boy Frank can't visit Miss Fancy, a real-life circus elephant who retired to nearby Avondale Park: "NO COLORED ALLOWED." But then Miss Fancy--a known escape artist--takes herself on a chaotic, funny walk through Frank's neighborhood. Paintings are lush and supple, with Frank's emotions made poignant and clear. A window into the Jim Crow South and a compelling tale.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) K-3 I Like to Read series. An amiable yellow dog (from Geisel Honor–winning See Me Run) joins dogs chasing a tennis ball through a park. But then a beaver's tail and a bird start the ball (and the dogs) on an outlandish journey; a humorous circular ending returns the dogs to the park. Limited vocabulary, repetition, and clear clues in the lively watercolor illustrations give new readers support while also keeping them enormously entertained.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) K-3 First Facts: U.S. National Parks Field Guides series. These image-heavy volumes introduce young readers to major features of each national park, functioning as accessible travel guides. Engaging photographs accompany brief information about landmarks including geysers, canyons, and suspension bridges, along with brief overviews of wildlife and weather. Maps included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: U.S. National Parks Field Guides titles: Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 First Facts: U.S. National Parks Field Guides series. These image-heavy volumes introduce young readers to major features of each national park, functioning as accessible travel guides. Engaging photographs accompany brief information about landmarks including geysers, canyons, and suspension bridges, along with brief overviews of wildlife and weather. Maps included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: U.S. National Parks Field Guides titles: Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Shahrzad Maydani. Young poetry-lover Sylvia writes a poem about spring and ties it to a birch tree. The next day in its place is a poem that Sylvia believes the tree wrote to her. When a school bully shows up at the park, the two discover that they've been writing to each other. Graphite-pencil and watercolor illustrations balance white space with pastel colors and provide subtle foreshadowing in this gentle tale.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(4) PS Illustrated by Brady Smith. One day at the park, a dad is fixated on his phone; "You're missing it!" his young son, surrounded by park excitement, yells more than once. What's it going to take to snap Dad out of it? Although the book's ending is lackluster, the put-down-your-phone message is solid. Fittingly, the cartoony, spring-toned art was created without digital interference.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) PS Words with double ls tell the story of the siblings from Look now at a seaside amusement park. Hand-crafted lettering incorporates many of the ls into the pictures themselves: the ls in spill are straws tumbling from an overturned cup; those in marshmallow are toasting sticks over a campfire. Bright, ebullient images feature open composition with lots of movement, and heavy buff paper stock enhances their tactile, textured richness.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) K-3 Yazdani tells the story of how New York City's iconic Central Park came to be, beginning with visionaries Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, then moving from the park's multi-stage construction to its completion in 1876. Throughout, the book is full of glorious green landscapes with happy people enjoying them. The watercolor and pencil pictures are nicely balanced with Yazdani's lively text, full of fascinating informational tidbits. Bib.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jamey Christoph. Manhattan child Bob builds a treehouse in Central Park. When the city dismantles it, he builds another, and so on until as a man he's confronted by a park employee...who offers him a job caring for the trees. Inspired by true events, the story is placidly told, and the art gives the city an alluring serenity. Includes an epilogue about real arborist Bob Redman.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Oakwing series. Rowan (Oakwing) continues her mission to rescue her mother from the fairy realm. Younger sister Willow joins her this time, along with some animals freed from the London Zoo. There's plenty of action as the fairies battle the evil Vulpes and his army of foxes. The story is occasionally slow and has a slightly preachy ending, but fans of the first book will not be disappointed.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 National Parks series. This series takes readers on pleasant tours through individual national parks. Each book's second-person text has a guidebook-like tone, offering tips and tricks for getting the most out of a visit. The volumes are filled with fascinating facts, vivid photographs of natural wonders and animals visitors might encounter, and keyed maps. Additional fast facts are appended. There are six other spring 2018 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Parks titles: Welcome to Redwood National and State Parks, Welcome to Yosemite National Park, Welcome to Denali National Park and Preserve, Welcome to Glacier National Park, Welcome to Grand Teton National Park, and Welcome to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello