(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Sam Ricks. In his fourth early-reader adventure, sports-loving Mo Jackson (Don't Throw It to Mo! and others) takes to the soccer pitch. He needs practice, and Mom and Dad are happy to help. During the big game--Billy Goats versus Pups--Mo has some ups and downs, but he (sort of inadvertently) scores the winning goal. Mo's underdog status and his try-try-again attitude, reflected throughout Ricks's unfussy illustrations, continue to have appeal.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Sam Ricks. In his third easy reader (Don't Throw It to Mo!; Get a Hit, Mo!), Mo has a new sports obsession: basketball. Diminutive Mo struggles to connect (literally) with his teammates when passing the ball; with extra practice and encouragement, he shines when his team needs him the most. Intentionally repetitive sentences, engaging illustrations, and a large typeface make the humorous story comprehensible for new readers.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(4) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. In Border's easy-reader spinoff of his food-themed picture books (Peanut Butter & Cupcake!), new-to-town Peanut Butter is anxious about the upcoming first day of school. At his mother's suggestion, he practices his walk to school, soliciting advice from friends Cupcake, Egg, and Soup along the way. The story feels perfunctory, but Border's trademark color photos of wire-limbed foodstuff are as beguiling as ever.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. An overview of the Amazon rainforest is organized into chapters and short paragraphs. With clear and immersive language, a leveled text geared toward "fluent readers" smoothly introduces vocabulary as it touches on climate, geography, and the diversity of animals in each forest layer; a final chapter focuses on conservation. Quality photos appear throughout. Young readers will come away well informed. Glos.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Two squirrel brothers stuff their mouths with nuts in We Need More, then implore the reader to take them away by Please, No More--they "cannot stand their guts." The cartoony characters relate the humorous narratives solely in speech balloons on cleanly designed spreads. The rhyming texts are nicely repetitive and have an energetic (if silly-frantic) beat. Review covers these Penguin Young Readers titles: Please, No More Nuts! and We Need More Nuts!

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Two squirrel brothers stuff their mouths with nuts in We Need More, then implore the reader to take them away by Please, No More--they "cannot stand their guts." The cartoony characters relate the humorous narratives solely in speech balloons on cleanly designed spreads. The rhyming texts are nicely repetitive and have an energetic (if silly-frantic) beat. Review covers these Penguin Young Readers titles: Please, No More Nuts! and We Need More Nuts!

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers: Smithsonian series. A comprehensive overview of the bison's life cycle and habits is organized into chapters and short paragraphs. A leveled text geared toward "fluent readers" smoothly introduces vocabulary and touches on the importance of the animal to Native Americans, the near extinction of the species, and conservationists' efforts to bring them back. Quality photos (some captioned) appear throughout. Young readers will come away well informed. Glos.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Andrew Grey. Sitting on the bus alongside older sister Ruby, an ever-smiling Max happily goes to school. Max's day in Miss Bunty's class is filled with the expected activities (painting, recess, naptime, dress-up), which could be comforting to new-to-schoolers but isn't narratively thrilling. Largely absent, too, is Max's big personality, which fans might miss. Grey's illustrations are a close, but more digital-looking, approximation of Wells's style.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Sam Ricks. A baseball-season follow-up to Geisel Award–winning Don't Throw It to Mo!. Still the smallest on his team, African American boy Mo will bat last and play right field in the game. But Mo listens carefully to Coach Marie and watches his teammates--and eventually has his big moment. Accompanying the perfectly pitched leveled text, Ricks's illustrations capture Mo's feelings and the game's movements.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Despite the cutesy title, this easy reader offers a decent amount of information focusing on hedgehogs as outdoor or indoor pets ("check the laws in your town to see if you can have one"). Photos of hedgehogs playing, sniffing, eating, etc., enhance interest, though clarification would have been useful at times (e.g., we're told the creatures are nocturnal, but the photos are mainly daytime).

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Penguin Young Readers: Smithsonian series. In nine leveled-reader chapters, this volume provides information about the moon, focusing mainly on science and exploration. The text also touches on storytelling (that old green cheese myth) and veers into speculation: "Could there be other life in the universe? Do you think they look up at their own moons like we do?" Well-chosen photographs and illustrations support the occasionally vague text. Glos.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Cale Atkinson. A car named Bud enters a race with some other cars, all cheerfully illustrated. Bud gets distracted playing in a mud puddle. He refocuses, finishes the race, loses, and displays good sportsmanship: "I vroomed. / I zoomed. / I went fast. / And someone had / to come in last." The rhyming text occasionally sputters, but Bud is a winning character.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Rich Davis. Oversize dog Tiny has many friends--but cat Kiki won't give him the time of day, despite Tiny's best efforts one snowy afternoon. When Kiki gets stuck in a tree, though, Tiny comes to the rescue. Narrated by Tiny's little-boy owner (Eliot, from previous Tiny books), the text, aimed at the newest readers, is simple yet satisfying. Davis's illustrations convey the many personalities.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Marta Costa. The biblical story of Noah, his ark, the animals, and the flood are recounted in easy-reader format with simple words and declarative sentences tailored to an emergent reader. Reed manages to convey the religious essence of the story--God's miracle and Noah's unswerving faith--without oversimplifying, while Costa's colorful cartoon illustrations keep the mood appropriately light for the audience.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Sam Ricks. Mo loves football, even though he mostly sits on the bench with Coach Steve. The other team doesn't think Mo, the youngest and smallest kid on his team, stands a chance to catch the ball, but Coach Steve has a plan. Simple text, an exciting story, a lovable underdog, and charming illustrations combine to make this easy reader a winner.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Lisa McCue. Unlikely best friends Cork, a muskrat, and Fuzz, a possum, disagree over what constitutes spring cleaning. When Cork gets a little too bossy, Fuzz lets him know. The two try to work out their differences and still be best friends. Accessible, clearly plotted text supported by detailed illustrations guide new readers through this endearing tenth episode. Extension activities are included.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers: Smithsonian series. This leveled text for "fluent" readers focuses on the giant pandas--Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and cub Bao Bao--at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC. Chapters include general information about giant pandas, zoo life, and the cub's care and maturation. With simple text and plenty of photographs, this is a thorough and clear introduction to the National Zoo's beloved pandas. Glos.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Susanna Natti. Cam and best friend Eric visit Eric's grandparents, but Grandma and Grandpa are too tired to do anything--someone (or something) keeps knocking on their door and waking them up. Cam and Eric solve the mystery through their powers of observation. Simple language and sentence structure make this book accessible for beginning readers and may help lead them into the chapter books about these kids.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Rich Davis. Tiny, a friendly, oversize dog, needs to brush up on "sit," "stay," and "shake," so his boy owner takes him back to Happy Dog School. The accessible vocabulary, large type, short sentences, and emotive art on clean pages work well for beginning readers, who will enjoy the comically large dog's behavioral shift when the teacher arrives with a bag of "Doggie num-nums."

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Penguin Young Readers series. Illustrated by Lisa McCue. In their eighth encounter, muskrat Cork and possum Fuzz explore a snow-covered landscape; Fuzz is more daring than his friend, but the resolution is safe and satisfying. Recognizable vocabulary, manageable sentences, and plenty of opportunities to predict outcomes provide pre-chapter-book readers with a comfortable independent reading adventure. McCue's textured illustrations of the critters inject warmth into the wintry scenes.

Reviewer: Betty Carter