(2) K-3 "And that, class, is what we call metamorphosis... Are there any questions?" Our young protagonist does indeed have a question (per question-mark thought bubble) but is immediately plagued by self-consciousness and doubt. No one else seems to have one, and asking would just shine an unwanted spotlight. A series of what-ifs? goes through the child's mind, played out in clear, lively digital car-toons with oversize, shout-y speech balloons: "YOU CALL THAT A QUESTION?...LOOK, EVERYONE! IT'S SILLY-QUESTION KID!...SILLY-QUESTION KID IS IN OUR CLASS!" After a brief imagined sojourn to outer space, where there's no one to poke fun at question-askers--but there's no one to answer questions, either--the child returns to the real-life classroom, cautiously raises a hand, and voices the query: "How do you know if a caterpillar is going to turn into a butterfly or a moth?" A very good question--and one that opens the floodgates for other classmates' wonderings. (Who would win in a fight, a butterfly or a moth?) Reluctant queriers will relate to the issues raised by the story, which doesn't take itself too seriously, and may well feel a sense of relief and reassurance. Although some of the questions are actually quite ridiculous ("Can I be a moth?"), the act of asking them isn't.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) K-3 An unnamed little-boy narrator tells us about his best friend, Marlo. The two of them "do everything together" around their suburban neighborhood, and the illustrations often show them accompanied by a pet dog...until they aren't. One spread shows the narrator approaching Marlo, alone and dejected under a tree. There's a black scribble above the latter's head, indicating anger, as he tells his friend to go away. Unfortunately, the friend doesn't then ask the title's essential question, "What's the matter?" Instead, "I did what any good friend would do...I told a joke"--a dog joke, to be precise. Attentive viewers may then notice the absence of the beloved pet, and understand Marlo's consequent intensification of emotion. The black scribble expands, taking over page-turns, and Marlo disappears into the engulfing darkness. His friend finds him after a frantic search and, after the two are reunited in a fully detailed scene, notices a small mound of dirt with a ball and a dog collar hung on a stick. "I realized that Marlo wasn't just mad, he was sad, too," reads the text, leading to a hug between the friends. While Arnold's story treads familiar thematic territory with its depiction of a child grieving a pet's death, it is distinguished by its trust in readers to discover key parts of the narrative through the illustrations and to contemplate the full meaning of the events and emotions.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(3) K-3 Adventures in Cartooning Jr. series. Sleeping ogres near the castle spell trouble to horse Edward and his dynamic knight (Gryphons Aren't So Great). The king has a plan to save the kingdom: the knight must peel lots of vegetables so the garden gnomes can make the ogres an enormous stew to enjoy when they wake up. Large comic panels advance the humorous tale, and endpapers provide entertaining drawing tutorials.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) K-3 Adventures in Cartooning Jr. series. A knight (Sleepless Knight) wants to fly, and he leaves his loyal horse, Edward, behind to go on an adventure with a gryphon. This comic book is silly, short, and easy to read; the illustrations, with simple shapes and coloring, are engaging. The story itself, however, feels more scattered than other installments. Endpapers contain instructions on drawing the characters.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(2) PS Adventures in Cartooning Jr. series. A brave (if scatterbrained) knight and his horse, Edward, go camping. The knight's misplaced teddy leads to an unfortunate case of mistaken identity in which he stumbles into a real bear's lair; sight gags and silliness abound. The knight has a remarkable range of emotions for someone wearing a helmet, and eggplant-shaped Edward is a great straight man (or horse). Endpapers offer amusing drawing tutorials.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(2) K-3 Santa decides a comic book is the perfect Christmas present for gadget-addicted kids. The Magical Cartooning Elf helps write and deliver it; when the pair runs into trouble, a knight and dragon save the day. The book's amiable cartoon-panel art and meta elements invite readers to giggle at old-fashioned Santa (with his insistence on a "Night Before Christmas"–style cadence) alongside his tech-savvy elves.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012