(2) K-3 A wee, goggle-eyed alien lands on Earth one night, on a mission to collect soil samples and move on to the next planet. The titular spaceman finds Earth rather ordinary, but then a crow flies off with his spaceship and he must follow the crow "into the unknown." As he journeys, he discovers more and more fascinating plant life, and when the sun comes up, even more flora is revealed, plus strange but adorable animals such as snails and beautiful ones such as butterflies. One butterfly drops the spaceman into a lily pond, where he floats happily until retrieved by a new friend, a small spotted dog (at first deemed a "hideous beast"). Then comes the conundrum: should he recover the spaceship, now seen to be perched on a tree branch, and continue the mission? After wrestling with his conscience, he slyly pushes the spaceship off the branch, and it sinks into the pond, "never to be seen again." The spaceman now must remain on Earth: "In this extraordinary place. Laughing and playing. And enjoying the gentle breeze with my friend." The book's appeal stems from the interplay of the formal narration with the extreme cuteness of the protagonist and the other creatures, including highly expressive faces and body language. The soft palette, in apt greens and blues, reinforces the charm of the bucolic landscape.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 1-3 A young film buff unknowingly brings a mouse home from the cinema. The child names the mouse Douglas in honor of movie star Douglas Fairbanks; before long, Douglas is back outside, where she sees new sights, befriends another mouse, explores city streets, and zigzags through danger on her way home. Textured, oval-shaped grayscale illustrations add to the story's old-timey, cinematic feel. A thoughtful balance of image and well-paced text lets gentle humor emerge.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) K-3 Store-clerk-by-day Sam moonlights as a (stage fright–suffering) juggler. His daughter Eleanor lavishes attention on stray dog Lucy. By the end of the four-act story, Lucy has found her forever family, and Sam has found his place in the spotlight. Oval-shaped, duotone oil illustrations float amidst white space, the design offering equal weight to both text and image.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(3) PS When Horsefly and Honeybee pick the same flower for a nap, a fight ensues. "It wasn't pretty," and they each lose a wing. Unable to fly, they are easy prey for Bullfrog, who saves them for dinner. In their fear, they grasp one another and flutter their wings—"and up they went!" Amusing oil-on-paper illustrations match the charming, undidactic text.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Duck, a carousel animal who yearns to fly, helps a real duckling learn how to use his wings. She loses her companion when Duckling flies south for the winter. But he returns with the spring and, in a heartwarming conclusion, gives Duck a ride into the sky. Impressively understated yet expressive oil paintings enhance the poignancy of this unusual tale.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 When ridership on an amusement-park carousel dwindles, carousel animal Gator must go out and find another purpose in life. The narrative is poignant without being too sappy. The atmospheric oils feature neckless children with strangely shaped heads tipped in wonderment.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Fairy tales get the Lemony Snicket treatment in a mildly amusing stage production narrated by a Snidely Whiplash look-alike who grows increasingly frustrated as the kid actors make impromptu sunny changes to his "three tales of terror and misfortune." Grainy oil paintings of friendly looking characters keep the tone light, while purples and reds and the impression of dim lighting create a theatrical atmosphere.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann