(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ralph McQuarrie. Using the original "concept paintings" for the first three films (episodes four through six) to guide his faithful narrative, DiTerlizzi follows Luke Skywalker on his epic quest to "fulfill his destiny." As with all things Star Wars, young fans will be thrilled with this picture-book treatment, even if the striking illustrations are sometimes hard to interpret.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Search for WondLa series. This conclusion to a complex trilogy picks up after Eva Nine's escape from New Attica and takes readers through her saving of planet Orbona from Loroc, and ultimately through the next three centuries. As intricate and emotionally rich as DiTerlizzi's accompanying sepia-hued illustrations, this final volume should satisfy fans of its individually distinctive predecessors. Glos.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Having been raised in isolation by a robot on a futuristic Earth, Eva Nine (The Search for WondLa) now journeys to a human city. Her discoveries about her origins avoid clear heroes and villains and let readers make their own determinations. As in the first volume, several of the blue-and-gray-hued illustrations serve as keys to an interactive game on the series' website.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 After the destruction of her mechanized Sanctuary, robot-reared Eva Nine searches for other humans. Gray-green geometric illustrations are effective in supporting the story of Eva's quest, putting plenty of emotion into her eyes. A cliffhanger ending may heighten readers' anticipation of future installments. In the meantime, they can interact online with "Augmented Reality" maps of Eva's journey.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles series. In this third Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles fantasy adventure, the kids continue their quest to save Florida from assorted supernatural creatures. These include the titular wyrm king, a massive group of hydras creating sinkholes as they devour the earth. DiTerlizzi's detailed line art supports the story, which is bound to confuse any reader not familiar with Spiderwick lore.

Reviewer: Betsy Murray

(3) 4-6 Spiderwick Chronicles series. This weighty Spiderwick volume includes The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda's Secret, The Ironwood Tree, and The Wrath of Mulgarath. Appended sections include DiTerlizzi's sketches, accompanied by his notes, three "lost chapters" from the stories, and a "Spiderwick All-Star Gallery" of illustrators including Mo Willems, LeUyen Pham, and Dan Yaccarino riffing on Spiderwick themes. Collectors will eat it up.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 To young rabbit Kenny's surprise, the fearsome new dragon in town, Grahame, loves books and good food rather than ravaging. As Kenny and Grahame become friends, however, the local animals consider dragon-slaying; it falls to Kenny to keep the peace. This genial dragon story, with its nods to myth and Kenneth Grahame, is an accessible, enjoyable read.

Reviewer: Becca Schaffner

(4) 4-6 Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles series. Nick and Laurie are back, taking over giant-hunting from Noseeum. With Jules and Cindy, the kids lure the giants away and save the town from destruction. While the plot is bland, fans will be glad to see Nick and Laurie starting to work as a team. Black-and-white full-page drawings and spot art illustrate much of the action.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(3) 4-6 Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles series. Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. Disagreeable Nicholas and his head-in-the-clouds stepsister Laurie set out to find some faeries and end up rescuing a nixie and battling a giant. Joined by Jared from the Spiderwick books, Nicholas and Laurie face a new era of magical danger. The story moves quickly and introduces new creatures, which will be welcomed by Spiderwick fans.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) K-3 A young artist's rhyming alphabet book, populated by silly monsters, is subverted by creatures intent on turning his illustrations into a counting exercise. The unadulterated zaniness of the text and illustrations seems intended to prevent, not promote, alphabet learning, and readers may become exhausted by the frenetic pace. A dedication in rhyme acknowledges the author/illustrator's debt to Seuss and Lear.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Spiderwick Chronicles series. Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. This companion to the Spiderwick series instructs would-be sprite owners about how to take on one of these demanding yet rewarding pets. With clever prose and lovely faux-technical illustrations, the authors provide a wealth of detail about sprites. Fans of the series will fall in love with this addition. A full-size glow-in-the-dark poster is included.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(4) 4-6 Spiderwick Chronicles series. Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. In the fifth, and allegedly final, volume about the Grace children, Jared, Mallory, and Simon search for their abducted mother, battle dragons, and meet great-great-uncle Arthur, who disappeared from the mortal world decades ago. A little more grotesque than previous volumes in the series, the busy, occasionally murky plot is heavily illustrated.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 1-3 Spiderwick Chronicles series. Illustrated by Holly Black. Siblings Jared, Mallory, and Simon learn more about the mysterious book in their possession when they visit elderly Aunt Lucinda, who is confined to an asylum. The trio then discovers the book has been stolen by a nemesis. Populated with elves, faeries, and unicorns, this heavily illustrated story will appeal to fantasy fans though it lacks a real beginning and ending.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Spiderwick Chronicles series. Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. In Guide, siblings Jared, Simon, and Mallory discover a mysterious book about magical creatures and an enigmatic brownie. In Stone, Jared and Mallory rescue Simon from a band of goblins, meeting a dangerous troll, a hobgoblin, and an injured griffin along the way. The individual books don't stand alone and the first mostly sets the stage, but the writing is fast paced and action-packed. Retro black-and-white spot art adds atmosphere. [Review covers these Spiderwick Chronicles titles: The Field Guide and The Seeing Stone.]

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) 4-6 Spiderwick Chronicles series. Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi. In Guide, siblings Jared, Simon, and Mallory discover a mysterious book about magical creatures and an enigmatic brownie. In Stone, Jared and Mallory rescue Simon from a band of goblins, meeting a dangerous troll, a hobgoblin, and an injured griffin along the way. The individual books don't stand alone and the first mostly sets the stage, but the writing is fast paced and action-packed. Retro black-and-white spot art adds atmosphere. [Review covers these Spiderwick Chronicles titles: The Field Guide and The Seeing Stone.]

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(4) K-3 In five brief episodes, a young boy and his huge, pink, raspberry-loving imaginary friend, Ted, enjoy a series of misadventures that the boy's overworked father fails to appreciate, until at the end he recalls his own imaginary childhood friend, "Ned." Although the father's conversion is too sudden, the mixed-media illustrations convey fifties-style detail effectively, and the understated text pairs with overstated Ted for appealing humor.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Looking for all the world like Pippi Longstocking's long-lost brother, hungry Jimmy Zangwow goes on a fantastic journey--to the moon, the Milky Way, and Mars--in search of a Moon Pie. He returns home just in time for dinner and a Moon Pie for dessert. This satisfying tale is enlivened by paintings that have a classic look and feature inventive characterizations and striking composition.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli