(3) 1-3 Sam the Man series. Illustrated by Amy June Bates. In his third entertaining chapter book, Sam the Man's "plan" involves attempting to convince his car-shopping parents to buy an awesome monster truck instead of a boring used minivan. Second grader Sam continues to be an endearing protagonist, supported by his amusing (and amused) family and older close-friends-and-neighbors Mr. Stockfish and Mrs. Kerner. Sketchlike black-and-white illustrations enliven the text and extend Sam's plan.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 1-3 Sam the Man series. Illustrated by Amy June Bates. Likable second grader Sam Graham returns (Sam the Man & the Chicken Plan), this time as a reluctant rutabaga expert. Dowell paints a realistic picture of second-grade life. The Graham family is a realistic crew, full of good humor and gentle jibes; the intergenerational (and interracial) friendship between Sam and neighbor Mr. Stockfish also grows richer. Bates's sketchlike black-and-white illustrations add depth and emotion.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Amy June Bates. After seven-year-old Sam Graham makes a little money chicken-sitting, he decides to get a chicken of his own: Helga, who lays blue eggs. Black-and-white illustrations, some humorous, some gentle, accompany each chapter. The short sentences and amusing situations make this a perfect read-aloud or first read-alone for young readers, whether they have a chicken or not.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(4) 4-6 Aspiring reporter Callie, who's African American, supplies leads to the black newspaper in her 1953 Kentucky town. Her inquisitiveness leads her to investigate a mystery surrounding an old yellow dog with Wendell, an equally curious white boy; their partnership enrages some of the town's citizens. This historical novel about social justice also contains a ghost story, with each genre struggling to control the narrative.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(2) 1-3 From the Highly Scientific Notebooks of Phineas L. MacGuire series. Illustrated by Preston McDaniels. In his fourth book, fourth-grade scientist Phineas, called Mac, is put in charge of cooking family dinners. It takes a while to figure things out; lively black-and-white illustrations show Mac's attempts (peanut-butter bacon brownies?). Nemesis Aretha "helps" Mac see the connection between cooking and science, also straightening him out about his sexist ideas regarding girls and cooking. The only thing missing is recipes.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(3) 4-6 Arie Mae, twelve, wishes for "my own true friend." She writes letters to her cousin Caroline, but the letters go unanswered. Then Tom moves to town from the city, and Arie Mae finally has a partner in adventure. Set in North Carolina's mountains in the 1920s, this novel exploring friendship and country life is rich in regional dialect and a sense of place.

Reviewer: Susan Graham

(4) 4-6 Sixth-grader Abigail Walker believes that she will never be seen as anything more than "tubby Abby." Her parents are constantly putting her on a diet, and even her so-called friends mock her weight. But when Abby finally stands up for herself, her life begins to change. Mystical elements and subplots aren't smoothly integrated, but Abby's struggle to accept herself rings true.

Reviewer:

(2) YA When Janie was little, she convinced her parents to start a goat farm. Now a ninth grader, Janie narrates her first year in high school--including joining a jam band and interviewing aging civil rights activists--in her sure, smart, and sarcastic voice. Dowell gets all the details right, from shifting relationships with friends to embarrassing parents and how having a passion changes everything.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2011

(4) 4-6 Isabelle Bean falls down a hole in the school nurse's office and into another world. There she discovers a people who are afraid of a witch--and who hold secrets about her family. The story's frequent interruptions by an unidentified (until the end) narrator make the book's flow uneven. However, Isabelle is full of imaginative ideas as she tries to investigate her identity.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) 4-6 Kate and Marylin (The Secret Language of Girls) are now in seventh grade, staying friends even though they're not as close as they once were. Cheerleader Marylin runs for student government, while Kate is interested in guitar-playing and songwriting. Dowell again demonstrates sensitivity to the concerns of middle-grade girls. Her protagonists are portrayed sympathetically as they pursue new friends and experiences.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Preston McDaniels. Phineas "Mac" MacGuire needs to make some money in order to go to Space Camp. A routine dog-walking job turns interesting when saliva, Petri dishes, and a documentary intersect. Readers will love the casual but accurate scientific information coupled with Mac's realistic friendships. Age-appropriate humor moves the story along, and amusing black-and-white illustrations add to the fun. Mars-related experiments are appended.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008

(2) 4-6 In 1969, twelve-year-old Jamie's brother, TJ, enlists and is sent to Vietnam. He sends her film, which Jamie learns to develop. First it's touristy stuff, but troubling scenes start to appear. Dowell gets the details right in Jamie's first-person telling. The story arc is complicated and unpredictable--like war--and the climax packs a wallop.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2008

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Preston McDaniels. Fast-talking, quick-thinking fourth-grader Mac (From the Highly Scientific Notebooks of Phineas L. MacGuire) builds a mold museum. As always, best friend Ben is there to provide encouragement. Dowell's narrator stays true to himself, reveling in slime molds and other creeping fungi. Newly independent readers will appreciate the amusing pencil sketches, easy-to-read font, and the familiar and funny situations.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2007

(2) 4-6 Best friends Kate and Marylin go their separate ways in sixth grade--Marylin heads for cheerleading and the popular crowd, while Kate sets a more individualistic course. Dowell's development of this familiar situation is refreshingly nonjudgmental: she continues to explore the inner lives of both girls, keeping both equally sympathetic. A cut above the usual story of negotiating middle school.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2004

(3) 4-6 Maddie is fascinated by Murphy, a new girl who arrives at the East Tennessee Children's Home with tales of traveling overseas and knowing how to float through the air. The girls, along with several friends, build and decorate a fort where they create stories about their future lives. The well-written story balances the stabilizing influence of friendship with the often painful realities of the children's lives.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Plainspoken twelve-year-old Dovey narrates her experiences growing up in North Carolina in the 1920s with her older sister, Caroline, and their hearing-impaired brother Amos. When Caroline's onerous former suitor is murdered, Dovey stands trial for the crime. This plot development provides suspense, but the novel's greatest strengths are the evocatively described setting and Dovey's distinctive voice.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta