(2) K-3 Photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. This clear and engaging book documents the painstaking work of relocating a hive of honeybees that has outgrown its hive box. In Burns's conversational text, readers are introduced to Mr. Connery, who owns a "ramshackle barn" where he's discovered a colony of honeybees. He calls on the services of Mr. Nelson, a bee-rescue expert. Harasimowicz's eye-catching photographs document the entire relocation process, showing each step required to carefully move thirty-five thousand bees to a safer spot. Nelson uses a lot of patience, specially designed tools (e.g., his bee-vac: a modified vacuum connected to a traveling case), and ­Connery's assistance to gently collect the bees, disassemble their hive, and move the colony to a larger hive box on Connery's property. Details about honeybee life and behavior are smoothly woven into the discussion. An illuminating interview with Nelson explains why rescuing honeybees is important and how he's able to do his work without protective equipment. Back matter includes a glossary, a source list, further reading, and an author's note. A book that will inspire ­further curiosity about this important pollinator.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) YA Before he was National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jason Reynolds was a twenty-something aspiring poet newly arrived in NYC with his friend Jason Griffin, who was trying to make it in the art world. "A poet. An artist. Black. White. We were college roommates. Now, close friends." This book, first released in 2009, is set up like a journal or scrapbook, presenting words and visuals mostly in stream-of-consciousness conversation that reveals the coauthors' artistic ambitions and day-to-day experiences. Themes such as friendship and allyship; fear and ambivalence; impatience and persistence; and, above all, yearning for creative expression emerge, along with occasional autobiographical details (first apartment, family illness, party-crashing) and dialogue that provide snapshots of a time and place in these young creators' lives. The rest is history, as their latest collaboration, Ain't Burned All the Bright (rev. 3/22), won a 2022 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, among many career-spanning accolades for each. An eye-opening portrait-of-the-artists archive filled with memories, ephemera, and optimism (and appended with a new afterword by Reynolds and Griffin).

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga. We don't know why Lily is going to live with her grandmother in rural Iowa, but we join her as she begins the long car ride there, roof and backseat piled high with suitcases and boxes. Lily has emotional scars that manifest in a forlorn expression, bellyaches, and "hollow places" inside her. Gram drives through the night and into the next day (seemingly unfazed), and charges Lily to "find ten beautiful things along the way." Initially, Lily replies, "There's nothing beautiful here," but then she and Gram begin to identify things: a sunrise, a windmill farm, a red-winged blackbird, as well as the smell of mud and a "falling-apart barn." Richly colored mixed-media illustrations offer views from multiple vantage points: we see the view from inside the car; the car from high above; Lily in Gram's rear-view mirror. This simultaneously heartbreaking and reassuring book acknowledges the realities of grief ("None of this was easy"), the slow process of healing ("Maybe it would never be easy"), and hope ("She belonged with Gram now. She belonged here now").

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) K-3 Photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz. With her latest book, Burns (Tracking Trash, rev. 3/07; The Hive Detectives, rev. 5/10) has earned the right to add Master Party Planner to her resume. Here she hosts a "moth ball," a STEM-friendly activity in which a group of youngsters observes moths in action on a summer night. They whip up a yummy snack for the insects (nectar made from rotten bananas and brown sugar); smear the food on tree trunks and fence posts to attract the moths; hang up a white backdrop (in this case, a sheet); illuminate it; wait for dark; and observe a number and variety of moths settling on the backdrop or on nectar-laden trees. Sharp photographs depict the group of children as they plan and execute their evening activity, as well as the variety of moths encountered, showcasing these insects both at true size and magnified. DIY directions for creating such gatherings are repeated in an appendix, and all the equipment necessary is detailed and photographed within the text. Burns's use of direct address and her light conversational tone invite readers to join the scientific festivities throughout the book; the text is unfailingly encouraging and enthusiastic ("Hey, is it dark outside yet? Great. Let's go mothing!"). Additional appendices include a diagram of the moth life cycle, a labeled photograph showing the parts of a moth, a glossary, resources (including a website) with additional photographs, and notes from both author and photographer.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. When Rebecca (a.k.a. "Becket") moves from the city to the family farm, she enthusiastically creates a list of steps to become a "country kid." She learns her way around the farm animals, and to adjust when twin Nicholas becomes more outgoing. Pham's interspersed drawings capture the siblings' squabbles and accomplishments, and Griffin presents the enjoyable novel's low-stakes conflicts with the full import they carry for a nine-year-old.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA When fourteen-year-old Mae and her twin brother are sent to their great-aunt Rita's for the summer, they encounter a supernatural danger: Rita's teenage ward Bevan is in thrall to a mysterious owl-like creature that demands she provide it with "pieces" of the twins. Spanning two summers over three years, Griffin's alternating-perspectives narrative makes use of horror tropes, combining distasteful aspects of the human condition with unsettling hungers, mystical protective rituals, and unseen threats.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(4) YA Lizzie, a timid, studious class-of-1989 senior at a private school outside Philadelphia, is suddenly drawn into new, life-changing relationships: a romance with her longtime crush, Matt; and a friendship with mysterious, aloof new girl Claire, who's rumored to have a troubled past. Griffin packs this historical coming-of-age novel with entertaining eighties references, rad details of the Philly art scene, and almost too many plot elements.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) YA High-school junior Bett is still reeling from an accident involving her best friend, Stephanie. A former thrill-seeker, Bett is now controlled by guilt and fear and has divided her life into "Plus" and "Minus" experiences. Any positive experience (such as running) must be counteracted with a punishing Minus, which for Bett has become overeating. Griffin's compelling prose helps this story about self-harm pack an emotional punch.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) 4-6 Scientists in the Field series. Burns travels with entomologist Erling Ólafsson on one of his yearly expeditions to Surtsey, a pristine volcanic island that formed off Iceland's coast in 1964. Burns meticulously documents life in a remote field station as researchers record Surtsey's unfolding ecological dynamics, observing growth and diversification of life. Vivid photographs convey the rocky landscapes of Surtsey and its inhabitants. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) 4-6 Oodlethunks series. Illustrated by Mike Wu. Neanderthal siblings Oona and Bonk, with help from their sassy grandma, open a summer CAMP ("Collected Animals Meeting Place") after the Stone Age community's restless pets (including their stegosaurus, Stacy) start causing trouble. The silly anachronisms are part of the fun in this lively series entry about entrepreneurial spirit and creative problem-solving. Purple-tinged illustrations and cave drawing–style doodles add movement and energy.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) YA On Fire Island in the summer of 1976, Jean (whose wealthy family is a pillar of the exclusive community) and working-class Southern girl Fritz (who's just visiting a friend's family there) compete on the tennis court as well as off for the affection of handsome but insensitive Gil. Griffin expertly evokes time, place, and atmosphere as the girls' rivalry builds to a shocking climax.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 1-3 Read & Bloom series. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In their second episodic four-chapter book, Clarabelle Chicken and Agnes Pig once again help each other overcome worries, this time while they celebrate holidays. Will the Maypole dance make Agnes dizzy? Will Clarabelle's too-scary costume ruin Halloween? As previously, the warmth of the quirky protagonists' friendship shines through both text and full-color illustrations, making it easy to overlook the episodes' simplistic resolutions.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) YA When her emotions are high, talented coder Luisa Ochoa-Jones experiences "sensory misfires": sights have temperature, sounds have taste, etc. Still, she wants life after high school to be on her own terms and pursues a big-name tech scholarship--which, it turns out, might help her save humanity from a deadly flu epidemic. The novel's not-too-distant-future setting and somber but urgent tone should prompt deep existential thoughts.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) 4-6 Lorenzo Ventura's sixth-grade year is hard: his mom struggles to save their peach orchard; his grandfather faces health problems; his best friend goes away to camp; and, worst of all, questions about his soldier dad's death still fester. But Renzo's adopted pet pig, Marty, sustains him through these challenges. Renzo's determination to keep Marty after an accident leads to satisfying surprises in this poignant, ultimately hopeful story.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Oodlethunks series. Illustrated by Mike Wu. Cavegirl Oona can't have a pet "fruitafossor" because of her brother Bonk's allergies. The giant egg she finds while lost one day is the perfect replacement--until it goes missing. This small-town Stone Age story blends pre-history with modern everyday angst of being a kid. A great choice for middle-grade budding paleontologists and Flintstones fans alike.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(3) 4-6 Oodlethunks series. Illustrated by Mike Wu. Oona's egg has finally hatched! But baby stegosaurus Stacy outgrows the Oodlethunks' cave, and Oona's parents turn the dino loose. Oona petitions a witch for help, but it's ultimately the Woggle Woods citizens who come to Stacy's rescue. Adventure pairs with lessons on responsible pet-raising and teamwork in this second lively Neanderthals-with-a-modern-spin family story. A mix of blue-tinged illustrations and cave drawings appear throughout.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(4) 1-3 Read & Bloom series. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. In four season-driven, episodic chapters, best friends Agnes Pig and Clarabelle Chicken loyally work around each other's fears: when Agnes dreads the beach, for instance, Clarabelle spreads a towel in the parking lot and declares, "We are at the beach enough." Simplistic resolutions aside, the characters' personalities and friendship shine through their quirky dialogue and the warm full-color illustrations.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kate Hindley. In this second Smashie McPerter book, Room 11 is abuzz with preparations for the third-grade musicale. Smashie wants to sing; her classmate Charlene is doing hair. When Charlene's special styling goop disappears, Smashie's on the case. Mix in a math-based secret code and some playground gossip for another off-the-wall puzzle story. Copious illustrations highlight the story's humor--and Charlene's hair-tastic creations.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 When Ben's adoptive mother dies, he moves in with his aunt and abusive uncle; canine companion Flip offers comfort, as does Halley, a girl with terminal cancer. Though it's obviously a tearjerker, the book's characters feel real through plenty of ordinary, often funny moments. Frequent shout-outs to books, as well as a story Ben and Halley write together, add particular appeal for literary preteens.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) YA In Griffin's post-apocalyptic Black Water City, Nell feels pressured to complete her "contribution," a project to advance the city's progress. She finally has an idea: creating a mechanical boy to be an ambassador for the reintroduction of computer technology. Part Pinocchio, part Frankenstein's monster, Nell's construction allows the story authentic depths of horror and moral disquiet. The unusual, lush prose provides thorough world-building.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016