(2) K-3 Hare's (Field Trip to the Moon, rev. 9/19; Field Trip to the Ocean Deep, rev. 9/20) third wordless excursion brings us to a volcanically active island. Once the lava suit–clad kids and their teacher land, they waste no time getting right to exploring the tumultuous topography; however, one student seems more interested in collecting flowers than examining the terrain. When a breeze scatters the student's floral collection down into the volcano's crater, an ill-advised attempt at retrieval leaves the child stranded at the bottom--reinforced visually by a series of tall, narrow panels. A thrilling sequence follows, featuring a monstrous hand reaching toward the unsuspecting child...thankfully revealed (upon the page-turn) to belong to a charming lava monster with its family. In an action movie–level rescue, the teacher rappels from a helicopter to scoop up the missing student. The adventure stays in constant motion, propelled by brisk pacing and varied panel layouts. Hare's acrylic illustrations are textural and dynamic yet maintain a cartoonlike quality, thanks to solid character outlines and expressive body language. Fans of this robust, whimsical world of student-adventurers can only wonder--where to next?

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) PS Hare's follow-up to Field Trip to the Moon (rev. 9/19) again features a compelling setting, a not-too-scary adventure, and immersive illustrations. This wordless story begins on the book's wraparound cover, with a group of students heading to a bulbous deep-sea bus for a field trip to the ocean floor. Once anchored, the diving suit–clad students embark on a teacher-guided tour past bioluminescent squids, hydrothermal vents, and pillow lava; however, one student is more interested in taking photos than attending class. A dilapidated shipwreck and an ominously positioned treasure chest make for a great photo but result in the young photographer's tumble to the bottom of a trench. A confluence of events quickly unfolds through a series of dramatically arranged panels and spreads, including the child being stranded, discovering the ruins of an ancient city, and encountering a giant pliosaur. (Viewers will recognize the prehistoric creature from earlier in the story, as it was skillfully hidden on nearly every previous page.) A potentially frightening scenario is tempered by the pliosaur's endearing grin and desire for a photo shoot--leading to the inadvertent collapse of the ruins. The newfound friends quickly rebuild the ruins before the errant student and classmates reunite. The appealing acrylic illustrations are painterly and impressively atmospheric, and exhibit a strong command of spot lighting; fans of the previous field-trip story will be pleased to see allusions to it, including character cameos and a glimpse of the space bus.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(1) K-3 In this playful wordless book, spacesuit-clad students arrive on the moon for a field trip. One child hangs back, finds a hidden spot to draw...and falls asleep. Stranded but self-possessed, the student soon has company: one-eyed moon creatures with whom the child shares some crayons. This sly but easy-to-follow linear narrative is told through a well-paced mix of panels and full- and double-page illustrations, with highly effective pops of color.

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