(4) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Fern lives with her brothers and her out-of-work stepfather in a ramshackle house in rural Michigan. She takes pride in supporting her family by foraging for food, but a fracking operation threatens her beloved woods. The plot is uninventive and characterization is weak, though this novel achieves the noble feat of presenting both sides of a complex environmental issue.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) 4-6 Hallelujah Wonder's father died protecting the Medicine Head, so she knows it's important to get it to Antarctica, where the cold will calm its powers. On her journey with runaway slave Eustace, she comes to understand the cursed talisman's dangers. Some modern sensibilities in the 1850s setting (discussed in an author's note) require suspension of disbelief, but the adventure is an engaging one.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 With missionary parents, twelve-year-old twins Penny and Percy have seen the world. But Uncle Stretch's "Horse Camp" (really, a farm) is the worst place they've lived. Problems abound: their family is falling apart, chores are difficult, and they're without electronic devices. Told in alternating wry voices, each twin affectingly speaks to the search for equilibrium, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) 4-6 Living Wild series. These photographically rich volumes describe the varieties of each mammal in the wild, including the subspecies' habitats, migration patterns, physical features--and tenuous futures. Human influences (hunting, population control, scientific advancements) focus the closing discussion on protecting each species. The writing is informative, but the lack of a table of contents and long, unbroken chapters make the volumes unsuitable for quick reference. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Living Wild titles: Tigers and Giraffes.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(4) 4-6 Living Wild series. These photographically rich volumes describe the varieties of each bird in the wild, including the subspecies' habitats, migration patterns, physical features--and tenuous futures. Human influences (hunting, population control, scientific advancements) focus the closing discussion on protecting each species. The writing is informative, but the lack of a table of contents and long, unbroken chapters make the volumes unsuitable for quick reference. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Living Wild titles: Penguins and Swans.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(4) K-3 BugBooks series. Using simple language, these slim books discuss each insect's coloration, body parts, life cycle, behavior, and habitat. Captioned photographs support the brief, easy-to-read text, and boxed text provides additional information. The sophisticated design may put off the intended audience, but report writers will find basic facts. Glos., ind. Review covers these BugBooks titles: Beetles, Dragonflies, and Fireflies.

Reviewer: Ernie J. Cox

(4) K-3 BugBooks series. Using simple language, these slim books discuss each insect's coloration, body parts, life cycle, behavior, and habitat. Captioned photographs support the brief, easy-to-read text, and boxed text provides additional information. The sophisticated design may put off the intended audience, but report writers will find basic facts. Glos., ind. Review covers these BugBooks titles: Beetles, Dragonflies, and Fireflies.

Reviewer: Ernie J. Cox

(4) K-3 BugBooks series. Using simple language, these slim books discuss each insect's coloration, body parts, life cycle, behavior, and habitat. Captioned photographs support the brief, easy-to-read text, and boxed text provides additional information. The sophisticated design may put off the intended audience, but report writers will find basic facts. Glos., ind. Review covers these BugBooks titles: Beetles, Dragonflies, and Fireflies.

Reviewer: Ernie J. Cox