(4) 4-6 Young Entrepreneurs' Club series. This volume contains some useful advice for aspiring entertainment-industry entrepreneurs, from inspiration to market research to production to marketing. The profiled young entrepreneurs (many are British) speak briefly about their experiences and offer encouragement and guidance. Many stock photos and poor typeface choices mar the design and readability. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Young Entrepreneurs' Club series. These books profile a variety of entrepreneurs and inventors, describing the process of creating a successful business venture--from inspiration to funding to research, design, marketing, sales, etc. While the books cover similar topics, Green Technology presents "ecopreneurship" or using "green" technology as a selling point. The many stock photos and poor typeface choices mar the design, but the information is useful. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Young Entrepreneurs' Club titles: Communications, Gadgets and Inventions, and Green Technology.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Young Entrepreneurs' Club series. This volume contains some useful advice for aspiring hospitality-industry entrepreneurs, from inspiration to market research to production and marketing. The profiled young entrepreneurs (many British) speak briefly about their experiences and offer encouragement and guidance. Many stock photos and poor typeface choices mar the design and readability. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Young Entrepreneurs' Club series. This volume contains some useful advice for aspiring fashion-industry entrepreneurs, from inspiration to market research to production and marketing. The profiled young entrepreneurs (many British) speak briefly about their experiences and offer encouragement and guidance. Many stock photos and poor typeface choices mar the design and readability. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Young Entrepreneurs' Club series. These books profile a variety of entrepreneurs and inventors, describing the process of creating a successful business venture--from inspiration to funding to research, design, marketing, sales, etc. While the books cover similar topics, Green Technology presents "ecopreneurship" or using "green" technology as a selling point. The many stock photos and poor typeface choices mar the design, but the information is useful. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Young Entrepreneurs' Club titles: Communications, Gadgets and Inventions, and Green Technology.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Young Entrepreneurs' Club series. These books profile a variety of entrepreneurs and inventors, describing the process of creating a successful business venture--from inspiration to funding to research, design, marketing, sales, etc. While the books cover similar topics, Green Technology presents "ecopreneurship" or using "green" technology as a selling point. The many stock photos and poor typeface choices mar the design, but the information is useful. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Young Entrepreneurs' Club titles: Communications, Gadgets and Inventions, and Green Technology.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) 4-6 This (stronger) sequel to Sheep is the engrossing tale of aging sheep dog Jack and his hopes to protect his farm and family from a rabid wolf. The main omniscient narration gives both the dog's and the humans' points of view as they weigh the cost and benefit of using guns to protect valuable livestock; snippets from the wolf's perspective add suspense.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) 4-6 Set in the Yukon Territory, Hobbs's latest turbocharged wilderness survival story has savage river waters, treacherous trails, and, as chief antagonist, a "grolar bear." The polar bear–grizzly hybrid attacks our hero Nick in the first chapter and returns in the last for a spectacular confrontation. Hobbs doesn't resist information-packing, but he's brisk about it and knows how to get out of the...LOOK OUT!

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013

(3) 4-6 Sixth-grader Minnie knows that her father lost his job for "blowing a whistle," but she doesn't understand that--or much else since her family's move. Then she forms a friendship with an equally isolated Muslim student and is challenged by an eccentric teacher. Minnie ultimately learns about loyalty and what it means to stand up for the truth in this touching story.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Jennifer Thermes. Alternating chapters follow dog Oliver, homeless after his owner dies, and orphan Maggie, turned out onto the streets of turn-of-the-last-century Boston with only a mysterious gold locket. Pluck, gumption, and optimism help them both cope with cold, hunger, and loneliness. Things look up when their stories intersect. This is well-orchestrated, straightforward storytelling, with a bonus of warm pencil drawings.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2011

(2) 4-6 Cousins Dylan and Ryan take off on a rafting/canoeing trip down the Rio Grande. Who knew that Hurricane Dolly would raise the river to heights not known in years? Or that they would encounter a drug cartel member kidnapping a judge's son? Hobbs includes plenty of action and suspense while also sharing the beauty of Big Bend country in this page-turning story.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2011

(4) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Lucy navigates a rocky social landscape, including a sometimes embarrassing friendship with her neighbor Eddie, who has Down syndrome. Lucy looks forward to vacation at her grandmother's lake house, but once she's there it becomes apparent that her beloved grandmother is slipping into dementia. The novel drags initially but gains momentum and ultimately provides a layered portrait of a girl in transition.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(2) 4-6 A meteorite crashes into Brady's bedroom, endowing him with extreme strength and endurance. Almost steroidal in its nonstop action and numerous subplots, the book takes the sentiments of its title seriously. Hobbs keeps everything on track by focusing strongly on Brady's friendship with his best friend/cousin and their mutual enjoyment of the well-evoked Black Hills setting.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2008

(4) YA Modern World Nations series. Focusing mainly on the geography, politics, and economy of modern-day Egypt, this revised and updated book will be useful to report writers interested in learning more about contemporary Egypt rather than the art and archaeology of ancient Egypt, information usually much easier to find. Accompanying photographs vary in relevance and quality. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) YA Smart outsiders Winifred and Bernie are a match made in geek heaven. After Bernie's mom dies, though, he loses his grip, and eventually Winifred heads off to college without him. Hobbs tells an absorbing, often-painful story of first love, first heartbreak, and first-year-of-college, as Bernie and Winifred each take turns pursuing and trying to win back the other.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) K-3 In this humorous tale, Angela Throgmorton rejoices when she wins a deluxe vacation; now she can spend time away from Old Tom, her scruffy, demanding cat. But once she's on her way, everything seems to remind her of Old Tom--not surprisingly, since he's actually a stowaway on her trip. Funny cartoon illustrations offer glimpses of Old Tom in various exotic locales.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Fiona the pig and her parents are nothing alike. Fiona likes everything clean and beautiful; her parents are--well, pigs. Distressed by their daughter's orderliness, they try to clean up and become cultured, but alas, it isn't possible. In the end they realize they love each other, and that's the important thing. The sketchy cartoon illustrations add humor to this story of a family learning acceptance.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(2) YA After her husband of thirteen weeks gives her a black eye, sixteen-year-old Texan Jody locks herself in a gas station bathroom until Bobby James finally drives off, abandoning her in the "foreign state" of Florida. The story may be a familiar one, but Jody makes it a memorable tale, narrating in a voice full of generosity and humor.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2004

(3) 4-6 Alaskan native Robbie Daniels signs on with crotchety fisherman Tor Torsen for the salmon season, not realizing the old man also wants his help hunting for items buried by eighteenth-century Russian explorers and now worth a fortune. Robbie, who can't quite trust his employer's intentions, is a sympathetic narrator in this often exciting and colorfully detailed novel.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 In this sequel to Carolina Crow Girl, Stefan goes to Oregon to visit his good friend Carolina. There they become involved in saving an old-growth forest from logging, and Stefan discovers that he has romantic feelings for Carolina. This readable novel does not require familiarity with the previous story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth