(3) K-3 Illustrated by Caroline Binch. In the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of a modern classic, Amazing Grace no longer imagines herself to be Hiawatha, a page in the original book that critics had cited as cultural appropriation in service of racial pride. That the images remain of Grace emulating Kipling's Mowgli and tying up one leg to play peg-legged pirate only goes to show just how complicated the diversity debate can be.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 1991; May, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ros Asquith. This chatty, informative survey covers all the bases, from families formed by birth and adoption to foster and blended families. Same-sex and single parents are represented in the friendly cartoon art and text; mixed-race families are depicted in the illustrations. The tone is light, though Hoffman acknowledges that things don't always "go smoothly." A teddy bear appears on most spreads, adding its own commentary.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2015

(4) YA Laura's inexplicable unhappiness drives her to cut herself, but once she acquires a talisman and travels to alternate Renaissance Italy, her interests turn toward romance with the dashing Ludo. The complex politics slow the pace of the adventure, as does Hoffman's struggle to tie in myriad characters from earlier volumes in the series, but as usual, the historical setting is vivid and well evoked.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) YA An imagined explanation of Michelangelo's construction of the David statue is woven here through the eyes of Gabriele, the young man who serves as the model. Unfamiliar with city life, Gabriele explains much about the artistic trends, political factions, and scandals of Florence. The text is very well researched, with many facts and details inserted into the story. Glos.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu. Grace is excited for Christmas, "her favorite day of the year." It's usually just her, her mom, and her grandmother celebrating together, but this year they're hosting friends of the family. Grace helps a girl (who's her age) overcome sadness and homesickness by participating in the Nativity play. As usual, Grace's warmth and creativity shine, all reflected in the accompanying illustrations.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ros Asquith. While not actually "big" in physical dimension, this overview is vast with purpose: to recognize and validate a range of family configurations. Each two-page spread ("Homes," "Jobs," etc.) features simple, generally upbeat (though occasionally sobering--"Some small families live in big houses...And some people can't find anywhere to live") text. No matter the mood, Asquith's illustrations give every vignette a light touch.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Kids of Character series. This leveled series makes somewhat abstract concepts accessible for early readers. All books follow the same structure: featured trait (kind, responsible, etc.) is first defined in general terms. Subsequent texts, accompanied by generic stock photos, highlight examples of that trait in practice in the neighborhood, at school, and at home, before the books end abruptly. They're not exciting, but they could be useful. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Kids of Character titles: I Am a Good Citizen, I Am Helpful, I Am Honest, I Am Kind, I Am Respectful, and I Am Responsible.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(4) YA In the series' fourth installment, Isabel is transported to an alternate Renaissance Italy. There she joins a secret group of schoolmates called upon to save Talia. While the stravaganti learn more about their talismans, Isabel fights in a sea battle outside of Classe. Although it’s hard to keep the characters straight, the picturesque settings and well-developed relationships will reward readers.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Thirteen-year-old noblewoman Elinor flees an arranged marriage by disguising herself as a male troubadour. But in thirteenth-century France being a wandering poet can also mean being a spy, and Elinor must rely on new friends in order to survive. Hoffman provides readers with painstaking historical details, political intrigues, and engaging characters.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Christina Balit. This volume retells stories of kings and queens from the Hebrew Bible, including David and Solomon, Jezebel and Esther. Hoffman has a readable, engaging style. Balit's watercolor, gouache, gold ink, and pencil paintings, with their geometric shapes and flat perspective, recall the art of ancient Egypt and convey the majesty and drama of the stories.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu. When Grace (Amazing Grace) hears that two girls from her class will ride as princesses on a parade float, she pores over her fairy-tale books. However, Grace's teacher offers the class a wider view of princesses. The paintings depict Grace with vibrant energy, looking royal in her African dress. An author's note gives further information on the princesses in the text.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2008

(3) YA By day, Matt is an ordinary teen with dyslexia, afraid of losing his smart girlfriend. In Talia, the Renaissance Italy–esque country Matt "stravagates" to at night, he's a printer's devil working with Luciano, a traveler from previous series installments, targeted by the powerful di Chimici family. The fantastical setting and well-established characters engage readers as the multi-stranded plot unfolds.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA In fourteenth-century Italy, Silvano, accused of murder, hides in a friary. There he falls in love with Chiara, whose brother sent her to a convent against her will. The writing in this mystery/romance is rich and stylish (though readers uninterested in Italian fresco painting may think some passages drag). The well-realized setting will enthrall fans of medieval fiction.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess

(4) 4-6 This third installment of the series returns to Talia, a world loosely mirroring sixteenth-century Italy, and introduces Sky, a twenty-first century time traveler or "stravagante" who travels to Talia to end a bloody family feud. The novel's elaborate back story and long list of characters make a sluggish and sometimes confusing start to an otherwise imaginative fantasy tale.

Reviewer: Lauren Maggio

(3) 4-6 This second book in the series has a new Stravagante--Georgia, abused at home--who travels in her sleep to the magical city of Remora in parallel Talia, there to win a famous horse race and save an injured prince with the help of Luciano, the series' first Stravagante. The pace is leisurely, but the setting is intriguing enough to draw readers into Hoffman's parallel world.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jackie Morris. Hoffman retells the portions of nine Old Testament stories dealing with animals. Readers are left with only snippets of larger stories, and the stories have little in common except the presence of animals. However, Hoffman's interpretive asides help give context and meaning to the tales, and Morris's illustrations, which clearly set the stories in the Middle East, are handsome.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by June Allan & June Allan. Grace feels jealous of the stuck-up new girl in class. When their teacher assigns both girls the job of rewriting "Sleeping Beauty" for the class play, Grace learns that not everything in Crishell's life is as perfect as it seems. In Grace's second chapter-book appearance, the issue-driven plot tells more than it shows, but Grace's problems will be familiar enough to resonate with young readers. Black-and-white drawings are interspersed throughout.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Karin Littlewood. Through painting his first picture, which alludes to his uncle's violent death in Somalia, new U.S. immigrant Hassan communicates his despair to his teacher and faces his homesickness and grief. This is a frank introduction to the harsh realities that some children face (Hassan recalls "the awful smell of burning and blood"). Although Hassan's story is complex, the watercolor images are busier than necessary.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jackie Morris. Featuring nine of Jesus' miracles, the text is both well written and faithful to the scriptures. The watercolors adeptly portray both the characters and the Middle Eastern environment. Easy to read, and with a conversational tone, the short book offers an approachable version of familiar New Testament stories.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jackie Morris. Attractive watercolors illustrate eight well-known parables from the Bible. Hoffman's retellings are faithful to the original stories, and the short explanations that precede and follow each selection interpret the spiritual messages and make practical connections to everyday life. Designed and written well, the book is a good introduction to Jesus' teachings.

Reviewer: Anne St. John