(1) K-3 Illustrated by Brian Floca. "In Michigan country on a two-rut road along a stream called the upper South Branch of the Au Sable River," a young boy sits on his father's lap in a red Jeep, two sets of hands on the steering wheel, as they head out on a camping trip. Set in the early 1950s and rooted in Jackson's own boyhood memories, this homage to a moment in time is beautifully rendered and made specific in poetic text and brilliant illustrations of fly fishing, catching brown trout, cooking on an open fire, and trying to spot an owl. But that was last summer, and now winter has come to their Michigan town, a gray-blue world of snow-covered houses with yellow lights; the boy is on his mother's lap, thinking of "Dad now as he drives another Jeep in a far-away war." Floca's stunning yet gentle illustrations in pen, ink, watercolor, and gouache were completed after Jackson's death in 2019 and capture the varied greens of a summer day in the country, the shimmering light on a trout half in and half out of the water, and the eerie moon in a nighttime sky. The effective interplay of text and art makes this slender tale of reminiscence unforgettable.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) PS Illustrated by Katherine Tillotson. It's "the FULL story" of the classic tale of the three billy goats and the menacing troll, or what late author Jackson calls "the story, like all stories, of Who Wants What...and Do They Get It?" Jackson changes nothing about the plot; we still meet three goats who, in order to graze on grass on the other side of a bridge, outwit a troll, but he gives it new life in this spirited text. The tone is chummy ("SO...here are the Brothers Gruff," it begins) in a text that directly addresses readers: "Just look at him," Jackson writes when we first meet Troll. The story is filled with entertaining asides ("Here's the famous part," we read before Big Billy head-butts Troll); rhythmic language that uses repetition to great effect (the usual "trip-trap," but Jackson throws in some "mutt-muttering" from Troll and some "please and kindly" phrasing to remind readers that politeness goes a long way); and lots of alliteration ("Our biggest brother, Big Billy...is a meal-worthy mouthful compared to middling me"). Changes in font size animate the pages, and the book's vocabulary will delight readers with words such as gnarly, modicum, and ferocious. Tillotson's remarkably textured illustrations match the energy of the tale, and she brings playful perspectives (from both under and atop the rickety bridge). An immensely entertaining retelling, trip-trap!

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Chris Raschka. A puddle worries that she'll become a pond if it keeps raining. Visits from a seagull, a basketball, a child's sneaker, and a poodle (and its "piddle") don't improve her mood. As the sun comes out, a girl reaches out to the now rainbow-colored puddle in wonder, helping Puddle let go of her bad experiences. Lively, poetic text and humor-filled, appropriately watery paintings help children grasp the ideas of empathy and perspective.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) PS Illustrated by E. B. Goodale. While Lula and her dad rake leaves, Daddy playfully claims he sees Lula's imaginary friend, Akaraka. Lula maintains that because Aka is made-up, she can't help them rake, but that she might like to join them for some chocolate pudding at lunch. The spirited story of an imagination supported pairs nicely with Goodale's vibrant illustrations in acrylic ink and watercolor.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(2) PS Illustrated by Julie Downing. This cheerful adventure reveals the nightlife of buoyant baby Tessa, who grows a pair of small but efficient wings and levitates out of her crib. She spins and tumbles around her room; come dawn, she's back in bed, fooling the grownups and saying her favorite word: "Up." The watercolor illustrations in baby-friendly colors are an energetic celebration of curves--fat dimpled knees, button nose, and pudgy fingers.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Katherine Tillotson. As the sun sets in a forest, viewers must keep their senses alert to catch all the activity in Tillotson's atmospheric pictures, glowing with saturated color. Jackson's impressionistic text provides a subtle guide to what might be present on each page: "Fox, mouse, owl, bat, / this and that / (was that a cat?)..." Suited for the slow pace of bedtime.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2017

(2) PS Illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. At first glance, this is the simplest of books for very young children. Short questions are posed with answers provided by turning the page. The acrylic paintings often give hints of what's to come; the rhyming text sets up patterns. But the entire book is actually one continuous scene spanning space and seasons that should keep children thinking long after the initial guessing game.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(2) PS Illustrated by Suzy Lee. Outside, a summer storm rages. Inside, three kids entertain themselves with dress-up and dance music. When the sky brightens, the children burst outside to make the most of puddles. The kinetic words of Jackson's buoyant, impressionistic text are perfectly matched to pictures in which protean acrylic skies form a backdrop for pencil drawings of children on the move. A sweet, joyful celebration of active play.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(4) PS Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Objects in a book introduce themselves: "I am fluffy says Feather. / We are nubbly say Knees. / I am dry says Heather. / We are barky say Trees"; the featured adjective is embellished to reflect its meaning (e.g., "furry" looks furry). The rhymes are toe tappers and the gouache art is pleasingly pert, but the find-it-in-a-book premise seems gratuitous.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Each day after school, when Sophie checks in with Grandpa, he mentions a small item that he's lost, which he challenges Sophie to find. Readers can play along, finding the "missing" object placed cleverly (hiding "in plain sight") in Pinkney's detailed, delicate watercolor illustrations. Jackson's text is direct, vigorous, and colloquial; the twist ending--when Sophie gives Grandpa something to find--will warm hearts.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016