(2) 1-3 Monti the mole has a morning routine: go the bakery, stop at the library, and then rest on his favorite rock beside the river. One day, his routine is interrupted when he hears whispers about a stranger in town -- and then he finds the stranger on his rock. This beginning-reader comic is for children gaining confidence and fluency. It's told in five short chapters with twenty to thirty words per page; multisyllabic words like stranger, favorite, and talent are repeated throughout the text, giving opportunities to practice them. The stranger turns out to be Leo, a long-snouted green creature; and, of course, he and Monti become fast friends. Kantorovitz presents a fresh angle on friendship, though: Leo has been experiencing some suspicion and hostility since he arrived in town, and Monti makes it his goal to show everyone how amazing Leo is. The digital illustrations mix bold lines and pastel colors to pleasing effect, and Kantorovitz varies the number of panels on each page to control the pace, building small moments of drama and breakthroughs and leading up to a talent show Monti and Leo stage to bring the town together. This cozy book feels both familiar and surprising, and it will likely be embraced by young comics fans.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(1) K-3 I Like to Read: Comics series. Pickle (a dog) and a bird friend decide to drive to Clover Farm to get some strawberries and fresh cream, but soon after they set out, the car breaks down. Instead of listening to the bird's advice ("check the engine"), Pickle exclaims, "This car is junk!" and starts a quest to purchase a new car. This beginning reader in comics format has two to six panels and multiple lines of dialogue per page, so it's best for readers who are building independence; short words and ample repetition support practice. The digital illustrations are in restful shades of blue and green that are a fine match for the story's gentle tone. The use of patterns -- particularly polka dots -- adds a sense of whimsy and visual interest as Pickle goes through the trials and tribulations of car shopping. He wants the fast car until he gets pulled over on his test drive; then he knocks over a bin of oranges while trying out an oversized SUV. And let's not even talk about the price of the fancy car. Eventually, Pickle's mechanic suggests that perhaps filling the old car's gas tank and getting a tune-up might be a better solution. Amusing and highly entertaining.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 4-6 Author-illustrator Kantorovitz's (Zig and the Magic Umbrella, rev. 5/15) graphic memoir is an engaging and thoughtful story of an observant child who grows into a young adult eager to pursue teaching and art. Kantorovitz and her siblings lived at a teacher-training college in France where her father was the principal. They had the run of the campus, and Sylvie eventually moved into her own private room, a "kingdom" separate from her family's apartment. Her childhood was marked by her mother's moods and her high academic expectations for Sylvie--"it doesn't count if the others also got As." With relatively few words, Kantorovitz describes her parents' difficult marriage and the support she received from her father; it was he who encouraged Sylvie's love of and talent for art. The book's design is open and friendly. Large cartoon-style illustrations, sometimes just one to a page, are uncluttered and attractive, making them inviting even while they explore difficult themes, including Sylvie's fear that her Jewish faith will set her apart from her friends and classmates. Even at a hefty 350-plus pages, the book looks so approachable that it will likely attract a wide range of readers who will discover a strong story about navigating family, school, and friendships while finding one's purpose.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) PS Pale-blue creature Zig grabs a red umbrella as it floats by his isolated tree home, then flies across nearly wordless spreads. After Zig lands, a yellow bird leads him to a boulder ("Tweet Tweet" coming from behind it), which Zig moves using the umbrella as a lever. Whimsical, detailed acrylic-and-paper collages leave room for contemplation as Zig's adventure comes to a happy, no-longer-lonesome ending.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(4) K-3 When his baby brother is born very prematurely, a young boy goes through a range of emotions. The narrator's statements can be uncomfortable to read ("I wish the baby would die") but attempt to be true to a child-centric interpretation of the stress. Childlike drawings, presented in scrapbook format, chronicle the family's journey, from fearful early days through the happy homecoming.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi