(3) YA Like all teens in her poverty-stricken rural-Kentucky town, Winter Crane determines to leave Reeve's End forever. One day she discovers Lennon Bishop beaten and left in the woods--and with knowledge that something has happened to Winter's friend Edie. When Lennon also disappears, Winter joins forces with Lennon's brother for a dangerous pursuit of the truth. A thrilling mystery in the well-evoked Appalachian wilderness.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) K-3 Benedict the bear's routine is upset when the bees in his backyard, tired of his extreme honey habit, go on strike. The story, as Benedict comes to understand the need for give-and-take, is infused with humor, and the textured illustrations reflect the cozy quality of Benedict's world--even when it's full of bees carrying picket signs.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Photographs by Stanley Tretick. This book pulls back the curtain on the 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, using iconic documentary images by photojournalist Tretick to show MLK, other civil rights leaders, and ordinary citizens on the historic day from a new, you-are-there angle. Candids, panoramas, negatives, and portraits are among the photograph types that help tell the story alongside the well-written text. Websites.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) 1-3 Molly Mac series. The spunky African American protagonist finds herself in awkward situations at elementary school. Molly is (perhaps overly) concerned new girl Tori is a snack- and friend-thief (Bandit); Molly loses her lucky pencil at the unluckiest time: before the school-wide art show (Lucky). Tidy spot illustrations show the dramas unfold in these run-of-the-mill school stories. Discussion questions and writing prompts are included. Glos. Review covers these Molly Mac titles: The Best Friend Bandit and Lucky Break.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) 1-3 Molly Mac series. The spunky African American protagonist finds herself in awkward situations at elementary school. Molly is (perhaps overly) concerned new girl Tori is a snack- and friend-thief (Bandit); Molly loses her lucky pencil at the unluckiest time: before the school-wide art show (Lucky). Tidy spot illustrations show the dramas unfold in these run-of-the-mill school stories. Discussion questions and writing prompts are included. Glos. Review covers these Molly Mac titles: The Best Friend Bandit and Lucky Break.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) PS This silly, audacious look at flatulence celebrates all the people who fart: "Clowns fart. / Cooks fart. / People reading books fart." In fact, everyone farts--except one mother who won't admit to it. (Guess who is farting behind closed doors at book's end?) Cartoony illustrations in neat comic panels with grayish backgrounds cleverly interpret the slight but kid-pleasing rhyming text.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Based on a True Story series. Illustrated by Clint Hansen. These historical fiction stories introduce middle-grade readers to the experiences of real children. Written under one pseudonym by different authors, the novels, accompanied by black-and-white drawings and archival images and photos, are accessible if not riveting entrées into their subjects' lives. (Jemison's use of savage, true to the times, would have benefited from some contextualizing.) Each entry includes an author's note separating fact from fiction. Clem and Jemison contain glossaries. Review covers these Based on a True Story titles: John Lincoln Clem, Mary Jemison, Nettie & Nellie Crook, and Sybil Ludington.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) YA Age of Legends Trilogy series. Moria, the Keeper, and the man who betrayed her combine forces to save the kingdom; Moria's twin Ashyn, the Seeker, finds herself with a mysterious group determined to use her magic to raise dragons. Frightening creatures and evil spirits help build tension in the concluding volume of a trilogy focused on feminine wisdom and strength.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) 4-6 Stereotypical wimpy kid (he eats veggie burgers!) Charlie is the target of bullies; his gal-pal sidekick, Franki, wants him to stand up for himself, but how? An eccentric teacher gives out journals, and suddenly the escapist superhero-revenge fantasies Charlie pens start coming true. Middle school tropes and obvious humor slow down the action, but Charlie and Franki's maturing friendship adds emotional depth.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) K-3 Knock knock jokes, riddles, tongue twisters, and funny facts about cats will amuse and engross kids who find them irresistible. Silly photos of cats with props (some seem Photoshopped) and word balloons add to the humor; a few wild felines and even Garfield make guest appearances. The "joke finder" index should help non-browsing readers navigate the scattershot volume.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jon J Muth. Illustrator Muth gives this variant of Batman's origin story the full noir treatment in an unusually somber picture book. Young Bruce Wayne and his parents are on their way home one night when the boy hears two loud bangs and is swiftly orphaned (off-camera). Young fans will appreciate the respect given to their uber-brooding hero's childhood. The final page reveals the grown Batman, positively Byronic.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(3) YA Age of Legends Trilogy series. In the trilogy's second book (Sea of Shadows), Keeper Moria and her twin sister, Ashyn the Seeker, work separately to quell the uprising led by the emperor's enemy, Alvar Kitsune. Dramatic and tense, this novel features a well-developed world populated with frightening creatures and complex characters. An engrossing and entertaining read.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) 4-6 Lanora redefines herself when she starts middle school, pushing away best friend Val and making bad choices. With the help of a stray cat, a peculiar boy, and the mysterious bookshop where he lives, Val fights to save Lanora from the person she's become. Magic and mystery are seamlessly woven throughout this coming-of-age story in which each character is distinguished by memorable quirks.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) YA Every year, the Seeker, currently teen Ashyn, enters the Forest of the Dead to quiet damned spirits. The Keeper, Ashyn's twin Moria, remains in the village as a protector. But things go terribly awry, and the sisters are forced to travel across the Wastes to save their kingdom from the undead. Armstrong's elaborate world is populated with complex characters in this series-opener.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) YA Darkness Rising series. Maya and her friends (The Gathering; The Calling), all genetically altered part-supernatural beings, are on the run from rival Cabals of scientists and supernaturals. They meet other teens like themselves (including Maya's long-absent twin brother), learn about their abilities, and navigate treacherous Cabal politics. The exploration of Maya's family dynamics adds depth; a love triangle is less successful.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 4-6 A brief encounter between Zeno, a recently homeless talking African grey parrot, and Alya, an eleven-year-old girl battling leukemia, sparks an unlikely bond that is compromised by fate. Alya and Zeno's struggle for survival is peppered with challenges, but hope and courage carry them through the dark times. Kelley's characters are distinct and she blends two third-person perspectives successfully.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(4) 4-6 Fast Wheels! series. These books profile specific types of high-speed vehicles. The leveled texts should appeal to reluctant readers, who will be drawn to the topic and the (small-size) photos. The books are a combination of description and history, with emphasis on special features and anecdotes. "Smokin' Facts" pages highlight unusual stats, notable individuals, and oddities. The random organization of information, however, is unfortunate. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fast Wheels! titles: Smokin' Open Wheel Race Cars, Smokin' Dragsters and Funny Cars, Smokin' Race Cars, Smokin' Motorcycles, Smokin' Muscle Cars, and Smokin' Sports Cars.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Darkness Rising series. Shapeshifters Maya and Rafe (The Gathering) become separated while escaping the scientists who genetically engineered them. When Maya's helicopter crashes in the wilderness, she and other teen survivors must elude the lab's search party and warn their families. Slowly her friends' own powers emerge. Though this installment is more survival story than paranormal romance, the dangers of Maya's situation are underwhelming.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Bonnie, a Scottish fourteen-year-old living in Thailand during the Vietnam War, sets off on the Amelia Earhart Cadet camping trip. But the cadets become stranded on a desolate island; their flighty chaperone loses it, girls die, and Bonnie must provide the group with strength to persevere. Tense first-person narration candidly relays horrific experiences and moral quandaries in this anxiously suspenseful survival story.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) YA Protagonists of these sixteen short stories run the gamut from lovelorn ifrits to vampire rock stars to cannibal Girl Scouts. Humor rules Margaret Stohl's "IV League," in which a busload of southern "Drinker" teens embark on a New England college tour; Mary Pearson's story of a captured gargoyle is deeply poignant; Carrie Ryan's zombie dystopia "Scenic Route" is both chilling and hopeful. Entertaining and original.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano