(2) PS "Scarecrows, mums, / and wagon rides. / A corn maze we get lost inside!" Get into a fall mood with Kurilla's upbeat rhyming text and exuberant digitally rendered illustrations in a rich palette appropriately dominated by warm yellows, oranges, and reds. A diverse group of kids happily revels in the delights of the season, sharing favorite sights, sounds, smells, and activities. Varied compositions (double-page spreads, vignettes, etc.) capture the highlights: school buses, colorful leaves, pumpkin- and apple-picking, baking, trick-or-treating, geese flying south, Thanksgiving, and more. "Rake some crunchy leaves and-- / flop!"

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) K-3 Anna, who is white, and her best friend, Tess, who is Black, go on an afternoon adventure to save bees (much to more-cautious Tess's dismay). The two plant some seeds, and the warm sun lulls them to sleep: "Wake me up when there are flowers," Tess says. When they awake, they discover they've been shrunk by a gnome, who invites them on a new adventure. Tess is unsure, but Anna is delighted. Soon, nothing is familiar to Tess, and she has had enough. Anna continues on without her, but soon she too becomes afraid and flees the gnomes, only to wake up and realize that it was all a dream. Anna's dream helps her realize that she hasn't been a good friend to Tess, as she has not been listening to what Tess wants. She encourages Tess to suggest what they should do next; meanwhile, having become excited after seeing that one of their flowers has sprouted, Tess is no longer as fearful of bees. Vibrant illustrations accompany this friendship story.

Reviewer: Maija Meadows Hasegawa