(1) YA In this at once funny and moving novel, it's been just over a year since seventeen-year-old Asher's mom died in a car accident, and "everyone says that I'm not handling it well." In addition to his withdrawn and distracted behavior, Asher is catfishing Grace, the teen daughter of the drunk driver responsible for the accident. He's agreed to take Grace to her prom, though he lives in New Jersey and she's in Memphis. He embarks on a road trip with acquaintances from his bereavement groups: teens Will and Sloane, grieving the losses of their brother and father, respectively, from cancer; and Henry, a delightful octogenarian who dotes on the box containing his wife's ashes. The others don't know the real reason Asher is on this trip: he has a (vague) plan to get revenge on Grace's father. Reilly doesn't hold back from depicting the all-encompassing nature of Asher's grief: his guilt, loneliness, and rage are raw and intense, bringing him to the brink of what his therapist calls "self-destruct sad." But with his new support system, "I'm one small step closer to somewhere better than where I've been." The intergenerational friendship with Henry adds to the humor; a philosophical connection with Will provides depth; and a blossoming romance with Sloane brings sweetness to Asher's difficult, deserved path toward healing.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) 4-6 In late-nineteenth-century Ireland, the Mallon family struggles to stay in their home and farm their land--land now controlled by an English earl determined to evict them by raising rents and taxes. With her dying words, Mam entrusts her eldest daughter, Anna, to care for her sister Nuala ("slow to speak, / slow to understand"), their house, and the land. Helpless, hungry, and angry, Anna throws a rock at the earl's manor house, breaks a window, and is arrested. She escapes, grabs Nuala, and travels for miles to find sanctuary with an aunt. Along the way, they encounter others evicted from their homes and desperate to survive. Through spare, elegant verse, Anna relates her struggles with the English, showing her humiliation ("They drag us down, and push our faces into the mud. / We're trussed up / like spring lambs, / and shoved into their cart") and her resolve ("The soldiers try to march / through us. / They point their bayonets. / But we stand firm"). Giff employs small incidents, such as the carding of wool or Anna's rationing potatoes, to create a substantial setting, while archival photographs sprinkled throughout link these moments to the conditions of the larger community and history. Appended with a glossary and an author's note describing Giff's Irish lineage.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(4) 4-6 Set on a remote Aleutian island during World War II, this survival story is slow to start but eventually picks up speed. The unusual setting and the two main characters, resourceful eleven-year-old Izzy and disaffected fourteen-year-old Matt, help make the narrative compelling. The two endure cold, hunger, fear, and injury, finding strength in their friendship.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(2) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Genevieve is staying with her stern grandmother, Mémé, in Alsace when France falls to the Nazis. Much of the interest here comes from the setting, an area where residents are a mix of people with German and French names and loyalties. Like Giff's Lily's Crossing, this story makes the human dynamics of World War II engaging and understandable to middle graders.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Sarah Hokanson. Jubilee lives with her aunt Cora on an island off the Maine coast, having been abandoned by her mother. For the first time, Jubilee will be in a mainstream fifth-grade class without the support of a special-needs teacher for her selective mutism. Giff examines the bonds that people create, both with other people and with animals, and she gets the island-life details right.

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

(3) 4-6 Giff talks young aspiring writers through her own writing process, with frequent references to Rosie, her canine writing companion, as well as copious excerpts from her novels. This chatty and often funny guide should serve as a useful introduction to plotting and creating characters, and encourage readers to think about stories of their own.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Mateo goes to the U.S. from Mexico in search of his brother Julian; the family is worried that they haven't heard from Julian recently. Mateo meets Angel, who helps him on the long desert trek. Mateo's "I Remember" entries connect him (and readers) with people, places, and moments that sustain him. Giff's gentle, well-paced story puts a human face on headlines and abstract immigration policies.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(4) K-3 Since Patti has her "own new room," her babysitter (readers may wonder if Patti has parents) promises her a "new-room present," and at a store the next day Patti chooses a doll. Patti's narration is engaging, but the threads--coping with fear of the dark, protecting the doll from Patti's dog--seem slack. The illustrations exude calm, even during dog-initiated turbulence.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Worried about her firefighter father's safety, every time a siren wails eleven-year-old Siria sneaks out and chases the truck, watching to make sure he escapes harm. Over Christmas break, Siria notices small fires being set all over town and decides to investigate on her own. Unadorned but engaging prose and Giff's well-drawn characters add depth to a simple story about courage and friendship.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Fiercely & Friends series. Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. In four tightly connected episodic chapters, Jilli, Jim, and Jilli's dog Fiercely plant seeds for the upcoming Vegetable Parade and fend off a "garden monster" (read: Fiercely) until parade day. First-person narration and onomatopoeia add immediacy to prose carefully written for a new reader. Palmisciano playfully varies the perspective of her oil-pastel illustrations to add drama through visual hyperbole.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) 4-6 Hunter and his large, quirky family star in a third enjoyable adventure in which the characters and their small town feature as prominently as the plot. When Hunter, his twin Zack, and neighbor Sarah search for the treasure rumored to be buried by the town's founder, their interactions with neighbors, teachers, and the town librarian beg to be read aloud.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA With her father gone, one-handed Coe strives to survive in a harsh island society made dangerous by high tides. Using her unique abilities (breathing underwater), and with love-interest Tiam's help, Coe discovers tunnels of supplies hoarded beneath the dying king's castle--and possibly a way out. Reilly's world-building is creative, and the story's loose ends may hook fantasy lovers for the next installment.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis

(2) 4-6 In 1945, a ghost girl points Jayna to a tattered notebook containing recipes, a photo of a woman, and an address in Brooklyn. After receiving devastating news that older brother Rob is missing in action, Jayna sets off to locate the woman in the picture, whom she thinks is her grandmother. The ghost adds an element of mystery to the story's well-wrought wartime milieu.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2013

(3) 1-3 Zigzag Kids series. Illustrated by Alasdair Bright. The Timpanzi Tigers have challenged the ZigZag Zebras to a race. The other kids in her after-school program think Gina's the best runner in their group, but Gina, who'd rather sing than run, knows she's not fast. Short sentences and simple vocabulary aid comprehension, while engaging page-turns keep readers intrigued. Black-and-white illustrations break the text into manageable bits.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 This second book about Hunter and his twin Zack is as amusing as Hunter Moran Saves the Universe. After hearing rumors of a neighborhood kidnapper, the boys are sure that their little brother is to be snatched and it's up to them to save him. Hijinks abound in a story peopled with great characters and imbued with hilarious childlike perceptions of the world.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Zigzag Kids series. Illustrated by Alasdair Bright. Zigzag Afternoon Center's surprise camping trip at the nature center doesn't excite Mitchell--and not only because it interferes with his birthday plans. He's scared of camping, bears, and sleeping outdoors. Luckily, the trip is full of unexpected surprises, new friends, and even an upside-down birthday cake. Frequent halftone illustrations punctuate the short, entertaining chapters.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) K-3 Fiercely & Friends series. Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Jilli, her dog Fiercely, and best friend Jim are introduced in this early reader series. In four chapters, the kids' adventures involve imagination--and misunderstandings--as they help rambunctious Fiercely avoid a scary snow fox (who's neither scary nor a fox) and a supposed witch building a "Big Red Something" next door (a new schoolhouse). Chipper oil-pastel illustrations adorn the pages. Review covers these Fiercely & Friends titles: The Sneaky Snow Fox and The Big Something.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) K-3 Fiercely & Friends series. Illustrated by Diane Palmisciano. Jilli, her dog Fiercely, and best friend Jim are introduced in this early reader series. In four chapters, the kids' adventures involve imagination--and misunderstandings--as they help rambunctious Fiercely avoid a scary snow fox (who's neither scary nor a fox) and a supposed witch building a "Big Red Something" next door (a new schoolhouse). Chipper oil-pastel illustrations adorn the pages. Review covers these Fiercely & Friends titles: The Sneaky Snow Fox and The Big Something.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 4-6 Hunter and his twin Zack spend the first week of summer creating chaos as they try to save the town from what they're convinced is a bomb plot to ruin the annual festival. Reminiscent of Byars's Blossom family stories, this romp features imaginative and funny children who, with almost no adult supervision, have the adventures most readers just dream of.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Zigzag Kids series. Illustrated by Alasdair Bright. In Super Surprise, Destiny and Yolanda hatch a plan to save a beloved teacher from leaving the Zigzag Afternoon Center for good. In Sky High, Charlie is banned from inventing for a week when his inventions go haywire. The culturally diverse, likable cast has have realistic issues and interests in these installments; spirited spot illustrations garnish the manageable chapters. Review covers these Zigzag Kids titles: Super Surprise and Sky High.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes