(4) 4-6 Sixth grader Fred discovers a portal to an upside-down, parallel world where dead dogs and people are alive and dragons roam. This other world helps Fred and his sister process their grief over the loss of their dog as well as--revealed much later in the book--their father's death. Fred's moving first-person narration and well-developed characters compensate for unbelievable plot points and a dawdling pace.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Claudia Dávila. A bathroom portal at ComicFest launches two kids, Wylder Wallace and Addy Crowe, into the pages of a comic book. Suspense builds as the kids' presence affects the story, their adventures shown (in interspersed comic panels) in Dávila's clear, humorous illustrations. It's a clever concept that's well executed by Jocelyn and Scrimger.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gillian Johnson. Eugene, a middle child, tries to tell a story about his life, but his older sister Winifred keeps interrupting with scornful corrections. Finally he edits his siblings out and begins again, depicting himself as a blissful only child. The amusing illustrations alternate between Eugene's and Winifred's versions of the story, but Eugene's fantasy triumphs; readers will likely chuckle when Winifred disappears.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gillian Johnson. While visiting their uncle in the Castle Apartments, Winifred and her toddler sister inadvertently go up in the elevator by themselves. Winifred decides the characters they meet--a dog, "a beautiful lady," and a gray-haired woman with a broom and a cat--are actually a monster, a princess, and a witch, all suitable castle denizens. The distinctive people in the illustrations add to the story's humor.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) 4-6 Mom's new boyfriend invites Alan Dingwall to go camping. On the way to the campgrounds, Alan and his friend Victor get lost and must spend the night in the woods. After their rescue, the boys participate in a sports competition at a nearby summer camp. A silly fantasy element (a wisecracking alien from Jupiter lives in Alan's nose) is an unnecessary addition to this otherwise amusing fish-out-of-water story.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gillian Johnson. When Winifred realizes the birthday party preparations are for her one-year-old sister rather than for her, she hides in the closet. Mommy's reassuring words and Nana's playful arrival ease Winifred's concerns. The humorous text is enhanced by pastel-colored illustrations that capture the busy household and outdoor winter landscape.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty