(3) PS Illustrated by Claire Messer. The first day of school is also the first day on the job for Busy Bus. The bus driver goes through his safety check, which introduces the different parts of the bus to young readers. Busy Bus's friendly face as he heads to school in the bright, digitally colored lino-print and ink illustrations will help alleviate any nerves for first-time school goers.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Daniel Miyares. In this inspirational tale with a punny sense of humor, Rocky is a pebble with "boulder-sized" dreams. He sets off to find his place with famous family members around the United States. Using watercolor, acrylic, and digital tools, Miyares creates impressive full-bleed landscapes and also manages to give personality to a pebble. The back matter places members of "Rocky's Rock Star Family" in geological context.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(4) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. This "co-reader," with "You Read" pages (to be read by a fluent reader) alternating with "I Read" pages (to be tackled by an emergent reader), highlights the differences, and a few similarities, between cities and rural areas. The book, with its bright, relevant photos, occasionally obscures key facts or overgeneralizes (e.g., "Many people in the city live in row homes").

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis. Prudence, a book-loving, STEAM-curious, endlessly inventive cow, finds it hard to fit in at the barnyard. "Why can't she be like us?" "Why can't she just be normal?" complain the other cows. Cartoony digital illustrations display Prudence's ambitious exploits in the silly story emphasizing the positives in standing out from the herd.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) 4-6 On the Hunt with Animal Predators series. These slight books present basic information about large carnivores that prey on weaker animals. Characteristics of each species are recounted, including their habitats, social behaviors, food sources, and nurturing of offspring. The simply written narratives are interesting but may be inadequate for some report-driven readers. Large colorful photographs accompany the texts. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these On the Hunt with Animal Predators titles: On the Hunt with Gray Wolves, On the Hunt with Grizzly Bears, On the Hunt with African Lions, and On the Hunt with Hyenas.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Cub Reporter Meets Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Doug Jones. Cub Reporter "interviews" Sequoyah about his life, creating the Cherokee alphabet, the Trail of Tears, and how that affected the Cherokee Nation. He responds to simplistic questions in his own hokey "voice." Cartoons of a microphone-holding bear cub alternate with captioned photos and illustrations that extend information. The premise may work for reluctant readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) K-3 Cub Reporter Meets Famous Americans series. Illustrated by Doug Jones. Cub Reporter "interviews" American figures who overcame challenges to achieve their goals. Each subject responds to simplistic questions about his or her complicated life (e.g., "What did you think about being a slave?" in Douglass) in a hokey first-person voice. Cartoons of a microphone-holding bear cub alternate with captioned photos or illustrations that extend information. The premise may work for reluctant readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Cub Reporter Meets Famous Americans titles: What's Your Story, Amelia Earhart?, What's Your Story, Paul Revere?, What's Your Story, Susan B. Anthony?, and What's Your Story, Frederick Douglass?.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 Smartest Animals series. These solid overviews include information on each mammal's sensory abilities, behavior, and threats to survival, with particular attention given to their capacity for intelligence. Intermittent questions and writing prompts, along with links to additional web content, help foster research skills, though these may distract general readers. Short chapters and clear organization make quick referencing convenient. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Smartest Animals titles: Dolphins, Elephants, and Chimpanzees.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 Amazing Reptiles series. Using age-appropriate vocabulary and colorful photographs, each title includes five short chapters on the animal's features and behavior, touching on diet, habitat, reproduction, and threats to survival. Common Core–focused sections with reading-comprehension questions, writing prompts, and web links may distract casual readers or researchers. "Fast Facts" and a "Stop and Think" section are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Amazing Reptiles titles: Copperheads, Alligators, Geckos, and Bearded Dragons.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 Pop Culture Bios: Action Movie Stars series. Color photographs presented in a scrapbook-like format combine with accessible texts to present chronological biographies of six actors. Early roots, professional challenges and successes, and the breakout popularity from their roles in book-based movie blockbusters provide little new information, but young fans will pore over the well-captioned pictures and abundant trivia facts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Pop Culture Bio titles: Zoe Kravitz, Jennifer Lawrence, Taylor Lautner, Booboo Stewart, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Pop Culture Bios: Action Movie Stars series. Color photographs presented in a scrapbook-like format combine with accessible texts to present chronological biographies of six actors. Early roots, professional challenges and successes, and the breakout popularity from their roles in book-based movie blockbusters provide little new information, but young fans will pore over the well-captioned pictures and abundant trivia facts. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Pop Culture Bio titles: Zoe Kravitz, Jennifer Lawrence, Taylor Lautner, Booboo Stewart, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) 4-6 Great Predators series. This book covers grizzlies' life cycle, range and habitat, predatory behaviors, diet, and protected status. The clean layout features engaging photos, plenty of leading between lines of text, and short sentences that don't sacrifice interest or depth of information (though they make for choppy reading). Chapters are arranged per series formula, but this is a useful high-interest volume nonetheless. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Pop Culture Bios: Superstars series. These biographies of young actors and musicians chronicle their subjects' lives and careers in casual, conversational text that will appeal to tweens. Each book touches on its star's struggles (Lovato's eating disorder, Thorne's dyslexia), introduces industry lingo (callback, one-hit wonder), and features plenty of glossy photos. Fans probably won't learn anything new in these superficial profiles. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Pop Culture Bios: Superstars titles: Bella Thorne, Carly Rae Jepsen, Cody Simpson, The Wanted, Demi Lovato, and Victoria Justice.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 Pop Culture Bios: Superstars series. These biographies of young actors and musicians chronicle their subjects' lives and careers in casual, conversational text that will appeal to tweens. Each book touches on its star's struggles (Lovato's eating disorder, Thorne's dyslexia), introduces industry lingo (callback, one-hit wonder), and features plenty of glossy photos. Fans probably won't learn anything new in these superficial profiles. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Pop Culture Bios: Superstars titles: Bella Thorne, Carly Rae Jepsen, Cody Simpson, The Wanted, Demi Lovato, and Victoria Justice.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen