(1) K-3 Illustrated by Loren Long. Written in aptly propulsive verse and illustrated with aptly muscular art, this is a paean to people who work with their hands. To make a house, an architect is needed. "But... / Someone works to guide the saws, / plane the logs, lead the team. / Someone needs to pound the nails. / Someone has to build the dream." The book follows the hands-on labor as first a house is built, then a bridge, decorative fountain, windmill farm, amusement park, and finally a book--the one we are reading, in fact. Visually, Long paces the story beautifully. Spreads depicting the cerebral work of an architect, engineer, artist, and others show the person (usually) in isolation, with a large amount of white space surrounding, even confining, their office, classroom, or studio. The subsequent scenes of their ideas being implemented are full-bleed, full-color spreads full of hustle-and-bustle, with hosts of people (of differing races, genders, and abilities) wielding tools, checking blueprints, and operating machinery. Compositions are controlled but busy; colors are bold. The overall feel is one of concentrated activity, industriousness, and progress, very reminiscent of WPA murals of the 1930s. The framing of the book is effective and child-scaled: a neglected piece of land we saw at the beginning is by story's end transformed into a small, attractive park, echoing the book's projects in microcosm (i.e., workers have constructed not a house but a gazebo; not an amusement park but a playground). Closing text exhorts children to appreciate all the "someones" behind built/made things--but they won't need much of a push after reading this inspirational, inclusive, and engaging book.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Molly Idle. Here's another useful and engaging toddler-skills picture-book primer in rhyme (People Don't Bite 
People) with child-friendly examples and Idle's dynamic, appealing illustrations downplaying didacticism. The story covers friendship sharing, sibling sharing, and things not to share ("And please, oh PLEASE, / don't share your sneeze!"). Intangibles (e.g., "love, respect, and time") and the whys of sharing are touched upon.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) PS Illustrated by Lisk Feng. A father and daughter connect the natural world with their affection for each another in this cozy, rhyming picture book. Saturated, rosy-toned illustrations of whimsical nature scenes--such as eggs holding hatchlings "warm and snug" and the "strong yet gentle" hug of a cocoon--alternate with images of the stylized protagonists sharing sweet moments outdoors. A succinct, tender, and visually appealing read.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(2) PS Illustrated by Molly Idle. Wheeler's lilting rhymed verse enumerates the reasons not to bite people and suggests alternatives: "It's good to bite a biscuit. / It's good to bite a plum. / It's BAD to bite your brother. / He's not a piece of gum." The humorous text's underlying message about anger management is useful. Simple rounded shapes in saturated hues keep Idle's dynamic colored-pencil illustrations clean, lighthearted, and easy to follow.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) PS Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. A mischievous little blue monster reluctantly settles down for the night as her father reads to her. The book-within-a-book's message: even Bigfoot, aliens, dragons, giants, and the like "need to sleep." Although the deftly wrought rhymes, with their repeated refrain, are soothing, the big, bold art is anything but. Perfect for small children who--like this monster--are not quite ready for bedtime.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. Wheeler and Gott have presented Dino-Baseball, Dino-Racing, and more; why not a dino dance-off? Here, numerous dinosaurs compete, performing various dances ("Allosaurus is up on her toes: / Scarlet tutu, crimson hose"). Several rhymes miss a step, but readers will stay entertained by the slick, swirly-and-twirly art and the competition angle, and they won't fret the outcome: Wheeler doesn't play favorites.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Carolina Búzio. Quiet, soothing rhymes describe where and how specific animals sleep ("Cougars curl up in a lair"); each verse ends with the refrain "but babies can sleep anywhere" and a picture of a human baby asleep on a bicycle seat, in a highchair, etc. Restful (almost all eyes are closed), color-saturated illustrations feature a good variety of animals and, among the humans, skin tones and types of families.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Old, poor Hannah Greyweather finds one sturdy boot while out on Christmas morning; to her surprise, its mate shows up the next morning by her bed, beginning the holiday magic. Christmas mystery and coziness are successfully maintained thanks to snowy pencil and watercolor illustrations and a heroine who is satisfied with what she has and happy with what she gets: a puppy.

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

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. This time the team that brought you Dino-Boarding, Dino-Swimming, and other non-nutritive reads puts the pedal to the metal ("Raptor hits the rhythm section, / glad his ride has good suspension"). Since the dino racers are given equal attention, it's not clear if readers will be invested in who wins, but the rat-a-tat rhymes and slick-as-a-new-car illustrations may be all they need.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. In Wheeler's newest Dino sports event, the Land Sharks go up against the Algae Eaters for top prize in the Dino-swimming meet. The carnivore-versus-herbivore match-up contains lots of tension as each event is narrated in high-speed rhymes that occasionally hit some choppy water. Fans of this series will find all the frenzied energy they expect in Gott's action-packed illustrations.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Brian Floca. A bouncy verse introduces young reindeer Octavia's seven uncles, from Uncle Uno, who wears one hat and one vest, to Uncle Sven, who has written seven books and seven plays. The surprise conclusion reveals that Octavia's uncles join their niece every year to pull Santa's sleigh. This original Christmas counting book is illustrated with energetic art set against snowy backdrops.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. Monster dinosaurs ride monster waves, rock the half-pipe, and shred the slopes at Mt. Mastodon's dino-boarding event. Sometimes choppy rhyming couplets, filled with extreme-sports lingo, provide narration as teams Green Machine and Shredding Crew surf, skate, and snowboard in an intense competition. Fans of Wheeler's other Dino sport books will recognize Gott's action-packed illustrations, which match the story's frenzied pace.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora. A budding-scientist narrator begins a meticulous project researching which animal will make the best pet for her. As she observes creatures in various environs, including the farm, zoo, woodlands, and at home, any potential pick gets a poem--each impeccably rhymed and side-splittingly wry--eliminating it from the running. OHora's bold black-outlined acrylics smartly work with and expand on Wheeler's jokes.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. Dinosaurs come ready to rumble at the Dino-Wrestling Jamboree. A narrative of rhyming couplets, some that stumble, describe dinosaurs of all types--from Pterodactyl to T. rex--engaging in a variety of wrestling styles including Greco-Roman, lucha libre, sumo, and WWD. Followers of Wheeler's previous Dino sport books will recognize and welcome Gott's brightly colored, raucous illustrations.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. On Mega Bowl Sunday, the plant-eating Greenblade Snackers and the carnivorous Redscales face off at the fan-thronged Lava Dome. Young football enthusiasts will recognize game lingo crammed into the sometimes choppy rhyming couplets. Dino names called out in red or green font help readers keep the players straight. The busy, boisterous illustrations are well suited to the frenetically paced text.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. Continuing their sports rivalry (Dino-Baseball, Dino-Hockey), the plant-eating dinosaurs and their carnivorous counterparts meet in a championship basketball game. Captured in the energetic illustrations are both teams' on-the-court mad skills, making it a tight match. Though the rhymes occasionally lumber, play-by-play commentary laced with basketball lingo will score points with fans of both basketball and dinosaurs.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Mother Goose's twisted sister stars in Wheeler's semi-subversive collection. The cautionary rhymes detail all manner of bad (cheating, bullying) or impolite behavior, made even funnier by a mock-formal typeface and decorously spacious pages. Blackall's ink and watercolor illustrations maintain a similar balance, with prim lines and sober colors displaying the mischief. A good first lesson in parody.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Heather Solomon. Ol' Bear wakes up with a "hankerin'" for Ugly Pie. At each of a succession of houses, he's given an ingredient--wrinkled raisins, sour apples, bumpy walnuts--then concocts an Ugly Pie that he shares with his friends. Readers will enjoy the story's gentle humor, repetition, compelling details in the bucolic watercolor and acrylic paintings, and the folksy tone. A recipe is appended.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2010

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. Using the same formula as in Dino-Hockey and Dino-Soccer, Gott's energetic illustrations and Wheeler's verse (some rhymes are a stretch) depict a baseball game played by dinosaurs. Baseball and dinosaurs--two perennially popular topics for picture books--are a winning combination, but, like a game that goes into extra innings, the book sometimes drags.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Barry Gott. "Here come herds of soccer fans / and dino-moms in minivans." All are eager for the herbivore Grazers to take on the carnivore Biters. Wheeler's rhymes (some are a stretch) capture the play-by-play action as pterodactyls, a diplodocus, and other dino-types pass the ball, score goals, and even get red-carded for brawling. Gott's busy illustrations pop with energy.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger