(3) YA Eighteen-year-old Bex is elated to be a writer's room intern for her favorite TV show. She's annoyed, however, when showrunner Malcolm passes off her script as his own--and outraged when he straight-washes Lyla, Bex's proudly lesbian character. Bex and friends, including the pretty YouTube star cast as Lyla, take on Malcolm and the Hollywood patriarchy in this unapologetically fierce queer romance.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) YA After being the latest tabloid fodder, seventeen-year-old rock-star drummer Emmy King picks herself up with the help of her friends only to face family drama, a controversial coming-out as bisexual, and more trouble in the spotlight. This unashamedly queer romance features a diverse set of characters, including a nonbinary person, and it expertly broaches important topics including gaslighting, addiction, mental health, and abuse.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) K-3 Adapted by Maisie Paradise Shearring. Illustrated by Maisie Paradise Shearring. Wilde's classic tale about the transformative power of sacrifice focuses on the friendship forged between a statue and a sparrow. Shearring's new modernized illustrations balance colorful portraits of luxury and happiness against scenes of wintery urban bleakness. She employs a sophisticated sense of design that invites readers to share both the intimacy of Wilde's story and its universal appeal.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. An American family moves into Canterville Chase, an English manor home previously owned by aristocracy, and inherits the resident ghost. The family comically counters the specter's every attempt to spook them; the nonplussed ghost sinks into a depression before finding eternal rest with the help of the kindhearted daughter. Zwerger's watercolors capture both the hilarity and pathos of the famous tale originally published in 1986 by Picture Book Studio.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. In this classic short tale that serves as a gentle allegory, a giant bans the neighborhood children from sharing the simple pleasure of his garden. Only after the giant reaches out to comfort one small boy is he redeemed. Zwerger's delicate illustrations feature a muted palette and a plain, almost austere, portrait of the giant's world.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac | Horn Book Magazine Issue: August, 1984

(4) 4-6 Creative Short Stories series. Each volume begins with an evocative frontispiece (the same as the cover image) by Etienne Delessert or Gary Kelley. The main design element within the texts is occasional, and distracting, use of colored font. An illustration of each author (also by Delessert or Kelley) accompanies a brief appended biography; a short essay about each text is also included. Review covers these Creative Short Stories titles: The Ransom of Red Chief, The Lottery, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Happy Prince.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Retold by Elissa Grodin. Illustrated by Laura Stutzman. This version of Oscar Wilde's fairy tale about the friendship between a golden bejeweled statue and a swallow is less flowery and more pedantic than the original, but still affecting. The contemporary setting helps make the tale of kindness and caring relevant for today's readers. Handsome paintings in rich colors illustrate the story. A biographical note about Wilde is included.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Adapted by P. Craig Russell. Illustrated by P. Craig Russell. The fourth graphic art adaptation of Oscar Wilde's fairy tales retains its sharp edge and wit while making the two stories especially appealing to those readers who love comic books. Russell uses Wilde's rich language to good effect in his retellings; the clear, expressive drawings capture both the individual characters and the overall spirit of each work.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Robin Muller. This is a handsome edition of Wilde's original fairy tale of devotion, compassion, and self-sacrifice. The illustrator has chosen to emphasize the uplifting elements of the story, concentrating on the devoted swallow and suffusing all his pictures--even those supposedly depicting abject poverty--with the gold of the statue of the Happy Prince. A biographical note on Wilde is appended.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) YA Whole Story series. Illustrated by Tony Ross. Wilde's sophisticated novel of the seemingly ageless Dorian Gray and the portrait that reflects his debauchery is presented unabridged and accompanied by adequate watercolor illustrations. Historical facts, biographical information, and supplemental photographs and art are included in the margins, though perhaps not as overwhelmingly as in previous volumes of the series.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta