(2) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. On New Year's Eve, young Jenny drives Percheron horses Tim and Tom from their farm to the market for a bustling celebration ("There is laughter and talk" is a refrain) and then back home; a dog gets the cozy last word. MacLachlan's poetic text is hushed ("the sleigh makes a / whisper sound in the / snow--a comforting / swish, swish, swish") but allows excitement to build ("in every window / of every house / there are little lights. / The town sparkles"). Archer's illustrations, rendered in collage with homemade papers and inks, create luminous landscapes and invite poring over for details. A joyful, homey way to ring in the new year.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. In this nostalgic idyll set on the American prairie (judging by clues in the illustrations, in the mid-twentieth-century), a young girl describes summertime farm life as she and the other children ride horses, take a trip into town for penny candy, swim in a pond, and play kick-the-can until adults call them inside at bedtime. MacLachlan immerses readers into the girl's sensory experiences: "Where I was born, there was a sky so big, there was no end of it...the earth smelled of cattle and bluegrass and hyssop." Archer's illustrations lean into the text's idealized depiction of time and place (surely not all the farm smells were sweet, for instance), offering spread after spread of breathtakingly gorgeous scenes. Collages made from a "combination of acrylics, ink, and textured papers" that were created with "origami and tissue papers and homemade stamps" capture the nearness of the sky, the flat expanse of the landscape, the colors of the prairie. Golds, blues, and greens predominate, with the reds of barns or filling-station pumps and the pinks of sunrise and wild roses adding contrast. Viewers will linger on the pond spread, in which two children float on their backs inside concentric circles of ripples; or on a spread in which prairie dogs sit by their holes in the foreground as a train passes on the horizon, the grasses turned blue-green in the dimming light of the setting sun.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. This whimsical celebration of springtime features a playful equation poem on every page. Equations are paired with a few sentences that are always informative and often lyrical: "Lilac blooms are spring's perfume." Tracing the season's changes from early to mid to late spring, Archer's collage illustrations are rich with texture and detail. This picture-book blend of math, science, and poetry welcomes--and explains--the hallmarks of spring with effortless ebullience.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. This picture book biography of the first woman to run the Boston Marathon--in defiance of the rules--is short on specifics (dates, ages, etc.) but clear on Gibb's determination. Pimentel's straightforward text builds drama and suspense. Archer's vibrant mixed-media and collage art portrays a variety of settings; a nice touch is the bottom-of-the-page border marking the miles of Gibb's progress during the race. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. Children worldwide react the same way to bathtime, according to this gently humorous and engaging look at different bathing rituals. The familiar scenario--in which a child evades with "No, no!" while a grownup says "Yes, yes!"--is depicted in different languages. From bathhouses in Turkey to hot springs in the Himalayan valleys, Archer's oil-paint and collage illustrations are filled with a homey warmth.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. As explained in the informative introduction, stories about Mulla Nasruddin appear throughout the Islamic world. The twenty-two short tales presented here (in tiny font) always have a kernel of humanistic wisdom, whether the protagonist pronounces judgment upon the foolish behavior of others or even laughs at his own actions. Brightly patterned collages accompany the tales. A pronunciation guide is appended. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Micha Archer. Papi teaches Lola the fandango, a traditional Spanish dance. The story culminates in a surprise party for Mami, who dances with her daughter. Witte's text reproduces the sounds and rhythm of the dance, also reflected in the patterns and energy of Archer's rich collage illustrations. A CD includes an audio version. Paperback edition concurrently published in Spanish. Glos.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman