(4) 4-6 Land of Stories series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. When witches and the villainous Literary Army attack New York City, Conner leads characters from fairy tales and his own short stories to save both the city and his cursed twin sister's life. While the twins' quest ends in this sixth entry, Colfer's epilogue hints at a possible continuation. Lengthy series recaps and conveniently solved problems diminish an otherwise satisfying finale fans should enjoy.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(4) 4-6 Fablehaven series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Now that the demons have been defeated, Kendra and Seth face a new threat: dragons. The teens agree to quell rebellion by becoming caretakers of the dragon sanctuary, but is this alliance a trap? Many nods to the original Fablehaven series will please fans, but this first book in a "sequel series" primarily sets up what's to come in future installments without much plot development.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(4) 4-6 Land of Stories series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. In the wake of the Masked Man seizing power in the fairy-tale world with his villainous "Literary Army," the fifteen-year-old Bailey twins travel to Conner's short stories to gather their army. In addition to relying on cheap humor, this fifth entry does little to advance the series' plot (it ends with the battle still looming), but the twins' nonstop adventures should appeal to fans.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(4) 4-6 Land of Stories series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. The evil Masked Man is traveling through fantasy stories (both authored and folkloric) to gather an army of villains, while twins Alex and Conner, aided by fairy-tale friends, attempt to capture him. Slapdash character development is disappointing, but fans of the enjoyably imaginative series will be pleased with this madcap mash-up (think Lewis Carroll meets Once upon a Time).

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 School for S.P.I.E.S. series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Max is forced to work undercover for LOTUS after the evil spy agency destroys the School for S.P.I.E.S. On the run, the students and teachers hatch a plan to rescue Max and stop LOTUS's plot against the British government. With a diverse cast of characters and non-stop (delightfully implausible) action sequences, the final book in this spy-themed adventure series won't disappoint readers.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(3) 4-6 School for S.P.I.E.S. series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Max Segredo and his classmates at School for S.P.I.E.S.--a.k.a. Merry Sunshine Orphanage--come to the rescue when competition from enemy spy organization LOTUS and a Ministry of Health audit threaten to close the school for good. Tweens with a passion for espionage (and an ability to suspend disbelief) will love this fast-paced adventure story.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Ven Polypheme, an atypically adventurous Nain (read: hobbit), continues his royally assigned mission of exploration by traveling underseas with his merrow (read: mermaid) friend, Amariel, as his guide. The narrative alternates between exposition of this wondrous new world and an escalating sequence of episodic quests. The journal conceit wears thin, but the evocative world-building remains impressive in this fourth installment.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone: Magical Mix-Ups series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. After Tate falls into a well and accidentally swallows its magical water, she's suddenly able to think and read faster, but she's also inexplicably drawn to water. Unfortunately, her siblings experience the same side effects, and it's up to Tate to think fast when they fall into the nearby river. The Willow sibs' fourth action-packed story includes illustrations of their magical adventure.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Lexy loves to dance, until recital time when--"blammo!"--stage fright hits. She becomes an out-of-the-spotlight dance teacher instead, taking on five blue giants as pupils. When stage fright strikes her students, Lexy steps up to help. Bird is light and subtle with the message, and the illustrations of a zestful, rosy-cheeked girl and cute fuzzy creatures dance along with the droll text.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) 4-6 School for S.P.I.E.S. series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Thirteen-year-old foster kid Max gets sent to the Merry Sunshine Orphanage, which is secretly a school for spies. While Max enjoys developing his intelligence-gathering skills and going on secret missions, his main priority is finding his father. Some quickly developed plot elements require suspension of disbelief, but fans of espionage stories will enjoy the engaging characters and plentiful action.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Abner Willow is scared to lead the town's parade, so his sister Tate encourages him to strengthen his bravery by eating roasted grasshoppers. But the bugs from the kids' yard possess magic; soon Abner bounces into a test of true bravery. Dorman's lively illustrations complement the chaotic fun in this clever third romp (Hamster Magic; Lawn Mower Magic) with the Willow sibs.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Adventure-seeking Axel, a truck with "big, big wheels," wins a sandy, salty beach race and explores the dirt, rocks, and bumps of a mountain. The simple sentences bursting with energy ("Bam, bam, slam!") are ideal for beginning readers. Little truck-lovers will delight in the boisterous illustrations of mud-loving Axel and the concluding "truck body parts" diagram and tool list. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Axel the Truck: Beach Race and Axel the Truck: Rocky Road.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Adventure-seeking Axel, a truck with "big, big wheels," wins a sandy, salty beach race and explores the dirt, rocks, and bumps of a mountain. The simple sentences bursting with energy ("Bam, bam, slam!") are ideal for beginning readers. Little truck-lovers will delight in the boisterous illustrations of mud-loving Axel and the concluding "truck body parts" diagram and tool list. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Axel the Truck: Beach Race and Axel the Truck: Rocky Road.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Joshua's parents are two of the world's most dastardly supervillains. To Joshua, however, they're Mom and Dad. When they're kidnapped, along with a host of other villains, by mysterious "smoke creatures," it's up to Joshua to save the day. Joshua's understated, deadpan narration is quite funny; imaginative details add fun. Occasional black-and-white caricatures enhance the comic-book vibe.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Twins Alex and Conner find themselves transported to an alternate world where Snow White, Red Riding Hood, and other fairy-tale favorites live. But how will smart Alex and smart-aleck Conner find their way home? There's little that's new here and the plot is very predictable, but the pace is lively and the dialogue buoyant. A sequel seems indicated.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Wishes are not to be taken lightly, especially when they're granted by a hamster. Tired of being the youngest child, Celia wishes to be big. Humorous problems arise for Celia's siblings as they try to hide their sister-turned-giant-hamster from their parents. Dorman's drawings of Celia as she discovers her new hamster abilities will tickle young readers.

Reviewer: Sarah Novogrodsky

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Creepy characters perfectly balanced between grotesque and comical populate this funny parody of "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Dorman's digitally rendered illustrations, featuring many ghoulish details, encourage close attention; you can almost hear the witches cackle as jack-o'-lanterns cast a suitable glow over the pages. A welcome addition to Halloween story hours, this paper-over-board edition is notable for its bargain price.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Drawing from several Irish folktales, Tegen tells the story of how the jack-o'-lantern came to be. A stingy and thieving man named Jack gets his comeuppance when he makes a dodgy deal with the devil. Rich-hued, detailed illustrations complement the spooky tale. Additional details about the history of the jack-o'-lantern conclude the book.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(4) 4-6 Wednesday Tales series. Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Miles Wednesday, his angel friend Little, and blind explorer Baltinglass try to retrieve the magical Tiger's Egg. Along the way, they uncover secrets about Miles's family. Fans of the series who are used to the overblown writing style ("Miles Wednesday, frozen, frightened and free-falling, plummeted earthward through the spreading dawn") will enjoy the adventure, magic, and mystery in this trilogy ender.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Brandon Dorman. Gremlin-esque Pingo is the best imaginary friend a boy could have. But as Chad grows older, he tires of being teased about Pingo. Pingo follows Chad throughout his adolescence and adulthood until the two friends are reunited in old age. The story is a little message-y and light on kid-appeal. Caricature illustrations show the two main characters in humorous situations.

Reviewer: David Elzey