(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. Anne and her fellow adventurers-in-training at Saint Lupin's Quest Academy, Penelope and Hiro, are just back from their first quest (The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes) when they must set out again, this time to slay the dragon queen. Although there's plenty of humor, plot twists, and nonstop action, at times it all feels rushed. The ending promises another installment.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. After escaping from a bleak orphanage with the evil matron in hot pursuit, thirteen-year-old Anne ends up at a "quest academy" and, along with friend Penelope and young magician Hiro, partakes in a game-like, high-stakes quest. Despite flat characters, the story is action-packed, and Anne's world and its fantastic creatures are well conceived. A "Secret Epilogue" hints at a new quest to come.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(3) 4-6 You Choose: Fractured Fairy Tales series. Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. In these Choose Your Own Adventure–style books, readers take on the protagonist role and follow different fairy-tale-inspired plot lines. Perspectives and genres (e.g., urban fantasy, dystopian future) are varied; endings may be happy or sad; brave choices are typically rewarded, foolish ones punished. The narratives are sufficiently unpredictable to keep readers entertained. Black-and-white comics-like illustrations support the texts. Critical thinking questions are appended. Reading list. Review covers these You Choose: Fractured Fairy Tales titles: Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(4) 4-6 How to Live Like... series. Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. These books present accounts of selected events that distinguish certain historical periods. Examples include jousting (Knight), battling lions (Gladiator), and training for raiding (Warrior). Each book is narrated by a cocky youth, which adds humor but becomes tiresome. Cartoonlike illustrations and numerous text boxes accompany the main texts. Related facts are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these How to Live Like... titles: A Medieval Knight, A Roman Gladiator, and A Viking Warrior.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 How to Live Like... series. Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. A stone-age kid gives insights into the daily life of prehistoric people during the Paleolithic era. He discusses essential survival activities such as trapping mammoths, hunting reindeer, and making tools. Brief information is included on cultural and societal issues such as cave art and burials. Cartoonlike illustrations and numerous sidebars accompany the text; the humorous tone becomes tiresome. Related facts are appended. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 How to Live Like... series. Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. These books present accounts of selected events that distinguish certain historical periods. Examples include jousting (Knight), battling lions (Gladiator), and training for raiding (Warrior). Each book is narrated by a cocky youth, which adds humor but becomes tiresome. Cartoonlike illustrations and numerous text boxes accompany the main texts. Related facts are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these How to Live Like... titles: A Medieval Knight, A Roman Gladiator, and A Viking Warrior.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 How to Live Like... series. Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. These books present accounts of selected events that distinguish certain historical periods. Examples include jousting (Knight), battling lions (Gladiator), and training for raiding (Warrior). Each book is narrated by a cocky youth, which adds humor but becomes tiresome. Cartoonlike illustrations and numerous text boxes accompany the main texts. Related facts are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these How to Live Like... titles: A Medieval Knight, A Roman Gladiator, and A Viking Warrior.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. Milo is sucked into a clothes dryer and transported to another world inhabited by a race of giant ogres who snack on human children. Survival and escape are Milo's goals, but then he discovers others have been captured. Milo finds his inner hero in a hectic, hilarious series of revelations, chase scenes, and near-death experiences.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015