(3) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. In this Dragons from Mars follow-up, young Nathaniel informs the two mythical visitors to Earth that it's their first day of school, too. Once again, Aronson's rhymes are rock-solid ("Maybe they've never seen dragons before. / What if they're frightened and run for the door?"), and the dragons, given an appealingly cartoonish mien, can stand in for anyone with new-situation anxiety.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Colin Jack. Small, scruffy Waldo and big, lazy Sassy love their human Stewart (maybe even more than they love meat). Since Stewart seems unhappy at this mysterious thing called "school," the protective pooches--Waldo atop Sassy and wearing a trench coat--infiltrate Bea Arthur Memorial Elementary as its new student, befriending classmates and charming (most) teachers. Falatko's absurdist premise and laugh-out-loud humor are deepened by Jack's cartoony illustrations throughout.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. Leo is afraid of the monster under his bed...until he meets him; Fred isn't scary at all (unless it's called for, as when a mean older boy begins destroying Leo's room and Fred saves the day). Four humorous chapters include playful full-color illustrations on every spread, and ample white space and moderate word repetition further the supportive early-chapter-book experience.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 4-6 Prizewinners of Piedmont Place series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. The biracial Talaska family (The Prizewinners of Piedmont Place) works together to solve riddles to win the "Funland Fun House Makeover Contest" and save the dilapidated family home. Although lacking in character and plot development, slapstick humor and pun-tastic wordplay are at the heart of this imaginative book filled with clowns, amusement-park attractions, and last-minute saves. Spot illustrations echo the over-the-top tone.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Colin Jack. Buck and his friend Lizzie are fans of the much-loved fantasy series Triumphant Gnome Syndicate. When they attend the third book's release party, strange things happen, and the kids find themselves in the land of the stories, where it seems Buck himself just might be the hero. Buck's first-person narrative is sharp and funny, and the clever ending (with a girl-power twist) assures a sequel.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. When young Nathaniel emails some dragons on Mars (Mars@martians.com) with an invitation to visit him, they take him up on it and trash his house. The book's bouncy rhymes channel Dr. Seuss ("Some people love dragons; some people do not. / A boy named Nathaniel loved dragons a lot"), but the cartoony art is more Hanna-Barbera (in the good way).

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. A spiffily dressed and villainous-looking hawk sees a rabbit below his perch and flies down to grab him, "beak poised, to scream in victory." The rabbit hides behind a giant carrot, and the hawk screams--as he discovers the carrot and not the bunny in his talons. The jokey story falls flat, but the art and text are both amusing.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Colin Jack. In this self-consciously wacky series-starter, eleven-year-old Cal Talaska's quirky family competes to win the "Great Grab Contest" at a superstore. The evil, rich rival family feels stereotypical, but the financially struggling Talaska family (illustrated as mixed-race) is well developed and worth rooting for. Some of the jokes are belabored, but this is light and easy reading; Jack's black-and-white cartoons add appeal.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. Blue monster Zander finds himself courted by a new friend, a cute red bird. But this is confusing: monsters don't have friends. Time spent with the bird provides Zander with an opportunity for self-discovery and a lesson about going against the crowd, though Vernick's straight-faced humor keeps the story from feeling preachy or saccharine. Colorful Photoshop illustrations contain unexpected details and express genuine emotion.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) PS Flip-Side Rhymes series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. Each book in this series offers a traditional rhyme and then instructs readers to turn the book over for another verse from a new perspective (e.g. the kings' men in Humpty). While the concluding spreads are occupied by clunky infographics, the humorous illustrations help modernize the familiar texts and introduce very young readers to the concept of point-of-view. Review covers these Flip-Side Rhymes titles: Humpty Dumpty and Little Miss Muffet.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. Familiar nursery rhymes are turned piratical in this Mother Goose adaptation. Readers will often need to be familiar with the original rhyme (whose title appears in parentheses under the pirate title) to get the rhythm and cadence right. The quality and scansion of the individual rhymes are uneven, but the best showcase cleverness and zany humor at just the right kid-level. Caricaturish illustrations add to the silliness.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Colin Jack. With their tenth birthday approaching, twins Molly and Penelope find themselves squabbling over the details of their joint party, and how to solve the mysteries in Grandpa Quill's annual celebratory scavenger hunt. Magical mishaps enhance the action, while gentle humor and riddles help diffuse the realistic family drama. This third book is an amusing (if predictable) tale of sisterly tension and birthday-party pressures.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) 4-6 Quirks series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. Twins Penelope and Molly continue to dodge the issue of their family's magical "quirks" (read: powers) in this unsurprising but enjoyable series entry. A trip to a monster museum unleashes spooky trouble, and Uncle Cork, visiting for the week, reveals his quirk, which he uses openly at home. Black-and-white illustrations punch up the chaotic magical action in this story of self-acceptance.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. A boy proposes uses for a dinosaur (nutcracker, snowplow, etc.) "if you happen to have [one] lying around your living room." This book has an If You Give a Mouse a Cookie pattern, starting with the hypothetical title and concluding with the here-we-go-again ending, although the narrative is less story and more list. Witty and soberly outlandish in word and image.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 1-3 Galaxy Zack series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. Earthling Zack counsels his best friend Drake, who doesn't like the water and is terrified of swimming. But a Nebulite heat wave--and the prospect of an interplanetary adventure--helps motivate teacher and student alike. This eighth series installment continues Zack's sci-fi hijinks, and early readers will appreciate the light humor and energetic black-and-white illustrations on nearly every page.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 1-3 Galaxy Zack series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. Zack discovers that holiday traditions on Nebulon can be as appealing as those in Vermont (Green); Zack befriends an eccentric new kid (Monsters); Zack and his Dad return a baby dinosaur to its home planet (Prehistoric); Zack's best friend from Earth causes tension when he visits (Three's). This entertaining chapter-book series continues to explore typical elementary-school concerns through the context of sci-fi hijinks. Review covers these Galaxy Zack titles: A Green Christmas!, Monsters in Space!, The Prehistoric Planet, and Three's a Crowd!.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 1-3 Galaxy Zack series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. This new space-age chapter-book series finds eight-year-old Zack Nelson and his family first moving from Earth to Nebulon for his dad's job and later visiting the crystal planet Juno for a school field trip. The year is 2120, and both books provide a good balance of Jetsons-type gadgetry with typical elementary-school concerns. Black-and-white cartoon illustrations add to the lighthearted humor. Review covers these Galaxy Zack titles: Hello, Nebulon! and Journey to Juno.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 1-3 Galaxy Zack series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. This new space-age chapter-book series finds eight-year-old Zack Nelson and his family first moving from Earth to Nebulon for his dad's job and later visiting the crystal planet Juno for a school field trip. The year is 2120, and both books provide a good balance of Jetsons-type gadgetry with typical elementary-school concerns. Black-and-white cartoon illustrations add to the lighthearted humor. Review covers these Galaxy Zack titles: Hello, Nebulon! and Journey to Juno.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 1-3 Galaxy Zack series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. Zack discovers that holiday traditions on Nebulon can be as appealing as those in Vermont (Green); Zack befriends an eccentric new kid (Monsters); Zack and his Dad return a baby dinosaur to its home planet (Prehistoric); Zack's best friend from Earth causes tension when he visits (Three's). This entertaining chapter-book series continues to explore typical elementary-school concerns through the context of sci-fi hijinks. Review covers these Galaxy Zack titles: A Green Christmas!, Monsters in Space!, The Prehistoric Planet, and Three's a Crowd!.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 1-3 Galaxy Zack series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. Zack discovers that holiday traditions on Nebulon can be as appealing as those in Vermont (Green); Zack befriends an eccentric new kid (Monsters); Zack and his Dad return a baby dinosaur to its home planet (Prehistoric); Zack's best friend from Earth causes tension when he visits (Three's). This entertaining chapter-book series continues to explore typical elementary-school concerns through the context of sci-fi hijinks. Review covers these Galaxy Zack titles: A Green Christmas!, Monsters in Space!, The Prehistoric Planet, and Three's a Crowd!.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl