(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. In the third punderful picture book (7 Ate 9, rev. 5/17; The Upper Case) featuring Capital City's dogged detective Private I, clocks and watches are disappearing, the time-strapped letter citizens are increasingly wound up, and Private I is ticked off. The nostalgic palette of the digitally assembled watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations enhances the mood of this not-so-hard-boiled noir spoof. The lively letter characters steal the spotlight with their distinctive features (a goatee on T, an apron on B) and stick-like cartoon arms and legs. Viewers may figure out the culprit before I does, as Z is pictured in plain sight running away with the gumshoe's wristwatch early in the story. The real question remains: why steal time? Thanks to an ingenious, low-tech plan, I nabs the thief in broad daylight, and the clock-napper reveals his motive: by making the other letters late, Z hopes to finally go first. The sympathetic letters explain that life isn't all that perfect earlier in the alphabet (A is sleep-deprived, for example), and the Grammar Police take a remorseful Z away "to serve hard time." This book's wordplay and visual humor are just right for the intended audience; time is sure to fly with Time Flies in the story-hour mix.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(2) PS Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. A panicked numeral 6 visits gumshoe "Private I" after hearing that 7 ate 9: "Now he's after me." The laconic I responds that "technically, he's always after you" but nevertheless promises his aid. The number jokes and puns are chased relentlessly through the story, aided by pictures that humorously personify numerals and letters and place the action in the not-too-mean streets of an old-timey big city.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. Jack, a hip rabbit in human clothing, takes off on a cross-country road trip to San Francisco à la Jack Kerouac. The colloquial language and eager tone work well here, but moments only adults will relate to ("money's only something, Jack, that gets you in a rut") dominate the story; pastoral illustrations warmly depict awe-inspiring scenery. A note on Kerouac is appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. Grandpa's an irascible old coot, given to loud eruptions directed at everything from his TV to his dog. It's especially scary when his ire extends to the young narrator, who describes the old grump from a believably childlike viewpoint. However, when Grandpa takes the boy fishing, a spill from the boat loosens things up. Bright color and deftly sketched cartoon-style art make this an inviting offering.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(3) PS Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. A concerned toddler lays out his big-bed dilemma in endearing, straightforward terms. Parental reassurance and the support of pal Baby Kitty help him make the switch. Old-fashioned-looking watercolor and pencil-crayon illustrations show the cherubic boy and his rosy-cheeked parents. Kitty's empathetic gestures provide the perfect touch of humor (though the teeth-bearing "monster bed" may be off-putting to hesitant toddlers).

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. Jerry Siegel imagines and writes about a hero, an alien with incredible strength whose secret identity is an ordinary guy. Jerry's look-alike friend Joe Shuster illustrates his work. MacDonald's retro images show the friends sporting matching glasses and button-down shirts, fitting right into the circa-1930s world. Nobleman's author's note continues the story and explores the business side of comics. Bib.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Ross MacDonald. Baseball's days of yore receive a sunny treatment. Cook and Charlton's chatty text reveals enough tidbits to make the most fanatical fan happy. The narrative is peppered with baseball slang, helpfully glossed in the margins. MacDonald's nostalgic style is a crackerjack match of illustration to text; his predominantly yellow palette lends the whole a happily idealistic feel.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2007