(3) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley. During a car trip to Grandma's house, a young boy repeatedly asks, "Are we there yet?" His patient mom replies, "No." The text is primarily that exchange repeated on every spread; the real story takes place in the increasingly fantastical mixed-media illustrations, which begin on the highway but become more surreal and outrageous as the (imagined?) journey continues.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley. A UFO touches down in search of barbecue; the book's cowboy narrator is happy to oblige the extraterrestrials and even consents to their request for a fiddle tune ("Greenies two-step mighty hard; / they wear a hole plumb through my yard"). This pointless rhyming fun features retro-style cartoony art that will make adults recall aliens from films of the 1950s.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Granny sends Robert off on a wacky, anagram-packed quest to find his aunt. (He ends up retrieving a tuna.) The colorful, bold design of the retro-style cartoons intensifies the story's weird-dream vibe; various typefaces and clever scenery signage keep the wordplay front and center. Kids will love finding and authenticating the numerous anagrams on each page.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(3) 4-6 Cheesie Adventure series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. In this amusing sequel to Cheesie Mack Is Not a Genius or Anything, eleven-year-old Ronald Mack (or Cheesie) and his best friend head off to summer camp. Bunked in with the older boys, Cheesie stands up to his sister's bullying boyfriend Kevin and earns the unofficial title of coolest camper. Readers are periodically encouraged to weigh in on Cheesie's website.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) 4-6 Cheesie Adventure series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Ten-year-old Ronald (a.k.a. Cheesie) Mack writes about fifth-grade graduation, solving a mystery, and dealing with his sister. The heart of this nonlinear story comes with a moral dilemma: should Cheesie and his friend return a valuable coin they found? The book's tone leaves little doubt as to outcome, but the pleasures lie in meeting a new friend--and the promise of a sequel.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(3) 1-3 Gym Shorts series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Rocky was the best catcher in the league until he broke his arm making a tag. Now healed, Rocky keeps yanking his arm out of harm's way whenever a runner comes in, costing his team many games. Ready to quit, he gets inspiration from his supportive friends and skateboarding dog. The series continues to feature amiable characters overcoming relatable sports-themed challenges.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Adam McCauley. A scrapbook-style presentation, including glossy endpapers and foldout pages (e.g., an "International Zombie Survey"), enhances this collection of poems presented as "letters, notes, and interviews" about legendary creatures. Monster fans will appreciate such pieces as "Ping-Pong with King Kong" and "Bluebeard's Personal Ad." Varied mixed-media illustrations accompany the entertaining tongue-in-cheek snapshots of popular monsters.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley. One dark night, snake June meets elephant August, and they hit it off, sight unseen. Reunited in broad daylight, they wonder how simpatico they can be when they're so physically different. The ending feels abandoned, but what elevates this don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover tale is McCauley's art, which plays with shape to show how things--specifically animal body-parts--aren't always what they seem.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 1-3 Gym Shorts series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Fourth-grader Henry and his buddies love sports. In Basketball, they accept a challenge from kids who take winning too seriously. Goof-Off is for any soccer player who thinks being a goalie is easy. Pencil sketches--some funny, some dramatic--decorate each spread. Readers new to chapter books will cheer for these likable kids and will look forward to reading more about them. Review covers these Gym Shorts titles: Basketball Bats and Goof-Off Goalie.

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

(2) 1-3 Gym Shorts series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Rita is excited to be a Dolphin; her enthusiasm falters after realizing her faster-swimming friends are Sharks. Should she quit swimming or conquer the flip turn? Humorous black-and-white illustrations provide ample visual cues. This reliable series is full of sports details as well as social details of the kids who play them.

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

(2) 1-3 Gym Shorts series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Fourth-grader Henry and his buddies love sports. In Basketball, they accept a challenge from kids who take winning too seriously. Goof-Off is for any soccer player who thinks being a goalie is easy. Pencil sketches--some funny, some dramatic--decorate each spread. Readers new to chapter books will cheer for these likable kids and will look forward to reading more about them. Review covers these Gym Shorts titles: Basketball Bats and Goof-Off Goalie.

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

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley. One night a brother tells his terrified kid sister that he'll fight off any ghosts they encounter, but his reassurances ("I'd dress up like a werewolf, / Roooooooooooooar!") only exacerbate her fear. This simple premise is brought to life thanks to crisp rhymes ("Cackle, crackle, thwix, and thwax. / A witch turns demons into snacks") and surrealistic art in ghoulish greenish-browns.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 1-3 Time Warp Trio series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. A game of Marco Polo lands the Time Warp Trio in thirteenth-century China, where the lads befriend the famous Italian explorer, feast with Kublai Khan, and outwit Khan's jealous astrologer. Through it all, the boys keep up their lively patter: "I really, really do not like cats." "Allergies?" "Yeah, I'm allergic to their sharp teeth." Another must-read for series fans.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 1-3 Time Warp Trio series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Narrator Joe and friends Fred and Sam time-travel to Renaissance Italy where they meet Leonardo. The central conflict--the boys must create an invention for the Italian army or face conscription--seems like a pro forma plot device in this short novel whose primary appeal is its fast pace, silly humor, and constant action. Arch, cartoony black-and-white art appears throughout.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley & Adam McCauley. Martin dreams of building snowmen, but there's no snow that winter. He tries making snowmen from marshmallows, cotton balls, and mashed potatoes, but nothing works. Finally, when he gives up hope, April brings a big blizzard. Happy, Martin now begins to dream of sun and sandcastles, but in the final bold mixed-media illustration a huge rainstorm rages outside.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Adam McCauley & Adam McCauley. This collection of seasonal poems concerns witches, werewolves, picking the right pumpkin, deciding what costume to wear on the big night, and having mom and dad sneak candy out of your goody bag. Illustrated with art that appropriately emphasizes the colors black and orange, the poems contain a few clunky lines but strike a good balance between Halloween humor and horror.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 1-3 Time Warp Trio series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. Narrator Joe and friends Sam and Fred travel a thousand years back in time and visit the Mayan city of Chichen Itza. Sentenced to death by High Priest Kakapupahed, the boys use their basketball skills to turn the tables on their nemesis. The souped-up pacing, lowbrow comedy, and comical black-and-white illustrations will make this book a hit with reluctant readers.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Time Warp Trio series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. In their latest adventure, Joe, Sam, and Fred travel back to 1000 C.E., where they meet up with Leif Eriksson and a crew of bloodthirsty Vikings. Illustrated with comic art, the fast-paced story delivers the kind of nonstop action, mischievous humor (two of the Vikings are named Fulluvit and Bullshik), and wisecracking dialogue that will especially appeal to reluctant readers.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Time Warp Trio series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. In another wacky adventure, Joe, Sam, and Fred find themselves warped back to 1877 New York, where they see the Brooklyn Bridge being built, meet up with their time-traveling great-granddaughters, encounter Thomas Edison, and play a game of old-time baseball at Prospect Park. The unfocused plot makes this entry less cohesive than usual, though it still contains the same frenetic pace, flip humor, and comical illustrations.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Time Warp Trio series. Illustrated by Adam McCauley. A school haiku-writing assignment is responsible for Joe, Fred, and Sam traveling back in time to seventeenth-century Japan. A fortuitous meeting with their own time-traveling great-granddaughters saves the boys from having to contend with the questionable intentions of a future samurai shogun. The lightning pace and breezy tone make this an amusing, quick read.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta