(1) K-3 Illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo. Two children embark on a journey together when a girl lands her boat on an island where a boy is stranded. After their initial shock, they start to communicate, the boy in Spanish and the girl in English. They attempt to leave the island by boat, but their plan is foiled by a storm that leaves the girl stranded on the island and the boy lost at sea. She sounds a conch shell as her new friend taught her, which leads the boy back to the island. Spencer and Montalvo's story explores concepts of forming friendships, building connections, and overcoming the fear of differences. The simple, meaningful text alternates between Spanish and English, exposing readers to both languages, without translations. The die-cut cover features a symbolic overlay of the boy looking through binoculars from the island, while the girl is visible -- within his lenses -- looking at the island from her boat through her looking glass. Montalvo's crisp illustrations evoke the sights, scents, and sounds of a tropical island setting. The binoculars and looking glass are cleverly used throughout to indicate the pair's progression to friendship, and, after a warm culminating gatefold image, to indicate a hopeful ending.

Reviewer: Nicholas A. Brown | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo. George Slair, a boy, writes to his assigned pen pal, Blaise Dragomir, a dragon, in rhyme. They learn about commonalities (neither likes writing) and differences (Blaise doesn't like sweets). The class writing project humorously (if not subtly) models how different groups can become friends. Watercolor, acrylic-ink, and graphite illustrations in lush green hues add to the drollery.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo. The second adventure of Wilmer Dooley, aspiring scientist, finds him among stiff competition at the state science fair...and smack in the middle of an evil mind-control experiment. DeWitt balances humor and mystery, smart kids and clueless adults, with particular skill, and while the plot contains few surprises, newly independent mystery readers will happily follow along. Dramatic full-page black-and-white illustrations open the chapters.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Rodolfo Montalvo. Aspiring scientist Wilmer Dooley seeks the answer to why his sixth-grade class is suddenly hyperactive, including his beloved Roxie. The third-person narrative is punctuated with Wilmer's journal entries, giving readers some breathing room amidst chaotic action, and while the mystery's solution seems rote (too much sugar), DeWitt's humor will appeal to many readers, as will the comic chapter-opening illustrations.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby