(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Reid presents a fictionalized (but sourced) story of young Fred Rogers. Although he has few friends growing up, Fred's grandfather and mother teach him that he is special and valued, and to "look for people who [are] helping" in order to calm worried feelings--all hallmarks of his later television show. Phelan's ability to depict, without sentimentalizing, the dual vulnerabilities and strengths of children reinforces the calm, straightforward story line. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Wendell gets to thinking about what he'd do if he had a walrus for a friend. Mortensen's pitch-perfect child humor combined with Phelan's knack for body language and facial expressions brings the pair's joy clearly to the pages. The problem is that Wendell doesn't have a walrus. Then Wendell meets another boy with a whale for an imaginary friend, and the two become nonimaginary friends.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) PS Illustrated by Matt Phelan. In an amusing twenty questions–like scenario, an inquisitive badger tries to answer the titular question with the help of a not-so-forthcoming rabbit. As the badger--and readers--decipher the rabbit's cryptic replies, soft, earth-toned illustrations in varied layouts feature the two animals exploring the natural world together over a day. Different-colored text delineates the speakers, while the big reveal (in a dramatic vertical spread) encourages rereading.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Marilyn waits for her monster to find her, but the two discover each other when Marilyn rescues the flying creature by untangling its wings from tree branches. Softly rendered watercolor and pencil illustrations convey Marilyn's spirited, resourceful character while adding just the right touch of drama and energy to the story. Pair with Santat's The Adventures of Beekle at storytime.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. In nineteenth-century Amherst, Massachusetts, Miss Emily entices four neighbor children to sneak out into the night to await the arrival of a circus train to town, sparking their curiosity and imagination. This well-researched, whimsical yarn in verse about Emily Dickinson's playful nature is based on real people and facts (all specified in the historical notes). Phelan's light sketches visualize key moments. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Plans for a modest fete grow increasingly tangled for Xander, the lone panda at the zoo. At first he's pragmatic, but by the time a crocodile slips into the mix, he's a wreck. Liberal use of internal rhyme makes Park's text sing. Phelan's sprightly ink and watercolor illustrations show Xander spinning until he's prostrate, convinced his party will balloon out of control.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2013

(4) PS Illustrated by Matt Phelan. A mother reassures her son that she'll always be there, even though he can now do for himself things she used to do for him (tie shoes, pick out clothing, read stories, etc.). The text is adultish, but the illustrations should hold children's attention; loosely drawn, evocative watercolors in muted hues show the boy's push-and-pull between comfort and independence.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. After little brother Crispin spills Flora's paints, their frazzled mother sends them outside. When an unusually strong wind carries the pair away, Flora resists giving Crispin up to the various (personified) elements and creatures that want him. The sibling dynamic proves to be more tangled than expected in Birdsall's warm text. Phelan's expressive ink, watercolor, and pastel pictures softly illustrate the blustery adventure.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) YA Illustrated by Matt Phelan. A how-to manual with heart, this guide contains brief sections offering encouragement, advice, and playful exercises for budding writers. Mazer and Potter draw on autobiography as they discuss major writing topics from finding ideas to crafting characters and plot to overcoming nerves and writer's block. Catchy subheadings and Phelan's often-humorous illustrations complement the friendly tone.

Reviewer: Marika Jeffrey

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. With sensitivity and precision, Patron delves into the complexities surrounding friendship. Lucky (The Higher Power of Lucky) is thrilled to have a "normal" friend--a girl named Paloma. But, as in the first book, Lucky's show-off tendencies lead to trouble. Return readers will be contented to again pass some time in Hard Pan, while others will feel welcomed by its close-knit warmth.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Though she's friends with Julisa, Anna's envious of "two of a kind" Kayla and Melanie. They may not be nice, but they're cool, and when they invite Anna into their group, she must decide if being included is worth losing Julisa. Thoughtfully, and with a light hand, Robbins's spot-on text and Phelan's soft watercolors deal with the hurtfulness of classroom cliques.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Rockwell's text describes a tall, shy boy who worked to conquer his diffidence and temper before becoming the first president of the United States. Phelan's soft pencil and gouache illustrations look almost tentative, stressing the boy in the man we know best as a great leader. This is an ideal introduction: nicely paced, admiring but not adulatory, and clear about Washington's historical importance. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(3) PS Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Wondering whether his mother loves him all the time, a boy peppers her with questions ("Do you love me when I eat all my peas? Do you love me when I don't?") Reassuringly, she replies in the affirmative ("No matter what you do...I'll always love you"). Watercolor illustrations with plenty of white space show the boy in the midst of good--and bad--behavior.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Despite the title, this scattered story only nominally concerns kittens: three of them distract Ruthie from tending to her pregnant aunt and she misses the baby's birth. Ultimately, her aunt credits Ruthie's errand-running with prompting the birth and honors Ruthie with being the first to hold the baby. Phelan's lighthearted pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are the book's highlight.

Reviewer: Abby Harper Kingsbury

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. A playfully lyrical text describes the seasonal activities of "a boulder-big bear with shaggy, raggy brownbear hair everywhere...except on his no-hair nose." For most of the year his exposed nose is of no concern, but when winter comes it's a different story. Loose-handed illustrations in pastel and pencil show the rotund bear from a wide variety of perspectives.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Ten-year-old Lucky lives in Hard Pan, California, a tiny enclave on the outskirts of the Mojave Desert. Her legal guardian is a beautiful, melancholy Frenchwoman, Brigitte. Patron's episodic tale of a grieving, insecure little girl is never heavy-handed or maudlin, due in part to quiet bursts of humor. Her sensory descriptions, supported by Phelan's gentle spot art, animate this unique community.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2007

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Mia narrates this story about a new classmate's acclimation, which is ultimately ensured by Mia's own kindness. She asks a lot of questions ("How can someone feel at home when she's at school?"?); Robbins offers no easy answers but, instead, humor and a satisfying conclusion. Much emotion is packed into the spare, subtle, sketchlike art.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Phelan. When Diana discovers that her father lost his job and their family has to move, she laments leaving home and her best friend. The first-person free verse is elegant (though not always believable as a child's voice); the resolution is a bit facile. The book's careful design and Phelan's sweetly simple illustrations bolster the spare writing style.

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