(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Peter Sís. Baz is apprenticed to a weaver whose cruel treatment causes Baz to question his fate. When the weaver trades Baz to a traveling magician, the boy's education begins in earnest. Banks's lyrical, imagistic, and thought-provoking text won't appeal to everyone, but middle-graders navigating their own metaphorical path toward illumination may find Baz's voyage inspirational. Sís's spare, delicate spot illustrations beautifully reflect the shifting mood.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Peter Sís. Perfect is the union that resulted in this novel: the subject, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904–73); author Ryan who re-creates Neruda's spirit and sensibility; and the Czech-born illustrator Sís whose escape from oppression so hauntingly resembles Neruda's struggle for creative freedom. Sís's introspective, emotion-charged drawings spring naturally from this lyrical account of a difficult childhood. An author's note and several Neruda poems are appended.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2010

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Peter Sís. An omniscient narrator describes eight-year-old Susana's encounters with the nightmare-capturing Dream Stealer. As the creature grows weary of his mission, he starts collecting happy dreams. Through fluid prose and vivid, often weird imagery, Fleischman maintains the story's dreamlike state. The tale, abstract at times, is well served by Sís's textured black-and-white illustrations, which help readers visualize the strange creatures and settings.

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

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Peter Sis. Using five hues, Sís employs a single colored page to set off five three-part poems, with each poem covering a separate sense. Each one is decorated with monochromatic, rubber stamp-like illustrations, while the accompanying text is printed in a complementary color. The poems are witty, informative, and, appropriately, even sensuous. Ackerman describes whales as creating a "song in their bones"; these poems have the power to do the same among readers.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2003

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Peter Sis. Originally published in 1968 as The Wicked Pigeon Ladies in the Garden, this robust urban ghost fantasy is newly illustrated with occasional pen sketches by Peter Sís.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: February, 1969

(4) YA Wind on Fire Trilogy series. Illustrated by Peter Sis. The group who escaped the destruction of the Mastery face many trials on their trek to the promised homeland. When twins Bowman and Kestrel join the Singers, they reach a new understanding of their roles in the coming apocalypse. Although the ending doesn't quite tie all the trilogy's previous events together, fans will still enjoy this conclusion to the epic tale.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) YA Illustrated by Peter Sis. After Kestrel's rebellious behavior lands her family in trouble, she and her twin brother, accompanied by a classmate, escape their strictly regimented city and set off to find the voice of the wind singer--a statue that used to sing but now stands silent. Plot elements don't always fit logically within the framework of the story, but the cinematic scale of the fantasy will keep readers interested.

Reviewer: Anne St. John