(3) 4-6 CrimeBiters! series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. In book three, the CrimeBiters, including narrator Jimmy and his "superhero" dog Abby, face their toughest challenge yet when new kitten Purrkins joins their ranks. The gang must stop their cat-and-dog fighting to together identify a school-exam thief and save their local animal shelter from closing. Brief chapters filled with humorous observations, buoyant dialogue, and black-and-white illustrations will appeal to young middle graders.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) 4-6 CrimeBiters! series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Jimmy's crime-fighting vampire dog, Abby (My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog), is sent to obedience class. Meanwhile, Jimmy has joined the lacrosse team, which is straining his friendships in the CrimeBiters club. When frequent injuries mysteriously start plaguing the lacrosse team, Abby returns to her former ways to investigate. A solid mix of mystery, humor, and hijinks, with appealing cartoonlike illustrations.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Adam Stower. Just before the start of fifth grade, Jimmy Bishop gets a massive facial blemish (ugh). He also gets a dog that has vampire-like traits (cool) and a babysitter who's mean (ugh again). A nose-picking sidekick, a new girl, a bully, and a burglary ring also figure in this humorous mystery. The too-tidy ending won't bother most readers--they'll be eager for book two.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Adam Stower. As gleefully absurd as Pinkwater's other titles about siblings Nick and Maxine's eccentric old babysitter who lives in their backyard, this third book features a brief visit from Mrs. Noodlekugel's ship-captain husband and his new pet bear, Drooly, who's being trained for the circus. Stower's line illustrations add to the series' trademark nonsensical silliness.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) 4-6 Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Ben, Jill, and Robert continue their efforts to save their school from demolition by unsavory corporate forces. Clements deftly weaves setting and plot, but copious series re-capping drags the pacing down, and references to historical battles are almost too subtle. Stower festoons his pen-and-ink drawings with splashes of green, mixing modern characters with an old-fashioned mystery look.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Adam Stower. In this second endearingly silly adventure about Mrs. Noodlekugel, she; her charges, Nick and Maxine; cat Mr. Fuzzleface; and four near-blind, messy mice take the bus to the oculist to get the rodents eyeglasses. That this is patently ridiculous merely adds to the fun. Large type, ample leading, and frequent illustrations make this a good choice for new readers ready for chapter books.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. This third volume in the series advances the mystery hidden within the old Oakes School; adds a third, unexpected keeper to Ben and Jill's partnership; further develops the kids' personal story lines; and continues their plot to stop greedy developers from turning the valuable seaside parcel into an amusement park. Stower's retro-looking spot illustrations enhance the fast-moving installment.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Adam Stower. Young Nick and Martine discover a little cottage, the home of little old lady Mrs. Noodlekugel; a talking cat named Mr. Fuzzface; and four extremely farsighted mice. Together the children and their newfound friends make gingerbread. While the cookies bake, Mr. Fuzzface entertains the guests with a piano recital. Stower's pencil drawings perfectly echo the joyous insouciance of this benign--if surreal--backyard world.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2012

(3) 4-6 Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. In this sequel to We the Children, Ben and his suddenly reluctant friend Jill carry on the fight to keep their seaside school from being torn down for an amusement park. With a former keeper's help, they outwit the developer's creepy spy and manage to decipher some of the original school founder’s clues. The engaging mystery continues to speed along toward, presumably, a third installment.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(2) 4-6 Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Clements's coastal New England–set mystery series starts with the school custodian pressing a mysterious coin on sixth grader Ben, then dying. This leads Ben to investigate the plan to tear down his old school. Very much a series entry, the book ends before any of the clues have been followed. It's light stuff, but there's a lot of child appeal.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Adam Stower. The Smithfork children stumble onto a decades-old treasure hunt within the walls of the ritzy Manhattan apartment to which they've recently moved. Coded poetry and peeks behind hidden walls begin their search for the missing inheritance of the apartment's original owner, whose elderly daughter joins them in an attempt to solve her family's secrets. The ambitious but somewhat muddled mystery features relatable characters.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 1-3 Dragons of Wayward Crescent series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Distraught over the town's plans to demolish a historic library clock, Lucy Pennykettle's mother creates a time-keeping dragon, Gauge, to help. At first, Gauge doesn't seem very useful (except for enforcing bedtime), but he manages to save the clock with help from Lucy and a friendly ghost. The lighthearted, quick-moving text is accompanied by line drawings that emphasize Gauge's lively personality.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Adam Stower. Mungo discovers the last page is missing from his secondhand picture book; how will he learn what happens to Captain Galacticus and Gizmo? Mungo himself provides the ending when, suddenly, he is pulled into the book and saves the universe. The brightly colored comic-book format, busy with rocket ships, space creatures, and humorous details, weaves Mungo's story into this metafictional adventure.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(2) 1-3 Dragons of Wayward Crescent series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Lucy Pennykettle is afraid of monsters, so her artist mother makes her a guard dragon. D'Lacey creates a magical world that is firmly grounded in the real one. There are cell phones, grouchy neighbors, and a dandy mystery that readers will be able to solve, thanks to the well-placed black-and-white illustrations.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2010

(3) 4-6 Eidolon Chronicles series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Ben Arnold returns to the magical world of Eidolon, this time joined by his two sisters and his mother, the lost queen Isadora. Ben and his siblings begin to reveal their prophesied talents as they oppose the evil Dodman. Fantasy fans will enjoy the well-drawn characters and copious action. The conclusion leaves much room for the next volume.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister