(4) YA Day of Disaster series. These fictional stories pose the question: when disaster strikes, would you survive? An unsuspecting family or group of friends must work together to endure nature's challenge, whether it be an earthquake (Aftershock), blizzard (Freeze), or tsunami (Water). Wide margins and easy prose make the formulaic stories accessible to hi-lo readers, but they should also appeal to fans of survival narratives. There are three other spring 2017 books in this series. Review covers these Day of Disaster titles: Aftershock, Deep Freeze, and Wall of Water.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) 4-6 Quartz Creek Ranch series. Kids come to Quartz Creek therapeutic horse ranch for various reasons: Ella's prone to outbursts (Speed); Rivka lashes out at her family's traditions after an attack on their synagogue (Home); Paley's addicted to online gaming (Summer); Hanna is painfully shy and, ironically, afraid of horses (Shy). Although the tweens' emotional problems get only superficial treatment, this hi-lo series provides plenty of realistic situations with horses. Review covers these Quartz Creek Ranch titles: At Top Speed, The Long Trail Home, One Brave Summer, and Shy Girl & Shy Guy.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Quartz Creek Ranch series. Kids come to Quartz Creek therapeutic horse ranch for various reasons: Ella's prone to outbursts (Speed); Rivka lashes out at her family's traditions after an attack on their synagogue (Home); Paley's addicted to online gaming (Summer); Hanna is painfully shy and, ironically, afraid of horses (Shy). Although the tweens' emotional problems get only superficial treatment, this hi-lo series provides plenty of realistic situations with horses. Review covers these Quartz Creek Ranch titles: At Top Speed, The Long Trail Home, One Brave Summer, and Shy Girl & Shy Guy.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Quartz Creek Ranch series. Kids come to Quartz Creek therapeutic horse ranch for various reasons: Ella's prone to outbursts (Speed); Rivka lashes out at her family's traditions after an attack on their synagogue (Home); Paley's addicted to online gaming (Summer); Hanna is painfully shy and, ironically, afraid of horses (Shy). Although the tweens' emotional problems get only superficial treatment, this hi-lo series provides plenty of realistic situations with horses. Review covers these Quartz Creek Ranch titles: At Top Speed, The Long Trail Home, One Brave Summer, and Shy Girl & Shy Guy.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Quartz Creek Ranch series. Kids come to Quartz Creek therapeutic horse ranch for various reasons: Ella's prone to outbursts (Speed); Rivka lashes out at her family's traditions after an attack on their synagogue (Home); Paley's addicted to online gaming (Summer); Hanna is painfully shy and, ironically, afraid of horses (Shy). Although the tweens' emotional problems get only superficial treatment, this hi-lo series provides plenty of realistic situations with horses. Review covers these Quartz Creek Ranch titles: At Top Speed, The Long Trail Home, One Brave Summer, and Shy Girl & Shy Guy.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) YA Gridiron series. A former-soccer-player girl learns to become a kicker (Extra); a senior running back loses his spot to the new kid (False); a competitive linebacker considers pushing his concussed teammate back into a game (Hit). While lacking meaty plot lines, lessons about overcoming individual trials and practicing good sportsmanship are woven through these football-focused hi-lo novels. There are three other fall 2017 books in this series. Review covers these Gridiron titles: The Late Hit, False Start, and The Extra Point.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Mallory series. Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis. Fifth grader Mallory's new neighbors offer her and a friend a babysitting job for their five-year-old twins. While thrilled with the responsibility and opportunity, Mallory discovers how difficult it is to manage the adorable boys while also balancing school work and other interests. The upbeat, fluffy twenty-seventh Mallory story is complemented by black-and-white spot drawings, text-message screenshots, and appended babysitting tips.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Mallory series. Illustrated by Jennifer Kalis. Mallory decides to make Thanksgiving extra special by running a food drive for needy families at her school. The project, while well-intentioned, causes unexpected conflict within Mallory's friend group and the whole school. Creative problem-solving and teamwork prevail, and the students' hard work leads to a successful project. An as-usual amiable installment, twenty-eighth in the series; includes black-and-white spot art and tips for community service.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) YA Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair series. On the brink of April's fifteenth birthday, her beloved grandmother is hospitalized, and her extended family mobilizes to care for Gaga to the end. As April navigates her teenage relationships, platonic and romantic, Gaga's death shapes April's feelings toward others and also helps her express difficult emotions. The eighth series entry is moving and mournful but not without hope.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) YA Gridiron series. A former-soccer-player girl learns to become a kicker (Extra); a senior running back loses his spot to the new kid (False); a competitive linebacker considers pushing his concussed teammate back into a game (Hit). While lacking meaty plot lines, lessons about overcoming individual trials and practicing good sportsmanship are woven through these football-focused hi-lo novels. There are three other fall 2017 books in this series. Review covers these Gridiron titles: The Late Hit, False Start, and The Extra Point.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) YA Day of Disaster series. These fictional stories pose the question: when disaster strikes, would you survive? An unsuspecting family or group of friends must work together to endure nature's challenge, whether it be an earthquake (Aftershock), blizzard (Freeze), or tsunami (Water). Wide margins and easy prose make the formulaic stories accessible to hi-lo readers, but they should also appeal to fans of survival narratives. There are three other spring 2017 books in this series. Review covers these Day of Disaster titles: Aftershock, Deep Freeze, and Wall of Water.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Day of Disaster series. These fictional stories pose the question: when disaster strikes, would you survive? An unsuspecting family or group of friends must work together to endure nature's challenge, whether it be an earthquake (Aftershock), blizzard (Freeze), or tsunami (Water). Wide margins and easy prose make the formulaic stories accessible to hi-lo readers, but they should also appeal to fans of survival narratives. There are three other spring 2017 books in this series. Review covers these Day of Disaster titles: Aftershock, Deep Freeze, and Wall of Water.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) YA Gridiron series. A former-soccer-player girl learns to become a kicker (Extra); a senior running back loses his spot to the new kid (False); a competitive linebacker considers pushing his concussed teammate back into a game (Hit). While lacking meaty plot lines, lessons about overcoming individual trials and practicing good sportsmanship are woven through these football-focused hi-lo novels. There are three other fall 2017 books in this series. Review covers these Gridiron titles: The Late Hit, False Start, and The Extra Point.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) 4-6 Adventures of Lottie Lipton series. Illustrated by Rachelle Panagarry. Nine-year-old Lottie Lipton lives in the British Museum in 1928 London with her great-uncle, the museum's curator of Egyptology. An amateur sleuth, Lottie uses her wits to solve mysteries involving the museum's historical objects. Thin plots are secondary to the many brainteaser puzzles and codes Lottie and readers must solve in each series entry. Spot and full-page line drawings accompany the texts. Glos. Review covers these Adventures of Lottie Lipton titles: The Catacombs of Chaos, The Curse of the Cairo Cat, The Eagle of Rome, The Egyptian Enchantment, The Scroll of Alexandria, and The Secrets of the Stone.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) YA Atlas of Cursed Places series. In each tame horror story set in a haunted locale--a lighthouse (Tower), cave (Breakdown), and mountaintop (Anchor)--the protagonist finds clues to lifting the site's curse in the mysterious Atlas of Cursed Places. Breakdown is less conclusive than the others, as the curse is never explained or resolved. This hi-lo series is harmless but inessential. There are three other fall 2016 books in this series. Review covers the following Atlas of Cursed Places titles: Skeleton Tower, Breakdown, and Deadman Anchor.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin