(4) K-3 Illustrated by George McClements & Stéphane Kardos. Bonnie brings Forky to school, which inspires a "Craft Your Own Buddy Day" in her classroom. Forky teaches the newly created toys how to accept who they are. Inspired by Toy Story 4, the franchise matters more than the story, which is fine since the target audience will love it. The illustrations, fonts, and speech bubbles are an amalgam of styles, leading to a chaotic layout.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) PS Pixar Animation Studio Artist Showcase series. The Pixar animator's simple story involves Circle and Box, who want to "do something together." Circle jumps, but Box can only sit; Circle tries to sit but rolls away. After nearly ending the story prematurely ("'The end?' 'This can't be the end'"), they combine their singular talents. Hartline gives an impressive amount of expression to his smiley-faced, stick-limbed sphere and cube.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) YA In this reimagining of Disney's Mulan, Li Shang is mortally wounded defending China. Mulan must bring him back from Diyu, the Chinese underworld. Populated with characters from Chinese mythology, this action-packed but lengthy adventure reads like a Rick Riordan book. Lim layers culturally authentic additions onto the original (inauthentic) plot; hardcore Disney fans should appreciate the movie references, even if others find them corny.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) K-3 Pixar Animation Studio Artist Showcase series. Henri's mom takes him to visit his quiet, shy grandfather. When Henri discovers a chest containing all the hats Grand-Papa wore during his eventful life as, among other things, a ship's captain, scuba diver, and racecar driver, Henri bonds with the man. In this quietly whimsical and heartwarming story, Pixar animator Wu's joyful digital illustrations capture both nostalgia for past adventures and excitement for future ones.

Reviewer: Mariko Turk

(4) 4-6 Tales from the Haunted Mansion series. Illustrated by Kelley Jones. In this second series entry, mysterious librarian Amicus Arcane (The Fearsome Foursome) is back to share more paranormal tales. This time, a young man named William listens in return for a chance to see the medium, Madame Leota, who can help him speak to his deceased sister. The four loosely connected stories-within-the-story are ominous but not too scary, while eerie line drawings reinforce the pseudo-creepy vibe.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) YA In Disney's film Beauty and the Beast, the Beast bequeaths his library to Belle in a gesture of friendship. In this original story-within-the-film, Belle then discovers a magical book called Nevermore that transports her into a too-good-to-be-true world she almost becomes trapped in forever. Despite two-dimensional new characters, Donnelly elevates this tale by offering backstories and additional depth for the film's characters.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) 4-6 Rapunzel has found her parents, but her adventures are just beginning. The princess and her equally adventurous new lady-in-waiting, Cassandra, find a secret lagoon and solve the riddle of the kingdom's greatest power. This companion to the Disney Channel's original movie Tangled: Before Ever After (summarized here via an interlude) develops the girls' relationship, but it's difficult to tell Rapunzel's and Cassandra's alternating narratives apart.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Tales from Adventureland series. Illustrated by Jeffrey Clark. Andy Stanley discovers clues left behind by his presumed-dead jungle-explorer grandfather that starts him on a quest related to a magical key. Andy finds help along the way from Grandfather's quirky colleagues as well as a few surprising sources. Nonstop action, clever puzzles, and interesting characters make this standard adventure (a commercial tie-in to Disney's Adventureland theme park) a lot of fun.

Reviewer: Kristine Caldwell

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ana Ramírez. This story, inspired by the Disney/Pixar film Coco, is narrated by music itself in the form of a fairy-like figure. The narrator encourages little boy Miguel, whose practical-minded abuelita discourages music-making, to teach himself to play a discarded guitar. Steeped in Latino culture, this picture book affirms the importance of family, ethnic traditions, and immersive musical experiences. Lively, colorful, culturally rich illustrations give young readers plenty to discover.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(4) YA Revisioning Disney's Sleeping Beauty, Prince Phillip fails to awaken Princess Aurora. Instead, both are caged in a sinister dream world by Maleficent. Aurora must overcome physical and mental obstacles to save her dream-imprisoned subjects. Despite the book's pandering to hardcore Disney fans, its witty banter, inventive plot, and subtle references to other movies make this more compelling than A Whole New World, Braswell's first reimagining.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 4-6 Tales from the Haunted Mansion series. Illustrated by Kelley Jones. Four friends obsessed with scary stories answer a summons to an abandoned mansion, where ghostly librarian Amicus Arcane tells the children horrible tales about themselves. Based on Disney's Haunted Mansion ride, these stories-within-the-story are not very scary; the main draw is each friend's grisly demise. Black-and-white sketches reinforce the pseudo-somber tone, while a rather loose plot ties everything together and sets up future installments.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(4) K-3 Adapted by Tom Rogers. Illustrated by Mike Wall. Princess Elena's plan to bring everyone together for a Navidad celebration in the park goes awry when the villagers' elaborate floats are destroyed. Elena must remind the people of Avalor about the true spirit of Navidad. Based on an episode from the Disney show Elena of Avalor, this formulaic tale imparts a positive holiday message; the cartoon art resembles the show's Hispanic characters and setting.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Grace Lee. This companion picture book for the Disney television movie introduces Princess Elena, the rightful heir to the kingdom of Avalor, who is trapped in heroine Princess Sofia's Amulet of Avalor. With help from their families and friends, the two princesses defeat the evil sorceress Shuriki. The stereotypical Disney plot line, buoyed by diverse characters, includes magically derived solutions and is illustrated by the company's signature cartoon art.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Andie Tong. While investigating the disappearance of one of their allies, Steven and his fellow super-powered heroes work to defend the world from Maxwell's continuing quest to control all twelve zodiac signs--and, by extension, gain their corresponding powers. This middle volume intensifies the plot with twists and shifting alliances, all leading to a game-changing climax that will leave fans eager for the next volume.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Grace Lee. This inspirational advice book based on the film Finding Dory uses the titular blue tang's mantra "just keep swimming" to encourage readers to persevere (e.g., when they're at a crossroads or when they don't know what they're looking for). While the expressive illustrations in sea-glass hues echo the ocean setting, sometimes the text misses the mark: "When you find yourself swimming alone...just keep swimming."

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) K-3 Pixar Animation Studio Artist Showcase series. Illustrated by Noah Klocek. Concept by Noah Klocek. A cloudlet named Gale is so busy "Earth-gazing" that she's ill prepared for Formation School Graduation Day, when the cloudlets must impress the Guardians by creating cloud shapes. This is such a well-thought-out invented world that Gale's story could take to the screen--inevitable, perhaps, as the concept and majestic illustrations featuring sculpture-like formations come courtesy of a Pixar artist.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Andie Tong. Teenager Steven Lee interrupts a sinister ritual where the powers of the Chinese zodiac escape to seek out human hosts. Now gifted with the supernatural abilities of the Tiger, Steven searches for the escaped powers while evading a war profiteer who wants control of all twelve signs. Action, humor, and inventive powers contribute to an exciting first installment in a planned trilogy.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 This Frozen novelization alternates between Anna's and Hans's viewpoints (yes, he's still rotten, though backstory attempts to humanize him somewhat). There's no Let It Go moment: Elsa remains a cipher until the climactic thaw-Anna-and-thyself scene. Though it's all rather slim, it's entertaining for what it is, and Frozen fans will appreciate the time spent with favorite characters.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Shredder, a shrew, lives a lonely life in the forest. He sets off to find "something more" and ultimately meets mole Nosey, and their friendship redeems forest life. The story is fairly routine, which figures: this book is part of a series intended to showcase Pixar Animation Studios artists, and its strength lies in Pilcher's lustrously detailed illustrations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Scollon's biography for middle graders showcases how Walt Disney's early experiences and obstacles fashioned him into a creative, determined adult who capitalized on and created new technologies to advance the fields of animation, movies, television, and theme parks. This simple introduction to an influential twentieth-century figure incorporates quotes, sidebar anecdotes, and small photos (many in murky black and white). Discussion questions are appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter