(2) PS A self-important pigeon (no, not that self-important pigeon) strides through the city in a terrible rush, briefcase under wing, tiny bowler hat on head. In his hurry, he loses his bearings and ends up lost in the countryside. There he meets a contemplative, "definitely not busy" mouse who offers to be his guide, and the two set off looking for town. Along the way, Mouse makes fanciful observations ("Pigeon, this leaf looks just like your foot," "That cloud looks just like a dog"), which are repeatedly rebuffed by the single-minded bird. Then night falls, and Mouse, finally brought down by his companion's apathy, admits defeat: "You're right, Pigeon...This is hopeless. I should have been looking where we were going and not at all those silly things around me. Now we're both lost." Mouse's uncharacteristic display of dejection snaps Pigeon out of his own funk and into the present moment. He notices where he is and who he's with: a new friend who needs comforting. Bond's comical, textured illustrations feature a scowling, blue-feathered grump and a wide-eyed, expressive-eared, Frederick-esque optimist. The colorful details are eye-catching and fanciful; it's easy to see why Mouse gets distracted -- and why Pigeon sees the light.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Hüseyin Sönmezay. In the first double-page spread of this Turkish import, readers see a boy and girl, each in their respective homes "somewhere in the world." The boy looks out the window with delight as fireworks flash; the girl sleeps while what is revealed on the next spread to be a bomb falls near her window. The rest of the book, spread by spread and with nearly identical dialogue, juxtaposes the two different journeys of the boy and his mother and the girl and her father. One is safe and comfortable while the other is steeped in danger. In one striking spread, the boy leans over a bridge to point at a swan. "Don't get too close to the edge," says his mother. On the recto, the father says the same to the girl, now a war refugee, as they navigate a small raft in the water, leaving the country they knew as home. A tangerine-colored fish follows the girl; it grows progressively in size, representing her longing for the home she has left. Both parent-child pairs end up at the same fair on a Ferris wheel, a symbol of global interconnection. "Who knows whose turn it will be to pack a bag," the author writes in a closing note. This sensitive story should prompt readers to consider that idea along with the importance of empathy when encountering strangers.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(3) YA The authors visited schools and community centers, interviewing young Palestinians about their lives under Israeli occupation. Children, teens, and twenty-somethings speak candidly about daily life; interests; and difficulties of living with checkpoints, security walls, and poor living conditions. Some context about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is provided, but this book concentrates on the Palestinian point of view. Small color photographs appear throughout. Reading list, timeline, websites.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Vivid full-page close-up photographs of people around the world preparing and enjoying favorite foods make this book a visual feast. Nineteen countries are represented, with just six steps or fewer to the finished dishes. Cuisine is presented as a unifying, participatory family art, with children fully involved in preparation--and consumption. Experimentation with international tastes is celebrated.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA This diminutive book provides basic information about the history of the Islamic Empire, beginning with the establishment of Islam and ending with the Mughals. The density of text may turn off readers; there's a lot of information packed onto each page. Thumbnail photographs of artwork, artifacts, and ruins, most from the British Museum's collection, help readers visualize the setting. Reading list, timeline, websites.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess