(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Ryan Johnson. This survey's descriptions of thirteen rail journeys will inspire both serious railfans and armchair riders, despite somewhat staid illustrations in a subdued palette and a mid-century modern aesthetic. Each route is introduced over two or three double-page spreads, offering a sampling of facts about the type of train, the route, the scenery, the history and culture, and other service-specific information. Fictional riders provide examples of travel experiences. Best for browsing and daydreaming. A world map opens the volume; a glossary is appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Translated by Jethro Soutar. Spare first-person text describes Alfonsina Strada's early childhood explorations with a bicycle and lightly sketches her groundbreaking career as a female cyclist in early-twentieth-century Italy. Creating chaos wherever she cycled, and at first dressing as a boy, Strada soon throws off her trousers, hat, and suspenders--shown in a striking double-page spread--to openly ride as a girl. Townspeople react with shock, leaping out of the way as she barrels, carefree, through crowds. The text is extremely brief, providing more of a peek into an intriguing life than actual biographical information. Major life events, including the notable fact that she was the only woman to have ridden one of cycling's three major stage races, are not included in the text (end matter would have been welcome for readers wanting to learn more about a fascinating character, but no additional information is provided). The illustrations, in a limited palette of bold oranges, yellows, blues, and greens, echo the style of the screen-printed flyers for cycling races that appear in the background through the book. Animals in the illustrations seem fascinated by Strada, their gaze emphasizing her wildness as she describes how riding and racing allow her to be free. A compelling, if incomplete, introduction to a little-known pioneer in women's sports.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(3) K-3 A giant red triangle-shaped boy wanders through a world of regularly proportioned human beings, desperate to fit in. Disconsolate, he strikes out in search of advice from other large bodies: the ocean, the sun, and, rewardingly, the moon. Illustrated in traffic-light colors applied by what resembles woodblocks, this tidy parable about being oneself comes in a suitably big-and-tall trim size.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Adapted by Marine Tasso. Translated by Noelia Hobeika. This version of the traditional cautionary tale is set at Christmas (thus occasioning the book's red-and-green color scheme) and in 1283. The book uses its tall, narrow format effectively to convey the creepy atmosphere, most dramatically in a double-page spread of the rats converging on--and devouring--a boxful of poison that is no match for the creatures, who "savored the poison as if it were candy."

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016