(2) K-3 In this final collaboration (much of the book had been finished before Leo Dillon's death in 2012), a rocking chair bought in anticipation of a baby's birth is well loved, well used, and then passed down to the next generation. Acrylic paintings inspired by Milton Avery use flat pastel shades, pared-down shapes, and minimal facial expressions. A quiet story with underpinnings of love, loss, and the strength of family bonds.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) 4-6 Setting this tale in the present, Philbrick (Who Killed Darius Drake?) roots his survival story in details of Maine's Great Fire of 1947. When a wall of fire prevents twelve-year-old Sam and another camper from evacuating Camp Wabanaski, they go on the run, desperately seeking safety. Sam's brisk first-person narrative folds in his father's death in Afghanistan and his mother's opioid addiction. Back matter includes extensive wildfire information and survival tips.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) PS Illustrated by Mark Teague. Yolen and Teague's mischievous dinos (How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?, et al.) tackle winter holiday traditions and observances--first modeling bad behavior, then demonstrating decorum. Bouncy rhymes and humorous illustrations of vivacious large-scale dinosaurs alongside staid humans combine for cheery and welcome holiday-book entries; the new slightly-taller-than-usual board book format is an apt match for the stories' outsized protagonists. Review covers these two titles: How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukkah? and How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012; November, 2019

(2) PS Illustrated by Mark Teague. Yolen and Teague's mischievous dinos (How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?, et al.) tackle winter holiday traditions and observances--first modeling bad behavior, then demonstrating decorum. Bouncy rhymes and humorous illustrations of vivacious large-scale dinosaurs alongside staid humans combine for cheery and welcome holiday-book entries; the new slightly-taller-than-usual board book format is an apt match for the stories' outsized protagonists. Review covers these two titles: How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukkah? and How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas?.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012; November, 2019

(2) PS With Ann Stern. While working on a tangram puzzle, Sophie (most recently from When Sophie's Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt) believes it when her big sister says she's not smart ("I can't do ANYTHING!"). Happily, her teacher helps Sophie and her classmates learn to persist in solving (math) problems. Bang presents the compelling emotional arc of a realistic child; her vibrant colors feature racially diverse and variously abled students.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) K-3 Winner of two Caldecott Medals and numerous other awards, the renowned illustrator publishes her first solo book. As Zoe dreams of growing up to be an archeologist, scientist, firefighter, and other pursuits, she works to quiet a negative inner voice that continually questions her aspirations ("That's silly, said the voice"). Soft, earth-toned, neatly framed illustrations depict both child and adult Zoe following her passions in the well-meaning story.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) PS Illustrated by Mark Teague. In jaunty rhyming verse, this series entry follows the childlike dinosaurs as they demonstrate how not to approach reading (e.g., chewing books and throwing tantrums) followed by what they should do: handling books gently and patiently sounding out words. Warm illustrations humorously accentuate the little-kid behaviors of the giant dinos living alongside normal-size human caregivers. Learning-to-read tips are included.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 Illustrated by John McKinley. At Monster Academy, Miss Mummy's monstrous pupils undertake science experiments and search for Vampire Vic's recently lost fang. A new student's contrary behavior becomes the scariest thing in school, earning her the title "Worst Monster Ever!" (even after a plot-twist revelation about her humanity). Humorous details (e.g., Miss Mummy is cursed to speak in rhyme) and colorful pastel-hued illustrations keep the story playful and energetic.

Reviewer: Flannery Wiest

(4) PS In this logical, amiable successor to Penguins Love Colors, Mama Penguin sends her six chicks on an "Alphabet Hunt," placing a clue in the snow above each letter (a is under an apple, etc.). The omniscient narrator's questions ("Which color flower do you like best?") feel disruptive; more engaging are the book's visual gags, especially when "u is for underpants!"

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Molly Bang. Bang and Chisholm bring their energy-centered perspective on Earth systems to the water cycle. The sun serves as narrator, showing how its energy interacts with water and supports life. The science is superb, and Bang's illustrations are thoughtfully conceived representations of chemistry and physics. The sun emphasizes the need for conservation and management of water resources. The book closes with extensive, strongly scientific notes.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(2) 4-6 When school outcast Darius Drake receives a threatening note, he approaches narrator (and perceived tough-guy) Arthur Bash for protection. Darius's investigation into who sent the note expands to include: his parents' deaths when he was three, an unscrupulous financial mogul, and long-missing treasure. Philbrick's lean prose is richly descriptive, and the short novel contains an absorbing mystery, thought-provoking reflections on class, and satisfying character development.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(2) K-3 Bizzy Mizz Lizzie is eager to win Hivetown's Spelling Contest and meet the Queen Bee--but she's so exhausted from studying that she falls asleep mid-word. Ironically, it's when Lizzie slows down that she meets the Queen, who validates the philosophy that sometimes taking a break allows us to be our best. Shannon's art is appropriately exuberant, with plenty of bee-related puns in the details.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(4) PS Mama Penguin has named each of her six children for a different-colored flower (Violet, Bluebell, etc.). After the kids decide to surprise her with a painting on the snow, each wields a paintbrush with his or her signature color, resulting in a flower garden topped with a rainbow. As a colors primer for preschoolers, the book works, but it's limited by its traditional six primary- and secondary-colors palette.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 As the town of Harmony, New Hampshire, watched the aurora borealis, a solar flare caused the power to go out everywhere. Charlie Cobb's first-person narration makes the global disaster personal; unadorned prose carries readers along on his mission to find diabetes medicine for his mom. Though Charlie's world may lack energy, the book's plot doesn't, and readers will enjoy the ride.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(2) PS Starting right where Duck on a Bike left off, Duck hops on a tractor, stopping only to pick up his barnyard buddies: Dog, Mouse, Sheep, etc. They make their way downtown, cruising past the diner and giving startled onlookers an eyeful. Shannon's easygoing text and his illustrations, too, humorously blend farmyard realism with judicious anthropomorphism.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(3) PS Illustrated by Mark Teague. In Yolen and Teague's latest, dinosaur pals model little-kid-type arguing (lots of stomping, scowling, blaming, and name-calling) and making up. As usual, the rhymes are smart and unexpected ("Does he tear up a book that his friend let him take? / Does he throw his friend's lunch box straight into the lake?"), and the illustrations, which combine people-people and dinosaurs-acting-like, are fiercely funny.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) PS Illustrated by Mark Teague. This volume's bold-hued, larger-than-life prehistoric creatures humorously model how not to behave while pet-seeking: "Does she drag a huge elephant / back in a wagon / with both its long trunk / and its wee tail / a-dragging?" Then they do the right thing: "No...a dinosaur doesn't... / He goes to a shelter or pet store or farm / to find a small creature / who will do no harm."

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) PS Sophie from Bang's now-classic When Sophie Gets Angry...Really, Really Angry is back in a book about hurt feelings--and about how art functions. When a classmate ridicules her painting because the colors are "wrong," Sophie is hurt and embarrassed. Their teacher helps the class understand how her painting works. Bang's illustrations take readers step-by-step through the artistic process, constantly conveying emotion.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(3) PS Illustrated by Mark Teague. With familiar dashes of humor and whimsy, the latest entry in the series implores little dinosaurs to "stay safe and play safe." Teague's oil paintings reinforce the rhyming text's recommended guidelines, while the dinosaurs' out-of-proportion physical presence gently over-emphasizes each point. Young humans will laugh along at the dinos' antics, and caregivers will appreciate the opportunity for further conversations.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Molly Bang. Bang and Chisholm explain the production and consumption of fossil fuels, along with the consequences of all that energy use: climate change. The sun serves as narrator describing the relationship between photosynthesis (plants) and respiration (animals) and energy; a slight imbalance produces fossil fuels. Bang's illustrations brilliantly represent the chemistry: bright yellow dots of energy against a deep-blue background hover over their producers.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014