(4) PS Illustrated by Chris Saunders. Declarative statements ("God's great love for you is...perfect") offers reassurance, if not much substance, about the breadth and depth of God's love. The spare text--usually just a phrase on each spread--is set against Saunders's luminous, saturated paintings depicting a girl and a dove navigating a variety of landscapes and spiritual states.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) PS Words by Linda Zuckerman. A selection of Freeman's illustrations (unpublished prior to the original edition's publication) is given surprising coherence and unity by the theme of the simple, ingenuous rhymed text. "What do you see when you look outside? / A pigeon / Some penguins / The world so wide." Freeman's spontaneity, gentle humor, and freshness of color are all on display.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: June, 1980

(4) YA Twins Sarah and Annie have little in common: Sarah is anxious and withdrawn; Annie is a beautiful pageant queen. Then Annie quits the pageant circuit and gains weight, which disturbs their image-focused parents. Told in both verse and prose, this quiet family drama addresses too many serious, sensational issues superficially; Sarah and Annie's gradual reconnection is more compelling.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Vero Leland has never been a normal boy, but the discovery that he is a guardian-angel-in-training only makes him feel more like an outcast. He must begin angel school while trying to balance his one earthly life. Molinari injects a hero quest into a fresh setting in this fast-paced but sometimes didactic tale, book one in a series.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(4) PS Illustrated by Jane Chapman. The animals on Noah's ark have trouble sleeping with a storm raging, so they, one pair at a time, join Noah in his bed. When the skunks spray the whole bunch, they return to their straw and Noah sings them to sleep. The book adds little new to the familiar story or the bedtime-book genre, but both the rhymes and illustrations are pleasant.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA The trip to Lake Geneva was supposed to be a carefree vacation for Cooper, Hiro, Gordy, and Lunk (Code of Silence; Back Before Dark). No mysteries. No trouble. Then the group witnesses what might be a murder, and suddenly they are sucked back into another dangerous adventure. The story, though suffering from a sluggish pace and some didacticism, builds in intensity and stakes.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) 4-6 Game Face series. Eighth grader Chase's hard work pays off when he is pulled up to play on the varsity football team with his best friend, Tripp. But when Tripp blacks out during a game, Chase is torn between reporting the concussion and risking his friendship. This series-opener plods along at points and its dialogue is stiff, but the action picks up during the football scenes.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(3) 4-6 Abbot Aelian is at his wit's end with the herd of unicorns that have taken up residence in Cranford Abbey's apple orchard. Salvation arrives under the guise of inquisitive nine-year-old James, who happens to know someone with a knack for enticing unicorns. Based on one of Yolen's short stories, this fairy tale seamlessly weaves the magical into the ordinary.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 Unpopular science-geek middle schooler Howard Boward decides to literally make a new friend, creating a loyal monster from "wonder putty," animal hair, and a jolt of electricity. Trouble follows when the popular kids want their own "Franklin Stine." The offbeat humor and Franklin's genuine kindness elevate the story's message of valuing friendship over popularity.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) YA Halflings series. Now that Nikki Youngblood has come into her Halfling powers, she must tap into her faith, find her wings, flee a deadly demon, stop her godfather from using her as a weapon of evil, and choose her mate. This volume brings Nikki's journey to a satisfying conclusion, with an emphasis on spirituality that will appeal to Christian readers.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(4) YA With her sister and parents absorbed in their own issues, Scarlett, sixteen, takes on the care of her autistic younger brother, Cliff. It is 1969, and after the moon landing, Cliff decides to build a rocket to fly to Jupiter, an ambition Scarlett spends her summer supporting. Christian readers will relate to Scarlett's unwavering faith, but this novel by a teen author is unevenly plotted.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 After her parents die unexpectedly, twelve-year-old Andi moves to rural Ohio to live with her aunt in Andi's father's childhood home. Andi finds a chest with her own name on it filled with Depression-era baby clothing. Her quest to uncover information about the baby connects her with her family, her heritage, and her new neighbors in this quiet but steadily paced mystery.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) K-3 Next Door series. Illustrated by Gene Barretta. When five unruly pirates buy the farm next door, the narrator observes that, while her mom is appalled, her dad helps them unload their trunks, fix their boat, etc. An author's note explains that the Bible verse "Love your neighbor as yourself" guides this story, but Fretz preaches quietly. The illustrations are unspectacular but capture some of the story's broad comedy. Glos.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA In 2250, access to water brings significant power. After his father disappears, Luca attempts to be a water bringer, though a mysterious culture underground, a gorgeous girl, and lots of folks who don't want him to succeed all shake up what he thought was his sole purpose. Unsubtle moralism, a forced romance, and some convenient plot twists mar the vivid futuristic setting.

Reviewer: April Spisak

(4) 4-6 Sisters in All Seasons series. After years of angst and adjustment, stepsisters Diana and Stephanie are finally growing closer. Their sisterly bond serves them well as they face greater challenges: a grandmother's illness, a brother's car accident, and parents' marital troubles. Although these concluding volumes continue to suffer from clunky dialogue, Kline's continued, consistently realistic attention to the emotional details of this blended family is admirable. Review covers these Sisters in All Seasons titles: Season of Change and Winter's Tide.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) 4-6 Sisters in All Seasons series. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) 4-6 Self-proclaimed "unwanted and misunderstood" orphan Wilma Sue finds herself embroiled in a series of mishaps at her new foster home. Two offbeat spinster sisters take in Wilma Sue and encourage her imagination through cake-baking and chicken-coop-tending. Though the ending is somewhat saccharine, this is a satisfyingly quirky tale of finding magic in unexpected places and the power of hope and acceptance.

Reviewer: Lauren Kim

(4) YA In this sequel to Code of Silence, Gordy is kidnapped and his friends Hiro, Cooper, and Lunk decide to take his rescue into their own hands. While the suspense is vitiated by an excess of description and a slow pace, Shoemaker raises interesting questions about law and morality as the friends find themselves resorting to dubious means to catch the criminal.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(4) K-3 Performed and narrated by Rebecca St. James. Vojtech pairs luminous but sentimental illustrations with the lyrics to the old English Christmas carol in this picture book/CD package. Donkey, cow, sheep, camel, and dove all sport satisfied expressions, proud of their part in welcoming the baby Jesus. Rebecca St. James’s recording includes spoken narration of the carol, a musical rendition, and an additional song; sheet music is included.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) YA Seventeen-year-old Nikki Youngblood finds her understanding of faith, love, and independence tested when a series of bizarre attacks places her under the guidance of three Halfling--half human, half angel--teen boys. Featuring clichéd prose but a nondidactic exploration of religion and a believable love triangle, this thoughtful and compelling paranormal romance has plenty of cross-genre appeal.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller