(2) 4-6 Two jelly bean–shaped creatures, one blue, one pink, delve into the intricacies and duplicity behind one of the most insidious and pervasive issues of our time, and the first chapter of this middle-grade comic dives right in: "What Is Fake News?" Gravel (Arlo & Pips, rev. 1/21) does a fine job breaking down complex ideas, beginning with the definition of news ("information about important stuff that's happening in the world right now") and explaining that while disinformation is not new ("Hear ye, hear ye! An evil magician turned the king into a goat!"), the internet and other modern technologies have made it much easier to make lies look real and to intentionally spread them. The hows and whys are explored using specific, goofy fictional case studies; and people's motives (e.g., "Reason 1: To make money... Reason 2: To make money and get famous," etc.) are plainly laid out. Though the examples aren't necessarily serious, the consequences are: "So far, I have given you a bunch of silly examples of fake news," says the pink protagonist, "but fake news is not funny at all. It can actually be very dangerous." The tone is non-blame-y of consumers (but not purveyors) of fake news, with acknowledgment of the ease of being duped ("Admit it--you'd be curious, too") and useful advice about thinking critically, examining sources, etc. Well-delineated panel illustrations featuring blobby critters and pastel colors make these thorny concepts relatively easy to get and should leave many readers feeling empowered.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(3) 4-6 Common objects, tools, and customs are organized into themed chapters such as "Playtime," "Health & Medicine," "Ancient Inventions," and "Devices & Doodads." Subjects range widely--from adhesive tape, combs, and Silly Putty to sewing machines, vaccines, and vending machines. Each lively double-page spread brims with snippets of history, anecdotes, color and archival photos, and "Bet You Didn't Know" text boxes. Scattered throughout are spreads focused on broader topics, such as "Kid Geniuses," "Killer Clothing," "Not-So-Familiar Fruit and Veggies," and "Frightful Fairy Tales." Intended for browsing, this inviting volume is hard to put down. A table of contents and an index help with navigation.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ipek Konak. Shine a light behind recto pages of this series entry to explore in and around a library; for example, viewers see what's behind the book return slot ("All the books land in bins like this one"). While verso page text unfortunately also shows through, the Q-and-A format and flashlight hook should engage young readers. Clear, approachable illustrations feature a diverse group of people enjoying the library.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) 4-6 Digital Citizens series. Illustrated by Diego Vaisberg. This nonfiction series presents a balanced, practical view of how to manage one's online presence in the (increasingly pervasive) digital world, addressing responsible behaviors and dangerous/emotionally damaging situations. Appealing blocky graphics and illustrations draw inspiration from Minecraft, evoking popular online interactions. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Digital Citizens titles: My Digital Community and Media, My Digital Future, My Digital Health and Wellness, My Digital Rights and Rules, My Digital Safety and Security and My Digital World

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Digital Citizens series. Illustrated by Diego Vaisberg. This nonfiction series presents a balanced, practical view of how to manage one's online presence in the (increasingly pervasive) digital world, addressing responsible behaviors and dangerous/emotionally damaging situations. Appealing blocky graphics and illustrations draw inspiration from Minecraft, evoking popular online interactions. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Digital Citizens titles: My Digital Community and Media, My Digital Future, My Digital Health and Wellness, My Digital Rights and Rules, My Digital Safety and Security and My Digital World

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Digital Citizens series. Illustrated by Diego Vaisberg. This nonfiction series presents a balanced, practical view of how to manage one's online presence in the (increasingly pervasive) digital world, addressing responsible behaviors and dangerous/emotionally damaging situations. Appealing blocky graphics and illustrations draw inspiration from Minecraft, evoking popular online interactions. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Digital Citizens titles: My Digital Community and Media, My Digital Future, My Digital Health and Wellness, My Digital Rights and Rules, My Digital Safety and Security and My Digital World

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Digital Citizens series. Illustrated by Diego Vaisberg. This nonfiction series presents a balanced, practical view of how to manage one's online presence in the (increasingly pervasive) digital world, addressing responsible behaviors and dangerous/emotionally damaging situations. Appealing blocky graphics and illustrations draw inspiration from Minecraft, evoking popular online interactions. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Digital Citizens titles: My Digital Community and Media, My Digital Future, My Digital Health and Wellness, My Digital Rights and Rules, My Digital Safety and Security and My Digital World

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Digital Citizens series. Illustrated by Diego Vaisberg. This nonfiction series presents a balanced, practical view of how to manage one's online presence in the (increasingly pervasive) digital world, addressing responsible behaviors and dangerous/emotionally damaging situations. Appealing blocky graphics and illustrations draw inspiration from Minecraft, evoking popular online interactions. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Digital Citizens titles: My Digital Community and Media, My Digital Future, My Digital Health and Wellness, My Digital Rights and Rules, My Digital Safety and Security and My Digital World

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Digital Citizens series. Illustrated by Diego Vaisberg. This nonfiction series presents a balanced, practical view of how to manage one's online presence in the (increasingly pervasive) digital world, addressing responsible behaviors and dangerous/emotionally damaging situations. Appealing blocky graphics and illustrations draw inspiration from Minecraft, evoking popular online interactions. Websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Digital Citizens titles: My Digital Community and Media, My Digital Future, My Digital Health and Wellness, My Digital Rights and Rules, My Digital Safety and Security and My Digital World

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) YA The complicated topic receives earnest if superficial treatment in this slim, densely-printed volume. Miller traces a continuum, from medieval blood libels to "Pizzagate," and attempts to differentiate between real fake news and those who decry unfavorable press using the epithet. In his attempts to be timely, Miller refers to the Mueller Report, but the text is, of course, already dated. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Ready, Set, Code! series. Illustrated by Sue Downing. Each volume in this series introduces a coding language, providing instructions for four progressively challenging projects. Brief introductions orient coders, having them download the appropriate programs on the appropriate devices. Brightly colored, simple illustrations accompany clear, numbered steps. Tangential facts about various topics (animals, flowers, etc.) add a touch of whimsy. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ready, Set, Code! titles: Coding with Hopscotch Coding with Python Coding with ScratchJr and The Unofficial Guide to Coding with Minecraft

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Ready, Set, Code! series. Illustrated by Sue Downing. Each volume in this series introduces a coding language, providing instructions for four progressively challenging projects. Brief introductions orient coders, having them download the appropriate programs on the appropriate devices. Brightly colored, simple illustrations accompany clear, numbered steps. Tangential facts about various topics (animals, flowers, etc.) add a touch of whimsy. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ready, Set, Code! titles: Coding with Hopscotch Coding with Python Coding with ScratchJr and The Unofficial Guide to Coding with Minecraft

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Ready, Set, Code! series. Illustrated by Sue Downing. Each volume in this series introduces a coding language, providing instructions for four progressively challenging projects. Brief introductions orient coders, having them download the appropriate programs on the appropriate devices. Brightly colored, simple illustrations accompany clear, numbered steps. Tangential facts about various topics (animals, flowers, etc.) add a touch of whimsy. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ready, Set, Code! titles: Coding with Hopscotch Coding with Python Coding with ScratchJr and The Unofficial Guide to Coding with Minecraft

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Ready, Set, Code! series. Illustrated by Sue Downing. Each volume in this series introduces a coding language, providing instructions for four progressively challenging projects. Brief introductions orient coders, having them download the appropriate programs on the appropriate devices. Brightly colored, simple illustrations accompany clear, numbered steps. Tangential facts about various topics (animals, flowers, etc.) add a touch of whimsy. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ready, Set, Code! titles: Coding with Hopscotch Coding with Python Coding with ScratchJr and The Unofficial Guide to Coding with Minecraft

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Cool Makerspace Gadgets & Gizmos series. This short volume introduces makerspaces and coding, providing instructions for six projects that use either Scratch or Makey Makeys. Photographs accompany clear, reproducible instructions, and brightly colored backgrounds and lively fonts create an engaging aesthetic. With emphasis on how over why, the book encourages interest in tinkering. Includes tips for "Makerspace Maintenance." Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) YA A thorough, clear introduction to the concepts of fandom and fanworks, aimed primarily at those new to the subculture. DiPiazza uses plenty of examples from--and quotes from members of--a variety of fandoms, and she doesn't shy away from discussing controversies such as the misogynistic harassment of Gamergate. Black-and-green graphics and relevant photos break up the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sara Palacios. This addition to the Girls Who Code book franchise introduces younger kids to coding fundamentals in an unusual setting: the beach. Young vacationer Pearl enlists robot Pascal to help build a sandcastle with basic concepts of sequences, loops, and if-then-else. The child-friendly text couples well with the simple, sunny art, rendered digitally in combination with gouache and acrylic paintings. A final guide reinforces the programming lessons.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) 4-6 News Literacy series. In these brief, textbook-like overviews of media literacy, coverage is largely anodyne. Still, the topics have become increasingly important, and this series offers a good jumping-off point for upper-elementary students to think critically about what they read and see in the news, advertisements, and on social media. Each text includes well-considered assignments for further research, thought, and discussion. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these News Literacy titles: Advertising Overload, The Fake News Phenomenon, How Journalists Work, Uncovering Bias in the News, Why News Matters, and Your Personalized Internet.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 News Literacy series. In these brief, textbook-like overviews of media literacy, coverage is largely anodyne. Still, the topics have become increasingly important, and this series offers a good jumping-off point for upper-elementary students to think critically about what they read and see in the news, advertisements, and on social media. Each text includes well-considered assignments for further research, thought, and discussion. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these News Literacy titles: Advertising Overload, The Fake News Phenomenon, How Journalists Work, Uncovering Bias in the News, Why News Matters, and Your Personalized Internet.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) 4-6 News Literacy series. In these brief, textbook-like overviews of media literacy, coverage is largely anodyne. Still, the topics have become increasingly important, and this series offers a good jumping-off point for upper-elementary students to think critically about what they read and see in the news, advertisements, and on social media. Each text includes well-considered assignments for further research, thought, and discussion. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these News Literacy titles: Advertising Overload, The Fake News Phenomenon, How Journalists Work, Uncovering Bias in the News, Why News Matters, and Your Personalized Internet.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen