(2) 1-3 In this graphic novel for primary readers, a dinosaur is trying to shut out nearby roars and write a poem. A frog tries to help, or perhaps to provide distraction, since the dino’s first draft rhymes “eat” with “fine and froggy meat.” Further attempts and creature encounters unfold over short chapters. Humor and action are both plentiful, and the frog is full of good advice, both literary (“Rhymes are nice, but phony poems aren’t”) and general (when a larger dinosaur appears: “Run!!...Hide!!...Flee!...Don’t write it! Do it!”). The sense throughout is that poetry can be about what matters to the poet in the moment, whether that means a limerick about a very immediate pursuit through the forest or a stanza of “poo-etry.” The collage illustrations are set against a paper bag–brown background and use speech bubbles written on what resembles notebook paper, with different colors for each character aiding new readers. Some complex vocabulary, especially dinosaur names, makes this a good choice for those gaining independence in reading, with rhyme and repetition to help them along. Poetic edification with a side of adrenaline rushes—though some of the dangers, much like poetry, may not be as scary as they seem.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. "Henry had never practiced smiling. Maybe that was why he never looked like he thought he should in pictures. The idea made Henry not want to smile at all." In this third early chapter book (most recently Henry and the Something New, rev. 1/24), it's class picture day and Henry, who presents as being on the autism spectrum, is not happy about his shirt. The collar is too high, the cuffs are too tight, and "the buttons went on forever." And it's disconcerting that his classmates don't look like themselves, either. Henry remains an appealing character with relatable concerns (to readers neurodivergent or not); Classroom 10 is warm and supportive. As in the previous books, Song's breezy limited-palette illustrations are expressive and provide lots of opportunities for newly independent readers to pause. Before the photo is taken, Henry's tooth unexpectedly pops out (surprisingly quickly) and into some potting soil, causing a mild crisis and lots of digging through dirt. The conclusion is satisfying for all, and when Henry smiles for the camera, he means it.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(1) 1-3 Tiny Bean's Big Adventures series. Meet hedgehogs Bean and Grandma in this pitch-perfect collection of eleven brief stories for early readers, ranging from two to eight pages long. An omniscient narrator introduces this duo's sweet and loving intergenerational relationship. Caregiver Grandma is always there to look after Bean, from fixing too-small blankets and sweaters to tucking her in every night "like a Bean burrito." When "Bean is in a mood, a dramatic moping mood, where nothing seems quite right and she wants to go away," Grandma gives her the space she needs: "Don't forget your hat. Off you go now. Toodle-oo!" Activities with Grandma include choosing a new houseplant (a cactus, of course) and helping with chores such as picking giant strawberries...and then eating them. Readers also see Bean at play: practicing her "BOOs" disguised as a ghost, swinging, and using her imagination. Recurring characters (Bean's stuffed piglet Clem, her cat friend Gus, the badger mail carrier, and rabbit florist Mr. Green) lend familiarity for new readers, while the straightforward text is the right mix of simple and slightly complex words. Graegin's first solo venture beyond picture books features cozy digital illustrations in an earthy palette that suits the natural setting of the critters' world. Lively and mixed page design accentuates Bean's playfulness. Bean and Grandma's heartwarming everyday adventures, complete with subtle and genuine humor, are ripe for repeat reads and further series entries.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) 1-3 "THE SHINDIG IS COMING! THE SHINDIG IS COMING!" Like Mouse's proclamation to the forest animals, this engaging chapter book is sure to grab readers' attention. The action takes place over three heavily illustrated and well-designed sections: "Hullabaloo: What Mouse Heard," "Bumfuzzle: What Bear Said," and "Shindig: What Opossum Missed." After Mouse's announcement, Raccoon calls a meeting to determine what exactly a shindig is. Porcupine, Deer, and Squirrel think "ALIENS," Opossum faints, chicken Stan doles out his famous honey cakes. Even Mouse isn't really sure -- she heard about it from a blue jay. Eventually, Bear, dictionary in hand, arrives to provide a definition: a shindig is a party with friends. Bear gives a speech (though "Bear's rambling talks were not a crowd favorite"), and Stan steps in with more honey cakes (it's hard to talk with a mouth full of cakes). Opossum faints again (four times in total) and ends up missing everything. Harper's entertaining narrative is enhanced by vibrant typography in eye-catching sizes and styles, onomatopoeia, and full-page folk art-style illustrations. This fast-paced animal story, with its lively images and text, can serve as a bridge for some newly independent readers to longer chapter books. A riotous romp that lends itself to oral storytelling mixed with amusing wordplay and infused with a folktale tone and style.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo. Higuera's amusing new chapter book series is narrated by the puckish cucuy (boogeyman) from her picture books (El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!, rev. 7/21, and sequel). Cucuy must terrify one child into behaving, and he is assigned to Ramon in Seattle (also familiar to readers of the picture books). However, Ramon is unperturbed by the cucuy's appearance. Instead, he is terrified of starting a new school the following day. After the creature wreaks havoc at home, Ramon must take him to school in hopes of avoiding more domestic disasters. Ramon's fears are eased when he makes a new friend. Cucuy realizes he is no longer needed and can return home -- but before he does, Ramon gives him his name, El Cucuy, and promises to misbehave to conjure him again. Perdomo's cheerful black, gray, and purple illustrations bring all the antics to life and help break up the text for independent readers. El Cucuy's limited understanding of the human world ("I lifted a white garment with holes and read the writing on the label: Fruit of the Loom. It had one opening for my head and two holes for my ears. A hat! I gasped in delight") provides plenty of humor, while the story's messages about the value of chosen families and the universal need for belonging come through loud and clear.

Reviewer: Yesica Hurd | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 In this comic for newly independent readers, Pumpkin and Beetle are vampire cats (not kittens, thank you very much), and they desperately want the latest Frightfuls comic book. But they don't have the $6.66 necessary to purchase it. With their ghost cat friend, Boo, they come up with several ways to raise the money. Unfortunately, no one wants to shop at their crabapple stand or buy their "well-done" crabapple muffins. A serendipitous encounter with bookstore owner Mrs. Owl, who's in need of crabapples for an apple-bobbing station, solves their dilemma. Ho primarily uses one- and two-syllable words to make her work accessible to young chapter-book readers, with occasional more challenging words (Hallowville, elementary). She effectively uses a mix of single-page illustrations, double-page spreads, and different-sized panels to keep the visual interest high. Fittingly, her digital illustrations frequently feature the colors orange and black. But there's nothing here that will give anyone a real fright; even the witches look friendly. Ho treats us to a few pages of the Frightfuls comic once the cats get their paws on a copy, and readers will likely enjoy this mildly spooky mystery. A recipe for "mew-gical muffins" is appended.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 In the latest installment of this enjoyable early chapter book series (Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories, rev. 5/23), an average Tuesday takes a few minor twists and turns for the titular best friends. In "The Nothing" -- the first of four brief, episodic chapters -- Bear visits Bird for their weekly cloud-watching expedition. Bird is under the weather; Bear outdoes himself trying to comfort her but finally lets her voice her own desire to rest, and the two share cozy, quiet moments doing nothing. Rejuvenated, Bird rallies for the remaining three stories, in which the duo faces additional low-stakes conflicts while traveling about their forested neighborhood. As usual, they watch their good intentions land slightly off-target; memorably, while attempting to fend off a rival best friend, Bird performs an original, unintentionally offensive song entitled "Oh, What a Smelly Bear." Jarvis approaches these misunderstandings with gentle humor; his resolutions never feel condescending or prescriptive. The loose-lined, textured, and occasionally fanciful art also helps maintain a playful tone. Bear and Bird's everyday exploits -- and their canny, child's-eye perspective on conflict resolution -- continue to be witty, tender, and surprising.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 1-3 With four new stories, Jarvis continues to give young readers the emotionally satisfying, highly readable tales characteristic of the series. In "The Test," Bird investigates her friend Bear to make sure that he is indeed who he claims to be, rather than his almost identical cousin. By the end, they have smoothed their friendship hiccup, while readers are invited to ponder a more philosophical question: how do you really know that your friend is themself? The two celebrate together in "The Day" even though each comes to the wrong conclusion about why the date is circled on the calendar. In "The Cave," when the ball they are playing with rolls into a creepy cave, they bravely enter, only to discover the rumors of stinky goo and talking mushrooms are untrue. "The Umbrella" features a magical (or is it?) conveyance. Jarvis's digital illustrations, with their soft edges and simple lines, perfectly match the gentle tone of the stories; even the entrance to the creepy cave is not too scary.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Adapted by Colleen AF Venable. Illustrated by Honie Beam. A misunderstanding about her new brother gets Junie in trouble. Her grandmother calling the boy the “cutest little money I’ve ever seen” convinces Junie that her mother has given birth to an actual primate. She tells her kindergarten classmates and begins to accept “gifts” for the opportunity to see the baby. Eventually, she ends up in the principal’s office and everything is sorted out. Venable’s graphic-novel adaptation is humorous, and Beam’s colorful digital illustrations effectively capture Junie’s expressiveness.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Adapted by Colleen AF Venable. Illustrated by Honie Beam. Colors by Kiwi Byrd. Junie is excited to start kindergarten but terrified of riding the school bus. After a bad bus experience the first morning, she decides to hide rather than ride the bus home. She has fun exploring the nearly empty school oblivious to the panic she has caused. A call to 911 when she desperately needs to find a restroom leads to the story’s resolution. Venable captures the humor of the original, and the colorful digital illustrations bring Junie to life.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(2) 1-3 Earl & Worm series. In the first of three episodic chapters in this series debut, Worm is irritated by her new neighbor, Earl, a bird. “Why is he up so early? And why is he smiling like that?” Throughout the interactions that follow, language and design are pitched to children almost ready to leap into longer chapter books: multiple short sentences per page, everyday words, ample repetition, and a readable typeface. The art is a friendly and sophisticated blend of Roy Lichtenstein and Richard Scarry with pastel shades of blue, green, orange, and yellow. Pizzoli generates humor with straightforward sentences that make bold statements (“It was not sweet. It was bitter. So was Worm”) and emphasize Earl’s obliviousness (“I love to talk. I can talk for both of us. You can just listen”). Words appear in different contexts to keep repetition from feeling overly tedious. The words sugar, sweet, and lemon all appear in the first and third stories, for instance, but in the first story they’re around Earl making lemonade, and in the third story, around Worm trying to write a poem. Like Willems’s Elephant and Piggie and Lobel’s Frog and Toad series, this provides solid reading practice in a package that kids and families will read for the love of story.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Peter Brown. Jasper Rabbit, protagonist of the picture book Creepy Carrots! and its sequels (most recently Creepy Crayon!, rev. 9/22), serves as the Rod Serling-like narrator of this early-chapter-book series opener. "Creepy things lie on the following pages...You may possibly find yourself peeing your pants." Duly warned, readers meet Charlie Marmot, who is scheduled to have his tonsils removed and plans to keep them in a jar for show-and-tell. But when the time comes for the procedure, the tonsils are already missing...and then it gets weirder. The tonsils are sentient, they have their own lines of dialogue, and they're out for revenge. Sophisticated vocabulary and turns of phrase ("regardless of the cause, there are no tonsils currently residing in Charlie's throat") make this title, full of both horror and humor, a good choice for confidently independent readers or for reading aloud together in ominous tones. Mixed-media illustrations, some of them chillingly stark, in a pitch-perfect palette of black-and-white punctuated with tonsil pink, add to the cinematic feel. Hand to readers demanding scary books -- if they're willing to swallow quite the premise. Needs new series title: Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales!

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. Lone Wolf (Lone Wolf: Gets a Pet and Lone Wolf: Goes to School, both rev. 3/25) is back with two new misadventures. In the first, Wolf, whose energy is Oscar the Grouch meets Wile E. Coyote, wants to return a library book without running into the noisy kids at storytime. In the second, he goes on vacation hoping to evade social interaction. As in past installments, Wolf manifests everything he hopes to avoid, and his limited vocabulary ("Grrrr") leaves him helpless to communicate effectively. Fans of the first two series outings will appreciate the appearance of recurring characters such as the eager girl and the jolly hiker toting his goldfish in a plastic bag, but each book's dry, off-kilter situational humor stands on its own merits. Steele's watercolor and pencil illustrations have a classic cartoon appeal. Spreads establish setting, while close-ups and spot illustrations focus on character and action. A sequence of illustrations in which Wolf tries to avoid a "snotty little boy" whose mucus subsequently befouls the library's book return chute is LOL funny, as is the look of horror on Wolf's face when the driver of a nearly empty bus proposes a singalong. These transitional readers will appeal to kids who like their humor with a heavy dose of irony.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. Lone Wolf (Lone Wolf: Gets a Pet and Lone Wolf: Goes to School, both rev. 3/25) is back with two new misadventures. In the first, Wolf, whose energy is Oscar the Grouch meets Wile E. Coyote, wants to return a library book without running into the noisy kids at storytime. In the second, he goes on vacation hoping to evade social interaction. As in past installments, Wolf manifests everything he hopes to avoid, and his limited vocabulary ("Grrrr") leaves him helpless to communicate effectively. Fans of the first two series outings will appreciate the appearance of recurring characters such as the eager girl and the jolly hiker toting his goldfish in a plastic bag, but each book's dry, off-kilter situational humor stands on its own merits. Steele's watercolor and pencil illustrations have a classic cartoon appeal. Spreads establish setting, while close-ups and spot illustrations focus on character and action. A sequence of illustrations in which Wolf tries to avoid a "snotty little boy" whose mucus subsequently befouls the library's book return chute is LOL funny, as is the look of horror on Wolf's face when the driver of a nearly empty bus proposes a singalong. These transitional readers will appeal to kids who like their humor with a heavy dose of irony.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) 1-3 Too Small Tola series. Illustrated by Onyinye Iwu. Atinuke returns for a fourth time (Too Small Tola, rev. 3/21, and sequels) to her diminutive, high-spirited, mathematically gifted protagonist's "run-down block of apartments in the megacity of Lagos, in the country of Nigeria," with its close-knit and quirky neighbors. Much happens in the three brief chapters, with Iwu's energetic, expressive black-and-white illustrations visually grounding readers in the setting and its culture while highlighting key story details. As Tola and her sister and brother readjust to living with Grandmommy after "the virus" had separated the family, Tola worries about elderly neighbor Mrs. Shaky-Shaky, isolated on the building's top floor, and observes tensions between Grandmommy and Tola's brother over his new friends. A beach day with Grandmommy prompts Tola to feel gratitude for all she has. Finally, she triumphs over accusations of dishonesty and learns lessons in accountability and forgiveness. Throughout, Atinuke lends specificity to her Nigerian setting through references, word choices, and dialogue capturing precise pronunciations and turns of phrase. "For true," such attention to culturally situated details will prove just as valuable to readers as the core values communicated by these big-hearted stories about a small Nigerian girl.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(1) 1-3 Illustrated by Emily Hughes. Fans of Atinuke's beloved chapter-book series know that Anna Hibiscus "lives in Africa. Amazing Africa" and Too-Small Tola "lives in Lagos, unbelievable Lagos." Now we meet protagonist Beti, who lives with her mother, father, and baby brother in a "little round house in the green woods under the mountains," with no running water or cellphones but with friendly farm animals and close friends and good neighbors nearby. In four brief sections, each set during a different season, readers follow this lively child's small-scale adventures. The book opens in spring, on Beti's birthday, with party preparations, including helping Mam bake a cake and then foraging for flowers to decorate it ("and pick some salad too!" says her father). She refuses to wear a party dress; her friends arrive; her birthday gift is...unexpected, as is her reaction to it. Beti is a classic Atinuke protagonist, with her age-appropriate highs and lows; her individuality and three-dimensionality; her moods, mischief, and creative problem-solving. The setting is painted through homey, specific details in the text and in Hughes's (illustrator of the Charlie & Mouse early readers, among others) frequent spry, eye-pleasing illustrations, a mix of black-and-white and color, spot art and full-bleed section openers. Atinuke's introductory note describes living in Wales in "a roundhouse built of straw and clay in the woods. It was a life of magic, and of mud," both on display in this engaging and memorable chapter book.

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

(1) 1-3 Henry series. Illustrated by Mika Song. In his second early-chapter-book outing (Henry, like Always, rev. 3/23), Henry -- a sensitive child who presents as being on the autism spectrum -- is ambivalent about a field trip to the natural history museum. "Henry was excited. Everyone in Classroom Ten would ride the bus to the museum. Henry was also worried. Everyone in Classroom Ten would ride the bus to the museum." Despite his concerns, Henry is looking forward to the dinosaur exhibit. When Samuel's dad (a field trip helper) asks Henry's group of three what they'd like to see, "'Dinosaurs!' said Henry. But he forgot to say it out loud." Each of his attempts to make his voice heard is inadvertently thwarted, and Henry patiently accompanies his group to the rock, bug, and mummy displays. Song's loosely rendered, limited-palette watercolor and ink illustrations telegraph emotion and deepen meaning for newly independent readers. When Henry eventually shouts "DINOSAURS!" the accompanying illustration makes clear his frustration, along with his classmates' bemused reactions. They finally find the dinosaur room (after getting a bit lost), and Henry's absolute joy is palpable. Bailey's relatable characters, familiar scenarios, and gentle humor make this a remarkably satisfying read...whether you embrace the new or not.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Stella and Marigold, ages seven and four, are a force to be reckoned with. In eight tightly constructed, linked short stories, we follow the sisters through a domestic plumbing disaster, a visit to the zoo, events at school and preschool, and the construction and maintenance of a close sibling bond. Barrows and Blackall jointly inhabit that authentic childhood territory where the universal ordinary intersects with the specific odd. Stella has the flu. Her mother brings her apple juice. "Stella was surprised at how bad it tasted. It tasted like throat." The text tells us that as Marigold grows up, Stella explains the world to her. The accompanying illustration shows what some of those explanations might involve -- pickles, a jump rope, money, infinity, and more. The stories echo and resonate with one another. The fireplace tiles mentioned in passing in the second story? We finally get to see them near book's end. The theme here is storytelling, and the book is a little subversive in the best children's literature tradition, celebrating the thrill of fibbing even as it ostensibly warns against it. Barrows and Blackall walk this tightrope with skill, cheekiness, and palpable pleasure, their tightly interdependent approach to narrative mirroring the supportive and loving relationship of their two stalwart protagonists.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Kevin Sylvester. This graphic novel follows Puffin on his adventures moving to a new city and a new school. He struggles to make friends but eventually wins over the other birds when his glowing beak saves the school play. The story is full of bird puns, but the focus is learning to be yourself. The illustrations use a distinct color palette, show each bird’s personality, and are well integrated into the storytelling.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Siara Faison. In this feel-good chapter book, the first in a series, fifth-grader Miguel rescues a stray cat outside of his family’s bodega, beginning a close friendship. The cat, named Lolo, describes how he adjusts to being part of a loving family. In alternating chapters, Miguel narrates how Lolo inspires him to be brave and tell his parents he wants to pursue art. In the end, both learn a lesson about helping others. Black-and-white illustrations, including panels from Miguel’s comic-book art, break up the text.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns