(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke. On the first night of Hanukkah, a family adopts a golden-brown dog and names him Latke. As the family celebrates the Festival of Lights, Latke joins in, thinking, "I am one lucky dog!" But he has a lot to learn about how to behave. This engaging romp highlights the holiday's traditions and the love between dog and family. Cheerful, textured illustrations capture Latke's mischief.

Reviewer: Jill Leibowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Brian Lovelock. As the hive prepares for winter, worker bee Scout embarks on a food-foraging expedition, searching for enough nectar and pollen to survive. Huber's simple but dynamic language hums with an avian vibrancy. In Lovelock's watercolor, acrylic ink, and colored-pencil illustrations, splattered dots represent pollen and hailstones; textured brushstrokes convey flight patterns, vibrating wings, and pelting rain. A satisfying early science book. Ind.

Reviewer: Jill Leibowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013

(3) PS "Some monsters are afraid. / Some are not." Page by page, Milgrim lists contrasting quirks and habits of monsters. However, they are all "absolutely, positively, completely, perfectly wonderful... / just the way they are!" The message is a familiar one, but it is reassuring for even the littlest children. Drawn boldly and brightly, these monsters are more adorable and wacky than frightening.

Reviewer: Jill Leibowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2013

(4) YA World After... series. After a graphic novel–style prologue, this book takes a serious look at the impact and aftermath of a global pandemic. The fairly dense presentation is supported by "Fact or Fiction" and "How Likely Is It?" boxes, relevant sidebars, charts, and captioned photographs. The tiny-size type and cramped page design may be off-putting to some readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jill Leibowitz

(4) 4-6 Code Red series. This series entry chronicles the destruction caused when Hurricane Sandy slammed the East Coast in 2012. Dramatic photos and compelling first-person accounts do more to convey the superstorm's power and devastating aftermath than the stilted text does. A final spread briefly profiles four people (including Chris Christie) who were directly affected by the event. Reading list. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jill Leibowitz

(4) YA World After... series. After a graphic novel–style prologue, this book takes a serious look at the potential environmental and societal impacts of a cataclysmic asteroid strike on Earth. The fairly dense presentation is supported by "Fact or Fiction" and "How Likely Is It?" boxes, relevant sidebars, charts, and captioned photographs. The tiny-size type and cramped page design may be off-putting to some readers. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jill Leibowitz