(4) 1-3 Pug Pals series. While their human is away, pugs Sunny and Rosy "vacation" at their human grandparents' house where they enjoy special snacks and the spacious yard. When Grandma accuses the (innocent) two of ruining her garden, an investigation reveals a friendly but clueless groundhog is the culprit. Abundant black-and-white illustrations adorn every spread of this cozy (if slight) mystery.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Warren & Dragon series. Illustrated by Mike Malbrough. Warren and his stuffed-animal best friend, Dragon, covet a fancy volcano-making kit but can't afford the steep price tag.  Warren's machinations to raise money for the purchase lead to a charity bake sale and magic show with his sister and a friend. It's a great success, despite Dragon's interference. Black-and-white cartoons add humor to the lighthearted text.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Aaron Blecha. These transitional chapter books recast well-known fairy tales with the principal, students, and staff of PS 88. Previously published as a picture book, Underwear follows snazzy dresser Principal Bundy as he's hoodwinked by two shifty tailors. Spell finds PS 88 overrun by enchanted brooms. Comical black-and-white illustrations support the lighthearted texts. Includes lists of characters, vocabulary words, and comprehension questions. Review covers these titles: Our Principal Breaks a Spell! and Our Principal's in His Underwear!

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Aaron Blecha. These transitional chapter books recast well-known fairy tales with the principal, students, and staff of PS 88. Previously published as a picture book, Underwear follows snazzy dresser Principal Bundy as he's hoodwinked by two shifty tailors. Spell finds PS 88 overrun by enchanted brooms. Comical black-and-white illustrations support the lighthearted texts. Includes lists of characters, vocabulary words, and comprehension questions. Review covers these titles: Our Principal Breaks a Spell! and Our Principal's in His Underwear!

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) K-3 Hello, Hedgehog! series. This is the debut title in a transitional graphic-novel series starring Hedgehog and friends. Friendly illustrations and clearly defined frames in a small trim size highlight a spare friendship story, with text appearing mainly in word bubbles in three chapters. Newly independent readers will recognize elements of Hedgehog and guinea pig Harry's relationship and will be eager for future installments.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Unicorn Rescue Society series. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. Created by Jesse Casey, Adam Gidwitz, and Chris Smith. Professor Fauna's jalopy airplane whisks Uchenna and Elliot (The Creature of the Pines) to Laredo on the Texas-Mexico border to help another elusive mythical creature: the chupacabras. They also discover tension in the city concerning the construction of a border wall. A fast-paced plot, plenty of laughs (including in the black-and-white illustrations), and a serious discussion about the border elevate their latest adventure.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Adam Gustavson. As fourth grade winds down, Charlie learns that his best friend Hector, who's being bullied, is moving back to Chile. Grappling with the sadness of both, Charlie begins a well-intentioned if misguided campaign to prevent Hector from leaving. This seventh series installment is a complex portrayal of bullying and the importance of friendship. Black-and-white India-ink and watercolor spot illustrations highlight the action throughout.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Little Goddess Girls series. This early chapter-book series by the Goddess Girl series creators is a Greek mythology/Wizard of Oz mash-up. Young Athena is swept up in a storm and transported to a land where her nemesis, Medusa, wants her magical sandals. Hestia, Zeus, and Persephone have supporting roles along the "Hello Brick Road." Energetic black-and-white illustrations match the text's lively tone. Glos.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Toy Academy series. Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor. Grumboldt, a stuffed toy who longs for action-hero status and placement with a loving child (Some Assembly Required), is doing well in his Toy Academy classes...until he's assigned sidekick duty to self-centered bully Rex. Short chapters and cartoon-style black-and-white illustrations should attract independent readers eager for longer stories with plenty of action and laughs.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Time Dogs series. Illustrated by Misa Saburi. On a typical day, the elderly dogs of Happy Paws Farm nap and enjoy one another's company. When tracking a lost ball leads the pack to a time-traveling/age-reducing magical van, the five friends experience adventures in history--as puppies. Frequent black-and-white illustrations support the large-font text. An author's note provides details about the real life events that inspired the stories. Review covers these Time Dogs titles: Balto and the Race Against Time and Seaman and the Great Northern Adventure.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Time Dogs series. Illustrated by Misa Saburi. On a typical day, the elderly dogs of Happy Paws Farm nap and enjoy one another's company. When tracking a lost ball leads the pack to a time-traveling/age-reducing magical van, the five friends experience adventures in history--as puppies. Frequent black-and-white illustrations support the large-font text. An author's note provides details about the real life events that inspired the stories. Review covers these Time Dogs titles: Balto and the Race Against Time and Seaman and the Great Northern Adventure.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Paige Keiser. Second grader Elizabeth (younger sister of Vail's Justin Case) confronts the inequities of alphabetical order, deals with the downside of her longer first name, and learns how excluding classmates hurts feelings and complicates friendships. Friendly halftone illustrations grace these gentle stories of classroom dynamics, family, and friendship--perfect for newly independent readers. Review covers these titles: A Is for El!zabeth and Big Mouth El!zabeth

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Paige Keiser. Second grader Elizabeth (younger sister of Vail's Justin Case) confronts the inequities of alphabetical order, deals with the downside of her longer first name, and learns how excluding classmates hurts feelings and complicates friendships. Friendly halftone illustrations grace these gentle stories of classroom dynamics, family, and friendship--perfect for newly independent readers. Review covers these titles: A Is for El!zabeth and Big Mouth El!zabeth

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Pug Pals series. Pug Sunny is very unhappy with the arrival of a new puppy--her daily routines are upturned, and puppy Rosy seems incapable of being still or quiet. When Rosy escapes with Sunny’s treasured stuffie, the pugs begin a neighborhood adventure during which animosity turns to friendship. Simple line illustrations give the roly-poly pugs lots of personality and appear on every spread of this enjoyable canine caper.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Warren & Dragon series. Illustrated by Mike Malbrough. Seven-year-old Warren's best friend is his stuffed dragon, who talks, demands food, and reassures absent-minded Warren about his fears and anxieties. When Warren's family moves, he and his twin sister compete at making friends (100). At their new school, Warren is chosen to care for the class pet hamster, Chewy (Weekend). Fast-paced dialogue and cartoon-style grayscale illustrations add levity to these entertaining tales. Review covers these Warren & Dragon titles: 100 Friends and Weekend with Chewy.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Warren & Dragon series. Illustrated by Mike Malbrough. Seven-year-old Warren's best friend is his stuffed dragon, who talks, demands food, and reassures absent-minded Warren about his fears and anxieties. When Warren's family moves, he and his twin sister compete at making friends (100). At their new school, Warren is chosen to care for the class pet hamster, Chewy (Weekend). Fast-paced dialogue and cartoon-style grayscale illustrations add levity to these entertaining tales. Review covers these Warren & Dragon titles: 100 Friends and Weekend with Chewy.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Aaron Blecha. Designed to assist readers transitioning to longer, more complex texts, this reformatted chapter-book edition (previously published as picture book The Frog Principal) includes character and word lists, table of contents, story questions, and abundant black-and-white cartoons by new illustrator Blecha. Based on "The Frog Prince," the story about a beloved principal who is accidentally transformed into a frog but continues his job is silly and well paced.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Unicorn Rescue Society series. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. Created by Jesse Casey, Adam Gidwitz, and Chris Smith. This collaboratively created series--told through the two newest members of a worldwide society of misfits dedicated to saving mythical creatures--is witty, fast-paced, hilarious, and great fun. Starring upper-elementary-age New Jersey kids Elliot and Uchenna, each book focuses on a different creature in need of protection. Abundant black-and-white drawings spotlight the zany characters and add to the laughs. Review covers these Unicorn Rescue Society titles: The Basque Dragon, The Creature of the Pines, and Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Unicorn Rescue Society series. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. Created by Jesse Casey, Adam Gidwitz, and Chris Smith. This collaboratively created series--told through the two newest members of a worldwide society of misfits dedicated to saving mythical creatures--is witty, fast-paced, hilarious, and great fun. Starring upper-elementary-age New Jersey kids Elliot and Uchenna, each book focuses on a different creature in need of protection. Abundant black-and-white drawings spotlight the zany characters and add to the laughs. Review covers these Unicorn Rescue Society titles: The Basque Dragon, The Creature of the Pines, and Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Unicorn Rescue Society series. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. Created by Jesse Casey, Adam Gidwitz, and Chris Smith. This collaboratively created series--told through the two newest members of a worldwide society of misfits dedicated to saving mythical creatures--is witty, fast-paced, hilarious, and great fun. Starring upper-elementary-age New Jersey kids Elliot and Uchenna, each book focuses on a different creature in need of protection. Abundant black-and-white drawings spotlight the zany characters and add to the laughs. Review covers these Unicorn Rescue Society titles: The Basque Dragon, The Creature of the Pines, and Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca