(2) 4-6 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Jeska lives in the Netherlands in the 1980s. Her parents are secretive about the family's past and the reason for her mother's periods of self-isolation. When her grandmother becomes ill and confused, her mentions of an unfamiliar relative and then of Westerbork lead Jeska to make connections with what she's learned in school about World War II. She comes to realize that her family is Jewish and that her mother and grandmother are Holocaust survivors. The smoothly translated first-person prose has a hushed feel to it, with the details in Jeska's observations lending immediacy ("Classical music and warm air compete for space; this car is far too small for piano music, the stifling heat, Mama, and me"). The close adherence to the point of view of an eleven-year-old who's been kept in the dark makes watching her work things out for herself all the more poignant: "Is it a Jewish face that looks back at me? It doesn't feel Jewish. But how does that actually feel? I have no idea." Ultimately, she concludes that what her mother has hidden is worth remembering. An afterword explains that Verstegen "adapted the facts" of true events from her childhood "to be able to tell a well-rounded story." An emotional glimpse into the effects of the Holocaust, long after its end.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) PS Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Told from the baby's point of view ("I've known my mama for a long time"), this playful offering explores, through two elephant characters, the strong emotional bond between parent and child. They play together; they run errands together; and sometimes Mama gets "really ANGRY" when her baby gets into mischief ("altering" her dress with scissors, or watering houseplants by urinating on them). Still, our narrator knows, without having to be told, of Mama's unconditional love. Nearly every spread is filled with the mother, stocky and sturdy, as she plays with her child, with no background details to distract from their interactions. Throughout, the baby wears white pants adorned with orange stars; at bedtime, Mama "shakes the stars off my pants," and the baby elephant stares in wonder at the orange stars floating above, the same ones that adorn the opening and closing endpapers.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(3) K-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. A boy named Finn and his dog wake to find that goblins have taken over. Boy and dog chase the sprites across twelve double-page spreads (through a garden, beneath the earth, etc.) that harbor mazes and items to find ("Finn searches for a lamp to light the way"). This seductive large-scale offering's art suggests M.C. Escher on a color bender.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Young Sam believes that robots live "on a faraway planet"; frustrated that no one buys this, he secretly builds a robot, Franky, "who understands me." When a spaceship arrives to claim Franky, Sam's family finally realizes that he's right. This satisfying addition to the kid-knows-more-than-grownups picture-book genre has quirky, inspired visuals: e.g., Franky's dialogue balloons contain not words but molecule-reminiscent shapes.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 1-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Illustrated by Marije Tolman. An odd mix of story, facts, crafts, and quizzes on popular topics ranging from mummies to dinosaurs to rockets. Book-reading Dog and clueless cousin Wolf (Wolf and Dog) argue about these subjects and more throughout four topical chapters. The information is interesting, the tidy spot- and full-page art excellent. However, the quizzes and activities are either silly or irrelevant, and the whole feels disjointed.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) K-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Curious canine Rusty is mesmerized by a display in the department store and gets separated from his mother. Can he elude the scary uniformed watchdogs on the prowl for stray pups ("we'll lock them in the pound!") as he searches for his family? Colorful cartoon illustrations with lots of clever details will delight readers as they search for Rusty in various store settings.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(2) 1-3 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Illustrated by Marije Tolman. From the outset they are a study in contrasts: little white Dog in neat red trousers; his cousin, shaggy gray Wolf, wild and lawless. Even so, they're friends. Small trim size, an open format, deft characterizations in pen-and-ink and watercolor, appealing spot art on most spreads, and a brief text laced with dialogue all recommend this for listeners as well as readers.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(2) 4-6 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. The narrator of this quirky story describes two terrible results of her country's war, one of which is that she's sent to live with her estranged mother in a neighboring country. The narrator's naive clarity of voice creates an engaging critique on the idiocies of conflict and bureaucracy. Liberally endowed with comic, ironic cartoon drawings.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(2) 4-6 Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Warren finds a rare creature--"a bird in the shape of a little girl. Or a little girl in the shape of a bird"--and brings her home, where he and his wife, Tina, care for her. Slowly Beedy walks, talks, and fledges--until one day she flies away. Tina and Warren set off to find Beedy to say goodbye. Insightful, affectionate humor and whimsy suffuse this fantasy, which is illustrated with clever, comic drawings.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2012