(2) 1-3 After-School Superstars series. Illustrated by Grace Zong. Good-hearted Boogie Bass is in a third-grade sign language camp with friends, including his bestie Nolan, whom Boogie reveres, along with Nixie and Vera from the previous series entries. With one hearing and one Deaf teacher, Boogie and the other campers learn the basics of American Sign Language; briefly study its history; and even get a demonstration of ASL ABC stories from Deaf students at another school. Boogie is a well-rounded character; he is kind and conscientious and learns to not be so tough on himself ("Maybe the point of learning a new language wasn't to be perfect"), not to compare himself to others (especially Nolan), and to accept his own strengths. A lot of time at camp is spent on iconic signs (ones that look like what they represent), which can be typical for children first learning. But the book also captures the non-manual markers necessary for ASL--including facial expressions, at which Boogie excels--and a back-matter note provides more details about the language's complex grammar.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) 1-3 After-School Superstars series. Illustrated by Grace Zong. As the After-School Superstars begin a four-week comic-book-making project, this second installment in the series (Nixie Ness: Cooking Star, rev. 9/19) shifts its focus to third-grader Vera. Vera (depicted in the illustrations as brown-skinned with her hair in an Afro puff) loves comics, but they make her mother uncomfortable to the point that she almost refuses to let Vera participate. "Why would a school enrichment program devote an entire camp to comic books when there are so many other truly important things in the world to learn about?" Over the course of the month, quiet Vera's keen observations about her friends, her teachers, and her mom translate to valuable lessons in self-discovery and allow her to grow into her talent as an artist and comics creator. The month ends with a field trip to a comic-con where student art will be recognized, and Vera has to find the right way to persuade her still-reluctant mom to sign the permission slip for her to attend. Heartfelt moments between Vera and her single-parent mother mix with their struggles over the value of comics to create a realistic family dynamic, and honest moments among the campers keep the chapter book from becoming overly pat. Spot illustrations and an appended list of Vera's favorite comics and graphic novels add extra punch.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 1-3 After-School Superstars series. Illustrated by Grace Zong. The latest series entry (starting with Nixie Ness: Cooking Star, rev. 9/19) stars third-grader Lucy, who joins the after-school coding club hoping it will help her reconnect with her older sister, Elena. Lately Elena seems more interested in coding than doing the activities they used to enjoy together, but Elena finds Lucy's new interest in coding a threat to her individuality. "'I just can't see computers being your thing,' Elena said, 'the way they're my thing.'" The situation grows more complex when Lucy finds she really enjoys--and excels at--coding and must choose between pursuing this new interest and sacrificing it for her sister. As she interacts with her new club-mates (returning characters from previous books), she gains the courage to embrace what she enjoys, despite the awkwardness with her family. The story taps into the clarity and logic of computer programming as a tool to solve communication problems between humans. This title approaches a common sibling frustration, refreshingly from the less-represented viewpoint of the younger child. Spot art breaks up the text and expands the humor, and back matter provides resources to help those interested in coding find a place to start.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) 1-3 After-School Superstars series. Illustrated by Grace Zong. Third-grade best friends Nixie and Grace spend afternoons at Nixie's house, until Nixie's mom accepts her dream job. Nixie goes to "After School Superstars," and Grace, whose family can't afford the after-school program, now spends afternoons with classmate Elyse. Almost immediately, Nixie and Grace's friendship faces the strain of jealousy. Humorous vignettes from after-school cooking class lighten the story. Expressive black-and-white illustrations give newer chapter-book readers time to pause and process events.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019