(2) K-3 Illustrated by James Burks. Bugs and bad weather and bears...oh, my! At first, camping seems like a "fun and easy" vacation. For a family of inexperienced campers, however, disaster lurks around every pine tree. Luckily, the frustrated family (portrayed in the illustrations with a variety of skin tones) stumbles upon Campingland, a bright, plastic-y, climate-controlled paradise, complete with an abundance of modern conveniences and politely accommodating animatronic forest friends. "Not like our first camping trip," whose details are revealed in a series of zany flashbacks that parallel the Campingland activities. Dyckman's straightforward and energetic prose makes for an engaging story. The use of speech bubbles with a large, playful font for the dialogue encourages interactive participation for emerging as well as more proficient readers. Burks's digital illustrations are full of humorous details. The candy-colored vistas of Campingland are in sharp contrast to the gray-weather outdoor scenes of the real campsite. But that first trip, it turns out, was the one full of "real family memories," and now the family is "a lot more prepared" to give outdoor camping another try and to "just roll with it...no matter what." (Uh-oh.)

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) 4-6 Kevin Lee, a 1990s Chinese Canadian boy, struggles with being invisible among his peers, but somehow lands in the spotlight at the most embarrassing moments. When he brings preserved eggs to middle school for lunch, he becomes a laughingstock and gains the nickname "Egg Boy." Then in gym class he throws a basketball and accidentally hits the substitute teacher, knocking out a tooth. His parents' divorce doesn't make his life any easier: his older sister resents taking on extra responsibilities as she prepares for college, while his mother barely makes ends meet running an alterations shop. When Popo, his maternal grandmother, arrives from China, she reminds him that "today's pain is tomorrow's strength." Xu's coming-of-age graphic novel follows Kevin's ups and downs as he strives to fit in at school, get along with his sister, and help his mom. He takes refuge in a fantasy world of comics depicted by lively, action-packed panels -- a world that later comes to life at an amusement park. Amusing facial expressions and gestures capture the distinctive persona of each character and their interactions. Themes of sacrifice, survival, and love abound in a multidimensional story of navigating the bumpy terrain of family tensions and resilience across generations.

Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) YA Jay has lived for three years in Karloff Country, a Disney World–like resort in Virginia whose guests include the world's super-wealthy. It's billed as "The Funnest Place Around," and it is, since outside the walls in this near-future world the planet is devastated by poverty, hunger, wildfires, droughts, riots, and violence. The narration alternates among Jay and his friends Zeke and Connie, also Black and also Helpers at the amusement park; and Seychelle Karloff, biracial heiress to a multi-billion-dollar fortune. After an apocalyptic series of events, the friends come to realize that Karloff Country has been deliberately positioned as a refuge for the "prophets of finance and politics who saw society's collapse coming" and a "doomsday prison" for the Helpers, and they put themselves at risk by joining a rebellion. Giles skillfully places the four friends in the midst of a brutal upheaval with strong racial overtones, as Karloff Country, so meticulously perfect at the beginning of the novel, is dismantled and the world inside the walls begins to look like the devastated world outside. With elements of adventure, science fiction, horror, and even a bit of romance in a broken world, Giles keeps readers wondering who can and cannot be trusted throughout this page-turning novel.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) 4-6 In this fast-paced graphic novel, the story shifts quickly from the prologue's dramatic underwater disaster to a goofy sci-fi buddy comedy set five years later. A motley crew of ocean creatures, led by a hermit crab named Sodapop, turns an old-school diving suit into a three-kids-in-a-trench-coat-style way for them to leave the ocean and find Aqualand, a place they read about in the journal of the marine biologist who'd died in the book's first pages. But instead of the safe haven for ocean animals they expected, they find a theme park run by a greedy investor, as well as the grief-stricken daughter and brother of the deceased scientist. While the plot gets a bit convoluted, ­Santat handles both the goofy physical comedy and the family's grief deftly. The exceptional art is what makes those disparate elements work together, with muted green and deep blue tones creating a palette against which both the slapstick and the characters' expressive facial expressions pop. The Aquanaut itself switches between looking hilariously unwieldy and absolutely otherworldly, and Santat finds both humor and pathos in the strange gaze of its faceless helmet.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) K-3 Fox Tails series. In this lighthearted and lively early reader series, anthropomorphized Fox siblings Fritz and Franny's everyday experiences are depicted with imagination and playfulness. In Roller Coaster, the kids visit a (pinecone-themed) amusement park in search of the perfect ride. When they line up for "The Big One"--a huge looping coaster--their fears get the best of them, but they ultimately find a just-right amusement (for themselves and pet dog Fred). Bunk Bed finds the kids arguing at bedtime over which bunk is best before opting to snuggle together--in Fred's bed. In each title, the events of three short chapters come together to make one cohesive story arc. Straightforward and usefully repetitive dialogue is presented via speech balloons that have plenty of white space and color-coded outlines for each character. Prepositions and opposites (over and under, above and below) scaffold beginning readers' understanding of new words, and keep the books moving at a zippy pace. Vibrant-hued illustrations with thick black outlines complement the mood of the humorous tales. Back matter includes instructions from Kügler on how to draw one of the characters and a "What's Your Story?" comprehension and activities section. Review covers these Fox Tails titles: The Biggest Roller Coaster and The Great Bunk Bed Battle.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. On August 28, 1963, as Dr. King delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the March on Washington, Sharon Langley became the first black child to ride the carousel at a previously segregated amusement park near Baltimore. Dialogue keeps the story personal in this well-paced, engaging autobiography. Cooper's warm, vintage-style art homes in on faces and, of course, the colorful carousel. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) YA Lou Parker is a sarcastic, passionate teen with a summer job dressing as a hot dog at a rundown but beloved amusement park. Lou turns her enthusiasm into saving Magic Castle Playland from closing down, but relationship dramas among her park coworkers distract her. This is a pleasantly peppy rom-com populated with memorable characters and refreshingly nonchalant treatment of their varied evolving sexual identities.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(2) PS Words with double ls tell the story of the siblings from Look now at a seaside amusement park. Hand-crafted lettering incorporates many of the ls into the pictures themselves: the ls in spill are straws tumbling from an overturned cup; those in marshmallow are toasting sticks over a campfire. Bright, ebullient images feature open composition with lots of movement, and heavy buff paper stock enhances their tactile, textured richness.

Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Horne. Ana receives a chicken for her birthday instead of the amusement park tickets she requested. Little does she know that Abuela Lola--and the chicken--had the ultimate surprise in mind all along, which plays out amusingly in Horne's joke-filled cartoony illustrations. Repetition of the titular refrain throughout the story gives the text a lyrical quality.

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(3) 4-6 Fact Finders: Awesome Engineering series. Illustrated by Mark Ruffle. This series packs lots of information about engineering structures or vehicles into slim volumes. Each spread includes a "Building Brief" explaining the challenge, engineer, and location of the featured invention; information on the history and physical science involved; and illustrative diagrams and small photos. The tone respects readers' intelligence, as do the straightforward scientific explanations. A page of facts concludes each volume. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fact Finders: Awesome Engineering titles: Bridges, Fairground Rides, and Trains, Planes, and Ships.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) YA After mayor's daughter Darby causes a disaster at the July snow-globe unveiling in Christmas, Kentucky, she's forced into a cleaning job at Holly Jolly Land amusement park. As Darby considers what it will take to keep her small town's character authentic in the face of big-time developers, she digs more deeply into her own character and considers a new love interest. Christmassy sweetness abounds in this feel-good summer rom-com.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. A boy lives happily in quiet isolation at the End of the World until the effusive Constantine Shimmer decides to build a resort there. The invasion that follows introduces the narrator to the joys of friendship but also teaches him to discriminate between excitement and happiness. Hawkes's illustrations celebrate natural beauty and sparkle with wit.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Born without arms, Aven has always assumed that she was abandoned at birth because of her disability. When her loving adoptive family relocates to manage a struggling adventure park, mysterious clues beckon, leading her to solve a puzzle generations in the making. Aven navigates her unique situation with pluck, brains, and heart.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Douglas Holgate. Monster-apocalypse survivor Jack worries he'll lose his friends forever if they successfully make radio contact with other humans. Determined to convince his pals to stay, Jack distracts them at an abandoned theme park, only to realize he's been mind-manipulated by the evil King Wretch. Comic book–style illustrations, action, humor, and well-developed characters combine for another entertaining Last Kids on Earth book.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 You Choose Stories: Field Trip Mysteries series. Illustrated by Marcos Calo. Readers get to co-construct each story and help solve thin mysteries in this interactive spinoff of Brezenoff's Field Trip Mysteries. Sixth-grade detectives Sam, Egg, Gum, and Cat investigate a missing rare fruit from a botanical garden (Fruit) and stolen electronic tickets from a carnival (Caper). Each case offers twelve possible endings for readers to pursue. Full-bleed color illustrations bring important scenes to life. Glos. Review covers these You Choose Stories: Field Trip Mysteries titles: The Carnival Caper and The Disappearing Fruit.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) K-3 Tiptoe into Scary Places series. Rundown buildings, deserted locations, and ghost stories provide the creepy premise of this series. Each volume includes four spooky locations in a category, but some examples are a stretch and others are only indirectly related to their location. Background info, brief details on a specific haunting, and crisp photographs round out the presentation. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Tiptoe into Scary Places titles: Horror Hotels, Haunted Amusement Parks, Deserted Prisons, and Spooky Libraries.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Alyssa lives in a fairy-tale world--literally. She loves her summer job as Cinderella at a theme park but is crushed when her boyfriend dumps her. Her friend Miller (also a park character) is there to support her. Alyssa's attempts at personal development sometimes feel unconvincingly facile, but the setting brings originality to this breezy summer romance.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Prizewinners of Piedmont Place series. Illustrated by Colin Jack. The biracial Talaska family (The Prizewinners of Piedmont Place) works together to solve riddles to win the "Funland Fun House Makeover Contest" and save the dilapidated family home. Although lacking in character and plot development, slapstick humor and pun-tastic wordplay are at the heart of this imaginative book filled with clowns, amusement-park attractions, and last-minute saves. Spot illustrations echo the over-the-top tone.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 1-3 Calico: Ghost Detectors series. Illustrated by Dave Shephard. Young ghost detectives Malcolm and Dandy encounter a doll-obsessed poltergeist (Dolled), a haunted mini-golf course (Lies), a dance teacher running rehearsals from beyond the grave (Kick), and a ghost zookeeper with a full complement of ghost zoo animals (Lions). Stilted dialogue aside, the large print, simple plots, and comic-style illustrations make these light books accessible for those not quite ready for Goosebumps. Review covers these Calico: Ghost Detectors titles: All Dolled Up!, As It Lies!, One, Two, Three, Kick!, and Lions, Tiger & Bears, Oh My!.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Spellbound: Ursula's Funland series. Illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino. Ava realizes the amusement park her father just purchased is haunted. To help him keep the park open, she and her new friend, Oliver, identify ghosts and help them move on. Each of the slight, barely scary books in this new hi-lo series contains four brief chapters with full-color illustrations and words in different typefaces to aid reluctant readers. Review covers these Spellbound: Ursula's Funland titles: The Face in the Photo, The Fortune Teller, The Hall of Mirrors, and The Howler.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers