(1) 4-6 This is a neatly constructed story of two parallel characters. Gladys is a small, bright, intense eleven-year-old with a sensitive nature and quirky clothing sense. Her mom runs an in-home daycare. Jude, also eleven, is big for his age, the son of a single mother and the frequent caregiver for his little brother. Their stories are told in alternating chapters (in different typefaces) and come together when each encounters True, a neglected dog in the neighborhood. True's rescue forms the core of the action. Springstubb (The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe, rev. 9/21) does a masterly job of creating two distinct voices and sustaining our interest in the two main characters equally. A supporting cast of flawed adults and hilarious preschoolers rounds out the picture. The setting--a town formerly prosperous but now on the skids, where folks are just scraping by, with subtle reference to the opioid crisis and the collapse of the manufacturing economy--is one that is underrepresented in contemporary middle-grade fiction, and it mitigates against the potential soppiness of a dog-rescue story. The writing is fresh, sharp, and authentic: "This could be trouble, said his brain. Open the door, said whatever the opposite of a brain was." It's Because of Winn-Dixie (rev. 7/00) for a new generation.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(4) PS A series of gentle cartoon images depict how kids in day care and their working parents spend their days: e.g., while kids enjoy "circle time," grownups gather at a round conference table. The notion of paralleling parent-child activities is an effective approach. The only drawback is that each child looks identical to his or her featured parent, fostering a rigid idea of what a family looks like.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Maxie Chambliss. A simple text follows Carly through a busy day at daycare, from preparing to leave her house in the morning through going home at the end of the day. Carly misses her parents, but thinking about what they are doing throughout the day comforts her. Children will recognize their experiences and feelings in this cheerfully illustrated, upbeat text. Tips for parents are appended.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) K-3 Translated by Kjersti Board. While on a field trip with her daycare center, precocious but high-strung Bridget gets left behind. She stops in a forest to ask directions from some wolves, they get to gabbing, and Bridget ultimately assumes a teacherly role with the wolves, gaining much-needed confidence in the process. Like the narrative in this absurd, affecting yarn from Sweden, the illustrations feature much humor.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Eva Eriksson. In her third book, Rosa the dog becomes grumpy when summer ends and she has to go back to the city. Her "aunt" sends her to a doggie daycare center, which Rosa isn't happy about at first. Then she meets dozens of dogs, and slowly her behavior changes. By the end, Rosa is her old sociable self. The story drags, but the lighthearted illustrations are appealing.

Reviewer: Sara Pearce