(2) 4-6 Ellen & Ned series. Now in fifth grade, riding student Ellen (Riding Lessons) has matured somewhat; Ned, the horse she loves, has stopped talking to her, making her wonder if he ever did. Outside the stables, Ellen learns a secret about a neighbor, and the money troubles in her own family add more pressure to her life. The well-observed narrative moves at an amiable pace, kept lively by Ellen's distinct voice and perspective.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) 4-6 Ellen & Ned series. In this (projected) new trilogy, headstrong fourth grader Ellen's parents inform her they're adopting a little girl and that she herself is adopted; and at her riding lessons at Oak Valley Ranch, Ellen discovers that horse Ned can talk to her in her head. The treatment of adoption is true to the book's 1960s setting. Smiley's horsewomanship is spot on, giving readers vicarious equestrian thrills.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(4) 4-6 Edgar & Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. In this third Edgar and Ellen Nodyssey adventure, the anti-heroes go separate ways in order to track their nemesis. They receive help from friends old and new, including riffs on the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot. Their quest to save the world contains no surprises, but the story's humor, shown in digitally enhanced pen-and-ink illustrations, will appease series fans.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Edgar & Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. In Hot, Edgar and Ellen hunt a thief, disrupt the town elections, and cement their reputation as troublemakers. Frost has them going to the Arctic in search of a balm that could save humanity. Though the stories occasionally drag, there's enough goofy humor in the texts and digital and pen-and-ink illustrations to keep readers hanging on for the series' next installments. Review covers these Edgar & Ellen titles: Frost Bites and Hot Air.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Edgar & Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. In Hot, Edgar and Ellen hunt a thief, disrupt the town elections, and cement their reputation as troublemakers. Frost has them going to the Arctic in search of a balm that could save humanity. Though the stories occasionally drag, there's enough goofy humor in the texts and digital and pen-and-ink illustrations to keep readers hanging on for the series' next installments. Review covers these Edgar & Ellen titles: Frost Bites and Hot Air.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) 4-6 Edgar & Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. In their sixth book, twins Edgar and Ellen try to save their home and their friend, Pet, by winning a treasure hunt set up two hundred years earlier. The plot is simple and somewhat repetitive, but the twins stay true to their cranky, troublemaking selves. Occasional black-and-white drawings illustrate the chapters.

Reviewer: Becky Levine

(3) 4-6 Edgar and Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. Though twins Edgar and Ellen thought they had saved their junkyard and a rare insect-eating plant (in Tourist Trap), a hotel is still scheduled to be built on top of them. Edgar and Ellen try to sabotage construction, but another mysterious saboteur is foiling their plans. Though disappointing (the junkyard and plant are both destroyed), the story is original and unpredictable. The black-and-white spot illustrations add atmosphere.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(3) 4-6 Edgar and Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. When the mayor's proposal to make Nod's Limbs a historical landmark includes demolishing their beloved junkyard, the delightfully creepy twins Edgar and Ellen sabotage his plans. Though the ending feels somewhat unresolved, Ogden's story is original and unexpected. The bold spot illustrations add to the wicked fun in this second book in the series.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(4) 4-6 Edgar and Ellen series. Illustrated by Rick Carton. In order to raise money to fund their diabolical schemes, Edgar and Ellen--two unlikable, gruesome twins with a penchant for mischief--kidnap all the pets in Nod's Limbs, give them exotic makeovers (since rare beasts are a valuable commodity), and try to sell them for a bundle. Though slow moving, Ogden's story is original and unpredictable. The bold black-and-white spot illustrations add atmosphere.

Reviewer: Mark Adam