(2) K-3 Becker's (The Tree and the River, rev. 3/23) latest wordless fantasy takes readers to a post-apocalyptic future. Animals in a flooded zoo huddle on exposed bits of dry land; they are tended by an enormous yellow robot with wind turbines mounted on its back. Becker works in landscape orientation, with the robot's verticality dominating most compositions. Viewers get a sen is place beyond the endless water, the decay of the zoo buildings, and the utter absence of humans. But he does give them some semblance of hope. As the water rises, the robot fashions an ark of sorts. The animals file aboard, and they all set sail on a journey that gives Becker ample opportunity to explore the moods of his seascape. An encounter with another robot, this one blue and powered by solar panels, leads to sanctuary. Its hot air balloon accommodates both robots and all the animals, carrying them to an Edenic island, lush with vegetation and complete with waterfall and rainbow. Becker's characteristically virtuosic ink and watercolor paintings offer much for young readers to pore over and peer at, which may be enough for many. Others will find the story and the questions it poses lingering long after the book is closed.

Reviewer: Vicky Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Clara Abigail Poole causes quite a scene when she hurtles across the skies of western Michigan in a plastic lawn chair attached to hundreds of balloons. After she crash-lands and is grounded by her father, Clara's stunt captures the attention of one Harold Habberdish, who arrives from Paris with a proposal: join "the most ambitious and breathtaking adventure race ever conceived," a hot-air balloon race around the world. Against her father's wishes, Clara runs away from home--and from the guilt she feels for the accident that killed her mother--and flies to Paris to join the race. Because she is so young and inexperienced, she is partnered with seasoned aeronaut Greta Gildersleeve and her monkey copilots. What ensues is a madcap tale with oddball characters, intrigue, and new friendships made. Tyng's prose is appropriately light and action-verb-driven, complete with sound effects ("Thwack! Pop! Poppity-pop!"). Beyond all the excitement, though, this is, at its heart, a father-daughter story and one about the long road--or flight--toward acceptance and forgiveness. Told with a light touch--lighter than air, you might say.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jennifer Thermes. A very proper lady penguin and a bad-mannered mouse stow away on a hot air balloon in this exciting animal adventure. When the balloon is forced to land in the Arctic, the two strangers must learn to get along in order to survive. Themes of overcoming hardship, death, and grief add gravity to this otherwise whimsical tale featuring Thermes's delicate and vibrant pencil illustrations.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 John Jeffries, a loyalist who moved to England after the Revolutionary War, became the first American to study weather conditions in a hot-air balloon, as well as to cross the English Channel in one (with copilot Jean-Pierre Blanchard). Brown relates the story with humor and woven-in (sourced) quotations. Pencil and watercolor illustrations vary in perspective and add cartoonish wit. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) 1-3 My Weirdest School series. Illustrated by Jim Paillot. In Newman, high jinks ensue when a local meteorologist takes A.J. and Andrea on a hot-air balloon ride and the trio gets caught in a sandstorm. In Tracy, a retired astronomer directs a student play about the solar system, and A.J. is given the unfortunate role of Uranus. Despite repetitive, one-note humor, series fans will enjoy the over-the-top wackiness complemented by black-and-white cartoons. Review covers these My Weirdest School titles: Miss Newman Isn't Human! and Miss Tracy is Spacey.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 In eighteenth-century France, "dreamer" Joseph-Michel Montgolfier and his more practical brother, Jacques-Etienne, used their complementary skills to invent and launch the first hot-air balloon. Playful digital paintings depict the invention's intricate details and capture the remarkable flight over verdant countryside and Louis XVI's Versailles. An attractive and informative introduction to these pioneers of flight. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) K-3 An unlikely friendship develops between cantankerous Mr. Raisin, who only enjoys sewing, and Floaty, a gravity-immune dog left on his doorstep in a covered basket (with a note: "Too much trouble!"). When the leash snaps during a walk and the pup floats away, Mr. Raisin eventually sews a hot-air balloon and rescues Floaty. Funny digital illustrations make the most of the heartwarming story's outlandish premise.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) K-3 A brown bear happens upon an empty hot-air-balloon basket and takes a nap; he wakes up having landed in a big city full of adventures. Soon (through a series of humorous accidents) he becomes the toast of the town before returning to his home via the same balloon. Wildsmith's illustrations, with his trademark riotous colors and energy, capture the day's commotion and the bear's bewilderment.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Laura Ellen Anderson. In this sequel to Harper and the Scarlet Umbrella, Harper and her friends discover the whimsical Circus of Dreams, suspended in the sky by balloons and populated with an array of quirky characters. Treacly prose creates a world filled with sparkly magic but not much emotional resonance beyond wonder and awe. Tidy grayscale illustrations play up the fanciful.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 1-3 Hotel Strange series. Illustrated by Katherine Ferrier. The woodland creatures of Hotel Strange are settling in for the winter...until ghosts take away their friend Mr. Snarf. A hot-air balloon trip over the clouds and into the Land of Ghosts ensues. Fourth in the French-import series, the imaginative, quirky story is told through colorful comic panels. A recipe is included.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(2) K-3 George Laurent, a duck and a consummate baker, has a deep, dark secret: he can't fly. His ursine friend Pascal unearths the truth, but flying lessons don't help until the two discover hot-air balloons exist. The inspired illustrations--composed of watercolor, crayon, pencil, and paper collage--pace the text, give George and Pascal personality, and set the cozy scenes of home and the spectacular vistas of "somewhere else."

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Tavares. In 1805, Sophie Blanchard became the first woman to fly solo in a hot-air balloon. Her daring exploits are recounted in lively, informative prose, while Tavares's ink and watercolor illustrations depict both the elegant French society that frowned upon Blanchard's high-flying aspirations and the boundless views visible to her from the sky. An author's note sets Blanchard's accomplishments in historical context. Bib.

Reviewer: Debora Pearson

(4) 4-6 Stickmen's Guides to How Everything Works series. Illustrated by John Paul de Quay. With appeal for future engineers, this series looks at the history of selected machines and how they work, from basic design and function to inner workings. Technical drawings, including cross-sections and diagrams, and simple explanatory texts (in tiny font) illustrate, for example, how pistons are used to power engines. Stick figures throughout the books add unneeded but benign-enough novelty. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Stickmen's Guide to How Everything Works titles: Stickmen's Guide to Aircraft, Stickmen's Guide to Gigantic Machines, Stickmen's Guide to Trains and Automobiles, and Stickmen's Guide to Watercraft.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 From eighteenth-century ballooning through present-day developments in private space travel, important events in aviation and space flight are covered in chronological order. Each discussion includes a few pages of narrative prose highlighting the importance of the milestone as well as plentiful illustrations and photographs providing additional detail and context. The colorful presentation and clear organization make for easy reading. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Clara Vulliamy. In this third adventure, dogs Digby and Percy, along with their new friend, parrot Ariel, visit an air show and accidentally take off in a hot-air balloon. As ever, neighbor Lou Ella (who likes "getting her own way") makes an excellent villain. The drama is both exciting and appropriate for new readers. A jaunty page layout and profuse illustrations move the story along briskly.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Kelly Murphy. This new installment features the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, where the two feline travelers (Anton and Cecil: Cats at Sea) are enlisted by a police bloodhound to help solve a case of missing puppies. The mild, sometimes overly descriptive mystery lacks significant suspense or excitement but should appeal to readers who enjoy cat stories and mellow whodunits. Includes occasional black-and-white illustrations.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. In 1785, Dr. John Jeffries and Jean-Pierre Blanchard were determined to complete the first international flight by crossing the English Channel in a hot-air balloon. The voyage (apart from the cantankerous pair's arguments) is going well...until the balloon overinflates. Blackall's witty illustrations--including occasional comic-panel strips--feel plucked from the time period. An author's note reveals the creative adaptations of factual events.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(4) K-3 In a disjointed story, Gibert satirically combines two historical events--the hot-air balloon invented by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783 and the 1789 French Revolution--by imagining that the sheep, hen, and duck sent up in the balloon insult King Louis XVI upon landing; sent to the Bastille, they become revolutionaries six years later. The stylish illustrations, with mixed patterns and regal jewel tones, add interest.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Traveling to the moon in a hot air balloon, Mr. Fox collects other animal passengers and provisions along the way. When the group grows too large, the lines snap, sending the party to the ground as the balloon ascends alone. Funky retro illustrations depict a lit-up city at night, the perfect setting for this jovial band of friends raucously enjoying an evening's adventure.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(2) K-3 Sebastian sets out in a hot-air balloon made of a box, strings, and "Grandma's afghans and patchwork quilts" to see something new. Encounters with "a real bear" and "a very tall bird" culminate in a mission to repair a derelict roller coaster. Stead's pictures revel in the rich colors and textures of pastels, oils, and charcoal. The illustrations match the text's nostalgic feel.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014