(3) 1-3 Time Dogs series. Illustrated by Misa Saburi. On a typical day, the elderly dogs of Happy Paws Farm nap and enjoy one another's company. When tracking a lost ball leads the pack to a time-traveling/age-reducing magical van, the five friends experience adventures in history--as puppies. Frequent black-and-white illustrations support the large-font text. An author's note provides details about the real life events that inspired the stories. Review covers these Time Dogs titles: Balto and the Race Against Time and Seaman and the Great Northern Adventure.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Becky Thatcher is determined to remember her deceased brother by having the adventures he should have had. She finds that Tom Sawyer is a tattletale, but his brother, Sid, is a kindred spirit; their exploits unfold with mischief and fun. Lawson, with her storyteller's ear for language, is respectful of Twain's classic as she tells alternate stories of St. Petersburg, Missouri.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) 4-6 In this rip-roaring turn-of-the-twentieth-century adventure, twelve-year-old Cissy Sissney and two of her classmates visit their beloved former teacher, whose acting troupe has taken up residence on a rundown steamboat. Villains emerge, hijinks ensue, and Cissy and friends save the day. The ensemble cast brims with quirky, original characterization in this warmhearted paean to the tall tales of the American West.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(3) 4-6 In 1852 Emma and her mother board the steamboat Sally May. For headstrong Emma, a forbidden trip to visit her pony, Twist, on the main deck reveals a new world full of danger and unlikely friendships. Hart's diverting historical adventure includes authentic period details and an informative afterword on the history of riverboat travel.

Reviewer: Pearl Higgins

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Robert Ingpen. This beautifully designed new edition is just in time for the centenary of Twain's death. Readers familiar with Tom Sawyer's exploits will enjoy revisiting familiar scenes and characters while those new to this beloved classic will laugh aloud as Tom gallivants with Huckleberry Finn and pines after the charming Becky Thatcher. Ingpen's delicate illustrations are full of beauty, magic, and mischief.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(4) 4-6 Trixie Belden series. Illustrated by Haris Petie. Trixie fans will rejoice over this reissue of the fifteenth title in the long-out-of-print series, which uses the original text and line drawings. The plot is formulaic, but impulsive, kindhearted Trixie has an irresistible appeal.

Reviewer: Terri Schmitz

(4) 4-6 Amazing Journeys series. Acting as field guides ("You are about to go on an amazing journey"), each somewhat choppy revised text introduces the featured habitat while maps, photographs, and drawings on crowded pages detail the plant and animal life. A "Journey Map" sets the stage, then double-page spreads offer a brief explanation on the left and a "notebook" feature documenting the discoveries on the right. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Amazing Journeys titles: Down a River, Inside a Coral Reef, Up a Rainforest Tree, and To the Depths of the Ocean.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 Rivers in American Life and Times series. Each book focuses on a major North American river and its significance in American history. Close attention is paid to small facts, but the details are never overwhelming nor do they muddy the bigger picture. The dense text is smoothly written, and short highlighted sections and color pictures and maps help to break it up. Hudson lists websites. Timeline. Bib., ind. Review covers these Rivers in American Life and Times titles: The Hudson River and The Missouri River.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Scott McKowen. Twain's 1876 classic about the cheerfully incorrigible mischief-making everyboy is published in an unabridged edition featuring elegant (if not particularly engaging) scratchboard-drawing chapter headers and a ribbon bookmark.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Anderson's picture book biography provides an appealing sketch of the colorful life of Samuel Clemens. Written in affectionate prose, the text makes clear connections between Clemens's experiences and his writing. While Andreasen's illustrations exude a warmth that matches the tone of the text, they aren't quite lively enough to capture the exploits of one of America's most famous writers.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 Lewis and Clark series. This series offers detailed information on Lewis and Clark's legendary expedition. Although the journey is portrayed in a positive light, Hamilton doesn't gloss over its darker aspects. Adding interest are quotes, historical documents, reproductions, modern-day photos of land encountered on the trip, and, of course, maps. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Lewis and Clark titles: The Corps of Discovery, The Journey Home, The Missouri River, The Mountains, To the Pacific, and Uncharted Lands.]

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) 4-6 Beginning in Omaha, the author and three friends travel the Missouri River to its source, following the path of Lewis and Clark. Maps and archival illustrations accompany the text, which is enhanced with excerpts from Lewis's and Clark's journals. Lourie's captioned color photos illustrate the book, and the prologue, epilogue, and author's notes further inform the reader. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg