(2) 4-6 In this graphic novel, Tate Seong wants nothing more than to be as skilled a violist as their idol, Eli Violet. Not only is Eli a musical prodigy, they're out to the world as nonbinary, while Tate's gender identity remains a secret. Tate is shocked to find upon arriving at a camp for musicians that Eli is attending incognito as regular kid Eli Vance. The two forge a pact: Eli will give Tate viola lessons, and Tate won't tell anyone about Eli's fame. With their new friend's support, Tate rises in the camp orchestra's ranks, earning themself a coveted solo spot in the final performance. Eli, on the other hand, eventually finds peace with not always being the best. The story speaks to many of the pressures that come with figuring out who you are and what you're capable of. Palmer's digital illustrations are packed with energy, frequently jumping back and forth between more detailed depictions of characters and simple comic-style doodles. Rich blends of reds, purples, and blues fill the backgrounds of each panel and page -- a strong visual addition to this musical tale. In addition to helping Tate with their music, Eli gives them the confidence to come out to their family. "This is your gift to them. They'd better appreciate it."

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) K-3 Retold by Georghia Ellinas. Illustrated by Jane Ray. Feste the clown/fool is our tour guide in this retelling of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. He is uniquely suited to this job because, as he says, he's the only person who knows "what is going on and who is fooling whom." In a prose text, he introduces us to the mix-and-match merry-making, love lost and found, cross-dressing, plots-gone-wrong, and general bewilderment of Illyria, as well as tidily conveying not only the hilarity of the story but also some of its darker emotional implications such as the undoing of Malvolio. At the most tangled moment of the Olivia/Orsino/Sebastian/Viola mix-up, Feste declares: "It was difficult to know whom to feel sorrier for as they were all so confused and upset." This genial introduction to the play is a good choice for young theatergoers but is also a fine picture book in its own right, maximizing the theatrical nature of picture books. The watercolor illustrations in jewel-like colors and energetic compositions are reminiscent of the work of Tomie dePaola, and the casual diversity of the characters is a welcome touch. Like the play, the final scene has its lonely note. We see everybody happily coupled except an aging Feste, who sits secluded with his lute, his hand puppet, and his beruffed dog.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Amy June Bates. This slowly unfolding picture-book biography begins by setting the scene: the environment of hate during the Holocaust and why it was necessary for many Jews to hide their true identities. The book introduces a toy duck that was used to conceal false papers; then its bearer, teenaged French Resistance member Jacqueline Gauthier; and finally Gauthier's real name, Judith Geller, and the fact that she was Jewish herself. Boxer's short lines of text summarize Geller's work, dramatizing one close encounter with a Nazi soldier and her persistence after that narrow escape. Bates's atmospheric watercolor and gouache paintings emphasizing black and muted red tones propel the scenes with varied, inventive compositions. Though the book conveys a sense of the danger for Jews and thus the urgency of Geller's work, the story was pieced together from relatively little information, as notes from the author and illustrator explain, and might work best as part of a larger lesson on the Holocaust. Back matter also includes a bibliography.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) 4-6 Jeremy's mom tasks him with inviting famous scientists to a symposium on her sea-bound research ship, which is testing out a tool for cleaning up the Great Pacific ­Garbage Patch. He mistakenly sends adult scientist Sidney Miller's invitation to twelve-year-old podcaster Sidney Miller, who needs to fill her summer with educational and interactive experiences so her parents don't haul her off to camp. Jeremy agrees to smuggle the younger Sidney (and her goldfish, Rachel Carson) onto the ship instead of admitting his mistake, and the two commit to keeping her presence a secret from the adults onboard. Gregarious Jeremy, who is more interested in sports than science, and introverted Sidney, who has become entranced with the concept of synchronicity, quickly go from mismatched odd couple to dedicated friends with a shared secret. They eventually get caught, of course, but not before their social media advocacy brings the media coverage Jeremy's mother needs to keep her project funded. Nuanced layers of story take the book beyond its initial quirkiness: Jeremy's reaction to his parents' divorce, Sidney's close relationship with her grandmother, the challenges of sustaining interest in long-term scientific work. The narrative's nonlinear structure, with sections alternating between Jeremy's and Sidney's points of view and flashbacks that develop the characters and reveal how they got to the ship, makes for an engaging read; and the nautical setting is richly developed.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 4-6 Mia, the twelve-year-old protagonist of this accessible graphic novel, keeps to herself in school and is bullied over her autism. But she shines as Elle-Q, an alter ego known only to her friend Charlie, with whom she makes music videos that have gained an online following. Laura, who's among the class bullies at first, is a huge Elle-Q fan, and a friendship gradually develops between her and Mia over what's ostensibly just a shared fandom. (Though the girls take some time to figure this out, they both have secret online identities.) Pressure from Charlie to make the act more public than Mia feels ready for complicates matters and adds to her sense of being overwhelmed. Mia's increasing eagerness to be--and to advocate for--herself is encouraging, as is the casual diversity among the other characters (light-skinned Mia's classmates have a variety of skin tones; Charlie is dark-skinned and nonbinary). Varied page layouts in the digital illustrations hold interest, with panel boundaries especially breaking at moments of strong emotion--and when Mia feels free as Elle-Q.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) PS Opening endpapers populated with buck-toothed squirrels feature one yellow creature with an orange beak dressed in a jaunty green cap and vest. The muddle begins there, and the story opens with a suspicious rodent attempting to question this yellow creature called "Custard the Squirrel" into submission with the diligence of a criminal attorney. "Custard the Squirrel, aren't you a duck?" it asks, while showing a picture of a duck from a book to support this leading question. Custard faces further pointed inquiry about swimming, quacking, eating weeds, and laying eggs. Custard is a "no" for all of it while carrying on with its day--going for a sail, playing the organ, eating a gourmet feast, and reading a book about eggs--while the exasperated pursuer trails behind. Ultimately, Custard pauses to entertain one final question: "Custard the Squirrel, do you only answer 'No'?" Custard, contrary and independent to the end, affirms, "Yes!" Delight ensues. The characteristically unexpected details and color choices featured in Ruzzier's watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations pair perfectly with this story of individualism. The antagonistic question-and-answer format full of repetition and supportive visuals will provide reinforcement for beginning readers along with comedy, satisfaction, and even some opportunity for personal empowerment.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) YA Sunny Dae and his friends are the "nerd caste" (and also "42.85714286 percent of the entire nonwhite population") at their suburban Los Angeles high school. They are, after all, the hosts of a web series about building props for LARP events (live action role playing, for the uninitiated). But when he meets cool new girl Cirrus, Sunny hides his passions for crafting and role-playing games and pretends he's the front man of a band called the Immortals, using his older brother Gray's equipment and wearing his clothes. The lie escalates quickly: soon, both Cirrus and Sunny are smitten with "Rock Star Sunny," and the Immortals are preparing to perform in their school's talent show. Sunny's narration, full of inventive metaphors, is distinctly, gloriously nerdy. For example, when he hears that Gray quit his band for financial reasons: "It killed me that people had to cancel their dreams for endless toil, unless of course we somehow managed to pull ourselves out of these late-stage capitalist dark ages and into a Star Trek (TNG) future blessed with a universal basic income and sweet jumpsuits." Despite Sunny's self-professed cynicism, the novel is a joyful one: a bully easily becomes a friend; three geeky friends turn out to also be decent musicians; and ultimately Sunny, just as he is, gets the girl. For nerds--and those who love them--this is a fitting tribute.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) YA In this modern-day take on the classic film Roman Holiday, K-pop superstar Lucky meets Jack in Hong Kong. Though Lucky uses a fake name, Jack (secretly a part-time paparazzo) figures out who she is--and knows he can land a full-time job if he sends the scoop to his boss. The problem: he's falling for Lucky, and she for him. Lucky and Jack are both charming, funny narrators with serious chemistry.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Juana Medina. When a baked-potato-loving woman decides to get a dog, she finds a "smooth" and "warm" pup and names him Baked Potato. When the lady goes out, the dog goes looking for her, and a series of encounters leads him to realize he is not, in fact, an actual baked potato. Medina's digital illustrations use color and line effectively; and though the details are quirky, the arc of Primavera's story is familiar and comforting.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) YA When the government announces a conscription to raise troops against an enemy invasion from across the Great Wall, Mulan answers the call--disguised as her deceased twin brother. The portrayal of fifth-century China is engrossing, but it's Mulan's story--her rocky introduction to combat and her growth in valor, plus the growing attraction between her and the duke's son--that makes this revisioning of the ancient Chinese legend captivating.

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

(3) YA After being kicked out of ballet school for not meeting expectations, thirteen-year-old British girl Mouse reluctantly attends a ski trip in the French Alps. With a cute boy named Jack, new friends, a French pop star, and a trio of mean girls, the trip is more eventful than Mouse ever imagined. Mouse's and Jack's alternating perspectives capture the heady excitement of tween crushes, and the side characters are entertaining and authentic.

Reviewer: Mariko Turk

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Christopher Weyant. A homeless dog sneaks into various shops and masquerades as a pillow, a stool, and a jacket. Each time, the same man buys the item, becomes dissatisfied, and complains to the store. Finally, he realizes the dog is "more of a Jackie than a jacket" and adopts her. Straight-faced and deadpan, the dialogue and cartoony illustrations together make the odd situation quite funny.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) 4-6 Rosewood Chronicles series. Lottie Pumpkin gets into Rosewood Hall, the boarding school of her dreams. Princess Ellie convinces her parents to let her attend incognito. The two girls become roommates, and when rumors start that Lottie is the princess, they run with it, even when the real princess's life is threatened. Readers will delight in this endearing tale of friendship, mistaken identities, and living the princess fantasy.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tim Miller. Reminiscent of Elephant & Piggie books in both comedic style and cartoon illustrations, an all-dialogue story centers on two very different animals, who learn (eventually) that not everyone is like them. The hilarious mix-up between a horse (a "very big dog," to Dog) and a dog (a "tiny baby horse," to Horse) stays fresh throughout the entire book.

Reviewer: Jessica Costello

(2) K-3 Gemma, her dad, and cat Ralph live across the apartment hall from Dilla, his mom, and cat Niblet. Fast friends Ralph and Niblet decide to sneak out and visit, but they cross paths and end up at the other's place. Searching for their lookalike pets brings Gemma and Dilla together in friendship. OHora's text is spare and sly, and his thick-lined, saturated-hued acrylic illustrations provide additional details.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(4) YA Con artist Jo impersonates a missing girl, Vivienne, and is taken in by Vivi's wealthy guardians, no questions asked. Perhaps the family's name (Lovecraft) will tip readers off, but secrets and hidden violence are soon apparent. The narrative, at times addressed to a (gradually revealed) "you," is initially confusing, but this suspenseful novel also has much to say about social class and privilege.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) YA In the sequel to Brave New Girl, Dahlia and Trigger are on the run from the Lakeview cloning facility where they were raised. They find Waverly, who was raised in a family of reality-television royalty and who does not know she's a clone; a case of mistaken identity forces Dahlia to impersonate her. Debates over the ethics of cloning elevate an otherwise average dystopian thriller.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Benji Davies. Baby dragon Dram crash-lands while trying to find his first "nibblesome knight." Young "lad" James (disrobed of armor) thinks he's rescuing an injured duck. "'Oh duckie!' cried James as Dram struggled to roar. / 'What a strange sort of quack. Why, your throat must be sore!'" In this tale of mistaken identity leading to friendship, Davies's charmingly detailed pictures let readers in on the truth before the bouncy rhymes do.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) YA When Bailey moves to her online crush/fellow film aficionado Alex's California hometown, she chooses not to tell him. Plans to surreptitiously track Alex down go awry when Bailey lands a busy job and lets cocky surfer-boy coworker Porter get under her skin. But readers know what the protagonists do not, and watching "Alex's" true identity surface is the fun of this breezy, movie-ready romance.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Roberts. In this Prince and the Pauper reimagining, a pig's accidental discovery that he can masquerade as the human prince provides the perfect opportunity to indulge his sweet tooth via the royal kitchen. The discovery of Pignatius's trick infuriates the palace staff, but the prince is delighted to have a double. Bently's rollicking rhymes match Roberts's lively illustrations filled with culinary delights and witty details.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac