(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Rebecca Bender. A visit to North Dakota for her aunt's wedding throws a new set of challenges at flower girl Lauren (Slug Days), a second grader with autism spectrum disorder. Many of the laughs come from Lauren's precise narration: "It took us two days, eight movies, four chapter books, and three throw-ups to reach Auntie Joss's house." Black-and-white pencil and digital illustrations help clarify Lauren's (and others') emotions.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Books: Native Americans series. These books give brief overviews of Native American nations, discussing their past and present territory, daily life, art and handicrafts, and spiritual beliefs. A section on each group "Today" and a quote from a member of the nation (either past or current) are included at book's end. Choppy texts paired with contemporary and historical photos provide adequate introductory information. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Book: Native Americans titles: Comanche, Cree, Crow, Dakota, Mohawk, Ojibwe, Pawnee, and Ute.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) 4-6 Bringing to light little-known WWII history, the Hunkpapa Lakota author presents a broad background but centers on the experiences of seven Sioux cavalrymen on the Pacific Front. The subjects communicated valuable information by radio in their native language in order to thwart Japanese decoders. The volume is dense with tiny type, but numerous black-and-white photographs break up the well-researched narrative. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 Zoom In on Native American Leaders series. These starter biographies offer brief descriptions (with one to three sentences per page) about important Native American figures; historical art and photos as well as contemporary scenic photos accompany the sparse texts. Only very cursory details about each subject is offered, but the series may serve as an adequate introduction for younger readers. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Zoom In on Native American Leaders titles: Chief Joseph, Crazy Horse, Pocahontas, Sacagawea, Sequoyah, and Sitting Bull.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) YA Unbarred series. Shakespeare's tragedies--Antony and Cleopatra (Duty), Hamlet (Fight), Othello (Friend), Romeo and Juliet (Heart)--are adapted to modern settings. Gangs, racial conflicts, drug trafficking, and correctional institutions feature strongly in these unsubtle attempts to make Shakespeare relevant to readers unfamiliar with aristocratic politics or the Roman Empire. Short chapters, fast action, and lots of dialogue increase the hi-lo appeal. Review covers the following Unbarred titles: Duty or Desire, Fight or Flee, Friend or Foe, and Heart or Mind.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) YA In the late-nineteenth-century Badlands, Samuel and his self-taught paleontologist father hope to beat out dinosaur-fossil-hunting competitor Professor Cartland of Yale and his daughter Rachel. Oppel's tale is part Western adventure--full of sabotage, double-crosses, and Indian encounters--part social commentary on the times. Oppel explains he's taken pains to accurately portray the Sioux and Pawnee characters and the white scientists' unenlightened attitudes.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(4) 4-6 Codename Conspiracy series. After Principal Gomez is arrested on trumped-up charges, North Dakota seventh grader Carson Fender, a.k.a. Agent Zero, must identify the enemy spy responsible for the set-up--and figure out why Gomez was framed. Carson's third spy outing starts off slowly but picks up steam when a plot twist leaves the middle schooler puzzling over life-or-death questions about privacy, technology, loyalty, and trust.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Fact Finders: Cause and Effect: American Indian History series. By clearly delineating their causes and effects, these books briefly recount two tragic events in U.S./Native American history: Custer's ill-fated attempt to bring Lakota tribes into submission (Last) and the Cherokee Nation's removal from the east to Indian Territory in Oklahoma (Forced). Illustrations, charts, and maps enhance the lackluster texts. Common Core critical thinking prompts are included. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Fact Finders: Cause and Effect: American Indian History titles: Last Stand and Forced Removal.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(2) 4-6 This handsome biography combines the story of Sitting Bull's life with a brief history of the Lakota people in the nineteenth century. Sitting Bull episodically narrates his own tale in the voice of a respected elder reminiscing about the past. Quotes from Lakota culture, Sitting Bull, and his contemporaries create informative subheadings. Illustrated with Nelson's ink and colored-pencil drawings and archival photographs. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2015

(3) YA Remember series. This book recounts the controversial battle between the U.S. Cavalry and the Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho Indians at the Little Bighorn River in 1876. Details of significant events are drawn from first-person accounts of both soldiers and Native Americans who witnessed the bloody struggle. Paintings, drawings, maps, and archival photos enhance and enliven the well-written, well-documented, and balanced text. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA In United States History series. In these informative volumes, originally published under slightly different titles in the In American History series, four seminal events in United States history are recounted in detailed but never dull prose. Unfortunately, the black-and-white photos have been removed from these new editions, making for dense packages. There are four other fall 2014 books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Ind. Review covers these In United States History titles: The Battle of the Little Bighorn in United States History, The Watergate Scandal in United States History, The Industrial Revolution in United States History, and The Reconstruction of the South After the Civil War in United States History.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 1-3 Lucy hates being the only one in her family who can't sing. But when the family travels to North Dakota to help protect Aunt Frankie's farm from the rising Red River, Lucy, an aspiring poet, discovers the strength of her own gifts. This is a sparely written, lyrical story about a pleasingly old-fashioned, close-knit, appealing family.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Bored by his mundane North Dakotan existence, seventh grader Carson gets his kicks pulling elaborate pranks. But then one day a mysterious man hands him a package ready to self-destruct, plunging Carson into an underground world of secret government agencies and international crime. The story is told with humor, suspense, and a bit of heart, and the last page seems to promise another installment.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Books: Native Americans series. These titles give a brief overview of each of these Native American nations, discussing such topics as their past and present territory, food, art and handicrafts, and religious beliefs. Famous (male) leaders of the past--for example, Geronimo, Dull Knife, and Sitting Bull--are also highlighted. Choppy texts paired with contemporary and historic photos provide adequate introductory information. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Books titles: Native Americans titles: Apache, Cheyenne, Navajo, and Sioux.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) 4-6 Native American Chiefs and Warriors series. These brief biographies of seven legendary Native American leaders strive for historical accuracy but suffer from flat prose and unfortunate choices of cover illustrations. Reluctant readers may be attracted by the short, simply written chapters, which are profusely illustrated with black-and-white photographs and reproductions. The books have all been previously published under different titles and a different series name. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by S. D. Nelson. This anthology presents profound, expressive, and hauntingly honest voices of Lakota youth on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Moving pieces are presented by theme: Natural World; Misery; Native Thoughts; Silence; Spirit; Family, Youth and Dreams; and Language. This attractive book includes bordered pages, Nelson's Lakota-themed art, and eloquent notes from the editor introducing each section. Ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) K-3 At dawn, buses take kids off to school while pictographic images of buffalo and men on horseback fly through the sky. Throughout the day, the interactions of people, animals, earth, and sky are celebrated in modern poetic language with traditional songs in Lakota and English. This is a pictorial testament to a way of life that still survives in South Dakota.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Nick is a talented pitcher until polio strikes. His speedy recovery and return to baseball--aided by time spent with real-life pitcher Satchel Paige--feel unrealistic. The story, set in the 1930s when Paige and other black ballplayers were barred from Major League teams, smoothly comingles fact and fiction. Baseball fans will recognize several historic players in this readable narrative.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 After getting his hunting license, Erik looks forward to tramping through pheasant fields with his best friend. But when his parents are deployed to Iraq, Erik is sent to his grandparents' farm. After his obstinate grandfather threatens the dog Erik rescues, boy and hound escape to the vast North Dakota fields. Strong characters and meticulous survival facts create a believable adventure.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(4) YA Stu is an Air Force brat. But for his mom's newest assignment--as base commander in Minot, North Dakota--Stu's dad and brother won't be there. The balance between loyalty and responsibility is also tested when Stu gets caught up in the neighbors' dysfunctional dynamics. Though the dialogue is forced, the book provides a realistic portrayal of the stresses of military life.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl