(2) YA In this loose retelling of the Greek myth, Icarus Gallagher is a seventeen-year-old art thief. He breaks into Mr. Black's home, steals his art, and replaces it with forgeries by his father, Angus -- largely as revenge for Mr. Black's role in Icarus's mother's death years earlier. This revenge comes at a cost, however. Angus has strict rules that keep Icarus distanced from others, and he isn't the novel's only abusive father. One night, Icarus meets Mr. Black's son, Helios, who is essentially under house arrest. Against Icarus's better judgment, they strike up a friendship, and then a romance -- and then they must face their inner demons as they plot their escape. Written in brief vignettes that hover somewhere between flash fiction and prose poems, the narrative begins as an impressionistic character study of Icarus. Gradually, a plot emerges, many secrets are revealed, suspense builds, and the romantic tension between the characters ratchets up -- all of it enhanced by the vivid prose in this refreshingly succinct novel.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Thief 1, Thief 2, and Thief 3 have a simple plan: they will dig a tunnel and rob a bank. But even the best-laid plans require better navigational skills than those possessed by this trio, and though they manage to find a concert, a wrestling match, and the other side of the world -- and new friends in each of those places -- the bank eludes them. The tone remains deadpan as events grow increasingly absurd, while humor is plentiful in the naive-style illustrations. The images of the thieves themselves are especially simple, but Camp conveys much about their emotions (frequently surprise or confusion) with a few well-angled lines. Cross-sections of scenes provide dramatic irony as viewers can see beyond the thieves' literal tunnel vision. But bank or no bank, the real treasure is the friends they make along the way. (Thief 3 even posits that the treasure is "a metaphor and...actually in our hearts," though Thief 1 and Thief 2 dismiss this suggestion as "very corny.") Preposterous fun for the savvy young reader or read-aloud audience.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(1) 4-6 Moonwind Mysteries series. Translated by A. A. Prime. In this sequel to The Night Raven (rev. 9/23), young detective Mika has reason to suspect that some of the children at her orphanage have taken to thieving. Instead, she discovers they've been taken under the wing of an elegant, savvy performance artist, Henrietta, who has promised them an ideal home at her distant estate, the Apple Farm. First, though, they will help Henrietta with her knife-throwing show at a gala dinner where a priceless Japanese gemstone will be exhibited. When Mika meets Henrietta, even she feels the pull of the promise of a real home and agrees to help her -- until, with a little reading of the newspaper and quick, critical thinking, Mika realizes that "something doesn't quite make sense." This second Moonwind Mystery has a more somber tone than the first, perhaps because, although the book is set in 1880s Stockholm, the orphans' precarious futures and heartfelt longing make for a vulnerability that rings true here and now. Rundberg vividly conveys the part that hope plays in feeding the soul. At the same time, this is a wonderfully eventful mystery, with unpredictable plots, schemes, and a successful get-out-of-jail attempt engineered by a team of juvenile explosive experts -- not to mention indomitable Mika and her sidekick, unkempt and unorthodox police detective Hoff.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 4-6 Sixth grader Amelia MacGuffin is a worrier. As the eldest of five siblings, she worries about everything from changing the part in her hair to the MacGuffin family's tight finances. So when the mythically lucky wooden staff that is the centerpiece of the annual Dragonfly Day Festival goes missing from Urchin Beach's town square, Amelia decides to channel her worry into finding the thief. Her investigation is hampered by the unexpected arrival of a lost dog in her backyard, a flood that threatens both the festival and the delicate ecosystem that supports the native dragonflies, and the sheer number of possible suspects. With the help of a local mystery author, a trusted librarian, and her own common sense, Amelia surprises herself by solving the crime. But bringing the (beloved and well-known) criminal to justice will prove to be a much harder task. This charming small-town mystery romp will appeal to a wide range of junior detectives, especially those who are also invested in issues of climate change and environmental preservation. Amelia's close-knit beach community of family, friends, and neighbors forms a relatable cast of secondary characters who provide both support and comic relief. Fans of Yan Glaser's resourceful Vanderbeeker clan and Pennypacker's problem-solving protagonists will be delighted that the ending suggests this is just the first of Amelia's adventures.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Brett Helquist. The Mona Lisa wasn't the world's most famous painting when it disappeared from the Louvre in 1911. Day starts his narrative at the point of the theft, then jumps forward and backward, tracing Leonardo da Vinci's career, what (little) is known about the painting's subject, how the Mona Lisa became a pop culture icon, and its whereabouts today. In between the story's many diversions (e.g., early forensic science, the media's role in hyping the theft), readers also follow the path of the painting away from the museum and into the pages of history, which Day delivers with a dose of whimsy as he describes a case that had more than its share of ridiculous moments. The book combines age-appropriate true crime with art history and historiography. The nonlinear structure may take some getting used to, but it serves the book's goal of drawing parallels between elements of the theft and the Mona Lisa's current place in our culture. Helquist's cartoonlike black-and-white illustrations do an excellent job of matching the narrative voice and bringing the book's dramatic moments to life. A lengthy source list is appended.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 4-6 Arthur Popper is a diffident, slightly anxious eleven-year-old who lives with his parents and younger sister above the family business, a thriving, capacious secondhand store in Boulder, Colorado. He works shifts in the store and is valued for being "good at customer service" but longs for another area where he can truly shine. When some family members' and friends' jewelry starts disappearing, he takes on the mystery-solving challenge. He receives advice from a ghost mouse who lives in a teacup on his bookshelf, the single touch of fantasy in an otherwise naturalistic novel. The detective narrative, which is tidily composed and plausible, provides the scaffolding for a story of family and community relationships that is a tour de force of small, beautifully calibrated effects. Arthur's best friend is Veda, who is Latinx, but things go sideways for them when Arthur's grandfather expresses a prejudice against "certain kinds of people." Freeman doesn't provide easy answers to the problem of a bigoted family member, nor does she give Grandpa an easy epiphany. Instead she portrays a realistic, flawed family with all its tensions. She allows Arthur to encounter and grapple with the concept of white privilege on his own, in age-appropriate terms, keeping the focus firmly on the child characters and their strengths.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) 4-6 Eight-year-old Duck, orphaned as an infant, is the youngest member of a gang of urchins called the Crowns, who forage and pickpocket and scam their way through Avilogne (think medieval France) to survive--barely. In the city of Odierne, the Crowns find temporary shelter in a crumbling, abandoned cathedral watched over by forgotten, brooding, sentient gargoyles, one of whom narrates interspersed chapters. Duck is reluctantly apprenticed to kindly, trusting baker Griselde, who is nearly blind, in order to carry out ruthless gang-leader Gnat's scheme to steal from Griselde on a regular basis. And we're off--into a riveting novel full of tension and action; sensory-rich scenes and settings; and vividly portrayed, believable characters. As the seasons progress, we experience with Duck her moral dilemmas (taking advantage of the generous but vulnerable Griselde feels wrong); crisis of identity as she is torn between being a loyal apprentice and serving the Crowns; growing attachment not just to Griselde but to the wider community to which she now belongs; a terrible, costly betrayal; and an ultimate rescue. There are revelations at the end (one involving the gargoyle narrator), but they're as nuanced as the rest of the novel. Eagar's themes never feel tacked on but instead are thoroughly kneaded into her characters and story.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 4-6 Narrator Julieta Leal--smart, curious, and prone to causing unintentional trouble--is thrilled to be accompanying her dad, an art handler at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, on a trip to Paris to collect some pieces from the Louvre on loan for a new exhibit. At first, Julieta enjoys visiting Parisian landmarks and (not) eating escargot; she also accompanies her dad on his work, giving readers intriguing behind-the-scenes glimpses of famous museums and palaces. But when the Louvre's Regent Diamond is stolen, Julieta and her father are the prime suspects. Now Julieta needs to catch the thief and clear their names so they can make it home in time for the birth of her baby brother. Julieta's dad is "honestly surprised at the amount of havoc a nine-year-old can cause in less than a week," but ultimately it's Julieta's eye for detail, love of Greek mythology, and tendency to act on impulse that save the day. Julieta and her family are Mexican American ("the J in Julieta sounds like the hooting of an owl. Like whoooo-lieta"), and she is bilingual in English and Spanish (and even learns a little French). Readers of this debut author's entertaining middle-grade mystery will appreciate the back matter, which includes a glossary and more information about the Regent Diamond and other works of art mentioned in the book, complete with photographs.

Reviewer: Anamaría Anderson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Pizzoli. We first meet Jack, a baseball-capped rabbit, as he waves hello, munches on snacks, and--swipes a woman's purse?! This initial encounter in Hi, Jack! sets the tone for the first four installments of Barnett and Pizzoli's easy-reader series: a roller coaster of sour and sweet moments for Jack, his dog friend Rex, and the nameless Lady. (Once he returns her purse. And her lipstick.) Jack makes trouble wherever he goes, from the baseball field (Jack at Bat) to outer space (Jack Blasts Off!), and the direct-address narration instructs him to mend his ways (in a not-always-constructive manner: "Jack, you are bad. You are a bad Jack. A bad, bad Jack"). Barnett makes creative use of a limited and largely decodable vocabulary for comedic effect, which invites beginners to read with expression and confidence. Pizzoli's illustrations, full of bold outlines and saturated colors, amplify the energy and dynamism in each story line. The text and illustrations work in tandem, sharing the weight of the narrative and blurring the lines between the picture book and easy reader genres while conforming to the physical specifications of the latter. This series promises an energetic romp through the good, the bad, and the bunny. Review covers these titles: Hi, Jack!, Jack at Bat, Jack Blasts Off!, and Jack Goes West.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Jaime Zollars. In the Liberty, a part of Nagspeake (Greenglass House, rev. 9/14, and sequels) where retired rogues and smugglers find sanctuary from the long arm of the law, Marzana takes it upon herself to solve a mystery after her mother is asked to find a kidnapping victim. Hoping to help rescue the missing girl, and despite her extreme social anxiety, Marzana assembles a team (or "knot") of her own: her best friend and codebreaker Nialla; a magician named J. J.; Ciro, a "camofleur," or expert in hiding things in plain sight; and Meddy, the ghost from Greenglass House who arrives via parcel post. The team makes progress following up on several clues, but kidnapping isn't a game, and Marzana's parents are furious when they discover the knot members putting themselves in danger. This entry shows all of Milford's strengths: theme-expanding stories within stories, a thrilling genre fusion, swashbuckling technical mastery (here, lock-picking, cryptography, and sleight-of-hand magic), a vocabulary to delight the word-nerds, and an invented world real enough to live in. Delivering layers upon layers, convincing characters who succeed despite their emotional challenges, and a brain-tingling mystery that unfolds at just the right speed, this ghostly fantasy-adventure is a humdinger of a good read.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by B Geneva. This Dragons in a Bag sequel alternates between Jaxon, Bag's protagonist, and Kavita, sister of Jaxon's best friend, Vikram. After she steals a dragon from Jaxon, Kavita has a problem: her dragon won't stop growing. She soon learns that there's a gate that will get the dragon back to the realm of magic--but the gate is open for only a short time. Meanwhile, Jaxon and Vikram look for Kavita so they can get the dragon back. Fast-paced, suspenseful, and entertaining.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) YA Jase and Kazi from Dance of Thieves are on their way back to Hell's Mouth but are attacked as they approach; Jase flees, but Kazi is captured and imprisoned. Separately, Jase and Kazi must work through palace intrigues and battle scenes to defeat their enemies and achieve a happy reunion. As good as the first volume was, this one is even better. The pacing is brisker, certain characters and incidents from the previous installment take on increased significance, and fantasy readers will welcome magic's more prominent role.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) YA High-school junior Brynn works as a con artist so that she can afford college and escape her mom's drug-dealer boyfriend. Her swindling talents earn her a spot at secretive boarding school Vale Hall, making her dreams of escaping come true--at a cost. This twisty, high-stakes modern thriller (based on Norse mythology) will make readers question their own codes of ethics.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Overachieving June hears voices; hospitalization begins a journey toward treatment. Her boyfriend, Nick--a good guy stuck in a bad job--is jailed for stealing cars. When Nick heads to the Ozarks to disappear, June follows. This star-crossed love story feels a touch overdramatic but is lifted by empathetic portrayals of mental illness, rural poverty, and the titular pair's deep mutual affection.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) 1-3 Translated by Sophie B. Watson. Illustrated by France Cormier. A boy and his elephant friend spend a rainy morning in a museum, where--rather than damaging art as the guard expects--they foil a robbery. This short book (translated from the French) has plenty of fun. Everything in the illustrations is just a little off-kilter, and much of the humor comes from the juxtaposition of the deadpan text with the slightly exaggerated art.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(2) K-3 Time to Read series. In each of these lively beginning-chapter-book whodunits, Detective Paw, a Hercule Poirot–esque canine, and Patrol Officer Prickles, an action-oriented porcupine employing crime-fighting gadgets, follow the same procedural pattern to solve a robbery (Bank) and a band instrument theft (Drumsticks). Given the illustrations' visual hints, young readers may well guess the straightforward outcomes, but in doing so they’re also working each case and learning that reading is an active process. Review covers these Time to Read titles: Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of Piggy's Bank and Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of the Stolen Drumsticks.

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

(2) K-3 Time to Read series. In each of these lively beginning-chapter-book whodunits, Detective Paw, a Hercule Poirot–esque canine, and Patrol Officer Prickles, an action-oriented porcupine employing crime-fighting gadgets, follow the same procedural pattern to solve a robbery (Bank) and a band instrument theft (Drumsticks). Given the illustrations' visual hints, young readers may well guess the straightforward outcomes, but in doing so they’re also working each case and learning that reading is an active process. Review covers these Time to Read titles: Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of Piggy's Bank and Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of the Stolen Drumsticks.

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

(4) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Hannah, the daughter of the present-day caretaker of The Elms museum, swaps lives with Maggie, a wealthy teen who summered at the Newport mansion in 1905. The girls alternate narration as they describe their new circumstances and stop a historic art theft. Stilted dialogue, excessive pop-culture references, and a heavy-handed girl-power message weigh down the otherwise compelling mystery in this Freaky Friday/time-travel mash-up.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(2) 1-3 Mac B., Kid Spy series. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. "When I was a kid, I was a spy... The story you are about to read is true," begins Barnett; he then spins an absurd yarn culminating in young Mac's face-off against a KGB agent. The story blurs fact and fiction, integrating actual history alongside goofy characterizations of real-world leaders and silly action scenes. Quirky situational humor, heartfelt sentiment, and frequent cartoony spot illustrations create a balanced (while still outrageous) early-chapter-book caper.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) 1-3 Mac B., Kid Spy series. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. Child spy Mac (Mac Undercover) quickly finds himself in the middle of a "howdunit" when the Queen of England's Crown Jewels are stolen from right under his nose. Barnett's signature dry wit and snappy back-and-forths keep this second offbeat installment steadily moving forward; Lowery's cartoony spot art in black, green, and orange provides additional historical and cultural information and frequently supports the narrative.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019