(1) K-3 Illustrated by Kara Kramer. Growing up in Budapest, young Erno Rubik (b. 1944) was fascinated by shapes and puzzles and loved "imagin[ing] all the possibilities" offered by manipulating "tangrams, pentominoes, and pentacubes." In this inviting picture-book biography, debut author Aradhya introduces readers to the figure behind the eponymous cube, first developed in 1974. Rubik became a teacher and continued to be passionate about cubes, which he used to teach students about three-dimensionality. His quest to "build a big cube out of smaller cubes that moved around each other and stayed connected" is the focus of the accessible text, which emphasizes curiosity, perseverance, and learning from failure as keys to success. (And sometimes the answer comes when we "stop thinking about" a problem.) Kramer's (Tell Me a Lion Story, rev. 7/22) intriguing mixed-media and digital-collage illustrations bring playfulness and energy to the fore; for example, Rubik's head is cube-shaped when he's focused on figuring out his geometric and mechanical conundrum. The lively page design includes a variety of panel, single-page, and spot-art illustrations; lots of child-friendly details in the art and text should hold readers' interest. Appended with more about Rubik's "Magic Cube" (including the fact that he didn't set out to create a puzzle, nor is he an expert solver), "By the Numbers" (e.g., "43 quintillion ways to scramble it...but only 1 solution!"), an author's note about her own Cubing experiences, and a three-book list for more about the inadvertent puzzle master.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. A mouse with nautical aspirations realizes her dream. Wee Mabel gazes with longing at the cunning model ship fashioned by the man who lives in the lakeside cabin where she makes her home. It is the man's "prized possession," the product of many months of painstaking labor; he is so possessive that he won't even let the boy who lives with him touch it. Then one blustery night the cabin door is blown open and Mabel gets her chance. Using a mouse-sized block and tackle and some tiny logs as rollers, she lowers the boat and pushes it into the water to sail it all night long. When the man panics at the ship's loss but then sees it under sail with Mabel at the helm, man, boy, and mouse are united in awe and glee. Jonker taps into many children's delight in miniatures; they will thrill along with Mabel at her adventure. Cordell's scratchy ink and wash illustrations have a faded look, their sepias and pale blues giving the tale an old-timey feel that a gooseneck desk lamp only slightly diminishes. Mabel and the boy each wear a knitted watch cap, hers a pale red and his blue; when he lifts her in his hand at the end of the story, they smile at each other, fast friends. The illustrations mix full-bleed spreads with vignettes; the latter are framed in knotted rope. Sweet wish fulfillment.

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

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Carl Angel. Born in 1896 under Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, Pedro Flores immigrated to the United States as a teenager. It wasn't until years later -- after he had worked in Hawaiian pineapple fields, on steamships in the Pacific, and at a hotel in California -- that he produced the first Flores yo-yo. Though Flores did not invent the toy (Peñas traces its origins back thousands of years to China), his ingenious reengineering of it led to its rise in popularity (the word yo-yo means "come back" in Tagalog). Peñ as's straightforward text is well supported by deeply saturated images that illustrate Flores's experience as an immigrant: long hours of physically demanding labor and the dogged pursuit of education. It was with the help of a neighbor that Flores was able to start his business, and he committed to bringing his fellow kabayan into his success, as employees. Readers will delight in learning (or remembering) how to "Rock the Baby," "Loop the Loop," and "Walk the Dog." An author's note provides history about the Philippines, the yo-yo, and Flores's life.

Reviewer: Gabi K. Huesca | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Misdea. When a mischievous black cat runs off with a little jack-o'-lantern child's purple mouse stuffie, the child must face their fears to find their beloved friend. In the end, stuffie and child are reunited, and our hero discovers a reserve of courage they didn't know they had. A lot happens in this wordless Halloween adventure that plays out in cleanly rendered panel illustrations. The jack-o'-lantern travels across a river and into a forest where they encounter a skeleton, ghosts, a witch (sad about her missing black cat), a giant octopus, and, scariest of all, the dark. The details sound frightening, but the art's soft palette and comforting round shapes signal to young readers and listeners that they needn't be.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(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

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Julie Morstad. An aged sea captain dies, leaving a chest containing five puppets. After some trials and adventures, the puppets--boy, girl, king, owl, and wolf--end up in the grand home of a pair of sisters and fulfill their theatrical destiny by appearing in a play written by one of the girls. The frame story of this absorbing book of nested tales involves the sea captain and his history of unfulfilled love. Within that story is a chronicle of the puppets and the sisters, and within that narrative is the puppet play itself, which features a young man tragically cursed to a life of loneliness and despair. The story ends with a servant stealing the puppets and running away, presumably to fulfill her own destiny. Like many other stories featuring toys, from Hitty to The Mouse and His Child4, there is a strain of melancholy here, with characters who long for autonomy but whose existence is dependent on the imaginations of others. This mood is perfectly captured in digitally rendered pencil drawings that add specificity (a Regency-esque setting in fictional Norendy), dignity, drama, and sheer beauty. First in "a projected trio of novellas linked by place and mood."

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

(2) PS Illustrated by Philip Stead. This question-and-answer story featuring an independent, bespectacled child joyously explores and celebrates everyday moments, whether spent alone or in unexpected company. The book opens with the child focusing on her cookie, disregarding a small pink toy elephant at her feet. "Sometimes it's nice to be alone. Just you, eating your cookie, alone. But what if a friend pops in?" A page-turn addresses that question, with the elephant, no longer a toy, now dominating the spread as a life-size snacking companion. The refrain "sometimes it's nice to be alone" repeats, with the child reading a book near a toy horse, riding a bike with a stuffed bear in the basket, spying from a treehouse with a toy giraffe. Each vignette follows the same pattern, but the reveal is always a delight when the come-to-life toy creates a more dramatic and entertaining scene. A real dinosaur makes playing in a pile of leaves much more exciting, and an alligator friend can turn bathtime into a beach day. The brightly colored, textured illustrations, created by hand using printmaking techniques, are mischievous and detailed, perfectly extending the plucky text. The last spread shows the child ready for bed, looking out the window on a snowy scene; the page-turn reveals a toy penguin on the floor and a final word ("dreaming"), allowing listeners to decide what might come next.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(1) PS Husband-and-wife team Kerascoët (I Walk with Vanessa, rev. 1/18) returns with this warm-hearted, affecting gem, wordless save for the rare (but effective) use of the titular phrase. A small child and their stuffed bear have been inseparable since infancy--even a brief laundry-day separation is cause for tears and, after the ordeal, a relief-filled reunion: "Bear with me." So when it's time for the first day of school, the child makes every attempt to smuggle the bear along, stuffing it into their backpack and then up their shirt (the text reflecting their determination: "bear. with. me.")--but each attempt is stymied and off they go, bereft. At school, though, the child is active and engaged. Close observation reveals why: the child finds a way to connect each activity with their beloved companion. They look at a book about bears; play dress-up in a bear costume; and make a painting of the bear. At the end of the school day, they run happily to their parents, painting in hand. "BEAR WITH ME!" The ink and watercolor illustrations, mostly vignettes that both progress the action and detail the child-bear friendship, excel at capturing emotion, personality, and occasionally humor.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Shanda McCloskey. "Nubby was done." Fed up with a life of being "carried, buried, dropped, dragged, torn, worn," and so on, a dingy blue stuffed bunny is ready for a new beginning. While the text stays focused on this character's point of view, the engaging illustrations clearly show what's really happening as Nubby ventures "out into the great wide world." The family dog makes off with him and runs down the sidewalk to the neighbors' yard. There he encounters some actual rabbits ("Friends! Surely he'd be appreciated here!"), but they don't pay him any attention ("His boy would never treat him like that"). Next, a little girl wearing a magician's cape and a top hat spots Nubby on the ground; from his perspective, he's "landed the starring role" in her magic show. But each new adventure is ultimately disappointing (the show's a flop), and Nubby begins to long for his old life. Both text and pictures are energetic and funny, with McCloskey's digital, watercolor, and pencil illustrations showing the neighborhood from varied perspectives, including views of Nubby's family searching the yard for him. A very happy ending has the bunny nestled together with his boy (and pup), each one with a new appreciation for the other.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) PS Stuffed bear Teddy has one job to do, according to Noa. Every morning, Noa wakes up bright-eyed and ready to play. Teddy, on the other hand, can barely keep his eyes open and naps from sunrise to sunset. "Sometimes, Noa thinks that Teddy is the worst teddy EVER!" Little does Noa realize that every night creatures come calling, from a ghost to the tickle monster, and it is brave Teddy who keeps them at bay. Verdad's engaging text uses only a few sentences per page. His illustrations--cut-paper, crayon, acrylic paint, and digital collage--have a playful feel that recalls Christian Robinson's child-centric style. The book's human characters are largely formed from basic shapes and scribbles, adorable in their simplicity. The nighttime intruders are similarly spare, but with small details that make them endearing rather than scary. After sending a giant purple boogeyman away with toys, Teddy chases the tooth fairy from the ­sleeping child's bedroom--with a fly swatter. Simultaneously published in Spanish as El peor Teddy del mundo.

Reviewer: Hill Saxton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) PS Narrator Peanut, a stuffed penguin, has been with preschooler Pearl since the very beginning. First words, first steps--­Peanut has seen it all. But life with Pearl can be messy, too. Naptime drooling, muddy puddles, and a wing-ripping pet dog have Peanut, well, fed up. "That's it! I've had enough." The stuffed penguin hatches a plan to escape from Pearl's mistreatment and dives out of her backpack during a Saturday visit to the park. Finally independent, Peanut enjoys the chance to "eat whatever I like. And go wherever I want...It feels great to be free!" Until, that is, "freedom" starts to feel awfully lonely, and now, in the illustrations, the penguin suddenly appears very small amongst the vast expanses of the trees and swing set. Has Pearl already replaced Peanut with a new toy? Does she even notice that Peanut is gone? Despairing, the penguin falls into trouble, only to find that friendship stands the test of time. Captured in lively, soft pencil drawings, Pearl and Peanut's story appears through well-paced vignettes to capture just how much they've shared. For fans of Bear Is a Bear (rev. 11/21) and Knuffle Bunny (rev. 9/04), this is a good reminder to hold on to the ones we love--even the stuffed ones.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) PS An end-of-summer standoff between seasonal accoutrements (sans humans) highlights the tough transition from summer vacation to the start of school. A toy shovel is looking especially relaxed on the beach when Ruler shows up, casting a shadow over the scene. The two rivals begin aggravating each other, in text that bursts with groan-worthy puns: "'You school supplies are all the same,' Shovel said, getting a dig in. 'Work, work, work! When do you have any fun?'" Their taunts escalate to a challenge--a sand castle–building contest. Beach Ball, Swim Mask, and Bucket as well as Scissors, Pencil, Index Card, and others arrive and join sides. (Whistle referees.) A bright beachy setting, with the silhouette of an amusement park in the background, provides the perfect backdrop for the colorful assortment of personified tools, toys, and accessories, their expressive eyes heightening the story's humor and drama. Just when it looks like the school supplies will declare victory, a tidal setback threatens their sand "palace of learning." An act of generosity by the beach toys leads to a new connection between education and fun--and a joint end-of-summer beach party. While unlikely to diffuse any human resistance to a new school year, the silly seaside story, with its jaunty cartoon art, will help readers recall the joys of summer well into the fall.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora. Sonny, an anthropomorphized and very fuzzy red fox, "finds a thing" on the playground and quickly becomes attached to the pink plush bunny, which he dubs Bun-Bun. "Mine!" Then Honey (a furry pink animal) and Boo (a rabbit) approach the sandbox with solemn faces: Boo has lost Suki, her beloved pink plush bunny. Sonny claims he's never seen Suki, and slyly tucks the toy he found out of sight. Sonny tries various tactics to distract Boo from her missing stuffie, but her sadness stretches on, and Sonny is faced with a quandary. Within a limited color palette of OHora's bold digital illustrations, the creatures' emotions are augmented through thick-lined black brows, dotted eyes, and small but expressive snouts. The simple and repetitive text easily involves young listeners in familiar and relatable scenarios: losing something precious and practicing empathy. On the last spread Sonny says, "Come back soon!" as he waves with his friends, breaking the fourth wall and transforming the tale into a role-played fable of sorts. Inviting and light-handed in its morality, the story offers safe territory for exercising that empathy muscle alongside Sonny and his friends.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Dan Santat. "Bear is a bear hopeful and shy. Bear is a bear full of love." The large furry creature becomes a baby girl's best friend, playing all sorts of roles (as a "tissue," "soft, warm pillow," etc.). Always, however, "Bear is a bear full of love." As the story unfolds the girl grows older, until finally Bear, who had been a "brave protector" when she was scared and a "piece of home" she took to college, becomes a "memory" packed away in a storage chest. But fear not, this isn't a sad tale, as eventually Bear is introduced to the next generation: a new little-girl playmate. Stutzman's (Santa Baby, rev. 11/20) declarative sentences are short and purposely repetitive, packed with meaning, which Santat (2015 Caldecott winner for The Adventures of Beekle) explores through the loving relationship between the characters in his expressive watercolor, pencil, and Photoshop illustrations. The brevity of the text allows for visual creativity, especially with humorous lines such as "Bear is a fancy lady" (accessorizing for a tea party, of course) or more serious moments (Bear, as a "scholar," sits quietly on a dorm bed as the girl works at her desk late at night). That Santat draws the creature throughout as a real bear makes the impact of the final surprise reveal all the sweeter, and upon rereading reinforces an appreciation for the ­larger-than-life presence favorite toys can have in our lives.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Paula Franco. Even though the titular sisters first seen in Twig and Turtle: Big Move to a Tiny House (rev. 7/20) have now settled into their home in Happy Trails, Colorado, they still have a couple of crises to solve. The owner of a new toy store initiates the story's action by announcing a naming contest. Twig is at first reluctant to reduce her chances of winning by telling her friends about the competition. Although the situation resolves itself, the idea of tension between what she wants to do and what she should do is born. Later, when Twig accepts a doll from a friend and thus breaks their household's five-toy rule, she lets a "big old mountain of want" dictate her actions. Jacobson again shows her strength in creating problems seemingly specific to one setting but experienced by many children; without a hint of didacticism, she allows Twig to reach a creative ­solution to the problem. Short chapters, generous use of dialogue, and text-­supporting spot art scaffold the reading for newly independent chapter book readers. This series ­reaffirms the old adage that good things come in small packages.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Julie Rowan-Zoch. Louis, a gruff-and-grouchy stuffed bear, recounts the indignities he suffers as the beloved toy of a little-kid owner: "I've been a pillow, a hankie..." Sometimes the behaviors are imaginary-play-related (being fed to a dinosaur, forced tea-party attendance), sometimes they correlate to the real world ("I've been x-rayed [at the airport]...milk-sprayed [at the breakfast table]"). When he's "mislaid" on the school bus, it's the last straw. "I can bear it no longer. The next time this kid squeezes me, I'm outta here." Rowan-Zoch's warmhearted, kid-centric digital illustrations do much to convey the story's mood, including Louis's bad one. Through body language and facial expression, along with curved lines and gentle hues, it's clear that the child owner is acting out of pure, unadulterated love for a favorite stuffie; but then we're not the ones being manhandled (bear-handled?) by an overeager tot. Nevertheless, Louis's resolve softens the more he contemplates striking out alone and as he realizes how good he's got it. "A bear could do worse," he concludes, while on the last page being snuggled up in bed. Cupcakes, compliments, and cuddles are the way to a grumpy bear's heart.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) PS Patricelli's board-book baby with the single sky-high curlicue and rosy cheeks (recently seen in Tooth and Big Kid Bed, both rev. 11/18) confronts the emotions of fear (Scared) and anger (Mad) in typical-preschooler (and reassuring) ways. In Scared, the child tells us: "Doggie is scared of many things," and then proceeds to list common fear-makers--strangers, loud noises, parents out of view--while the color-saturated, textured illustrations show who is really afraid. Following a Knuffle Bunny–esque plot twist, everything ends peacefully with child and stuffie safe in bed: "Don't be scared, Doggie. We have each other!" A concluding spread shows "Things that can be scary" and "Things that can help the scary go away." Mad relates, in rhyme, the child's struggles with irrational anger and provides (deep breath) eventual suggestions for self-soothing; this book's concluding spread is "Things that help the mad go away" ("doggies," "friends," "pillow punches," etc.). As always, the baby is endearing (and imperfect and imaginative), the struggles are relatable, and the solutions offered are at least worth a try. Review covers these titles: Doggie Gets Scared and Mad, Mad, MAD.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Simone Rea. On the first spread of this surrealistic picture book (originally published in France) we see a yellow circle set high on the page against a shadowy black oil-painted background. The text reads: "Nasla is not asleep. Lying in her bed, she sees a yellow dot above the wardrobe. A little eye, like an opening in the dark night." Turning the page, we meet Nasla, with a swoop of orange-red hair, sitting astride a small cloud looking up at where she'd asked her father to put her stuffed animals and broken dolls, having felt too old to sleep with toys. She wonders what would happen if the dot were to grow, and the following spread shows an enormous moon filling a room that has red walls (matching Nasla's hair). Everything Nasla wonders is both intriguing and potentially ominous: "What if it becomes big enough to swallow her whole?" ­Roumiguière's text explores how a young person copes with the decision to put ­childish things aside, and Rea conveys ­Nasla's inventive thoughts with vibrant color and surreal effects, such as a wavy blue floor. The text and pictures play back and forth with real things (Nasla's stuffed animals) and wondered things (including a wild ­rumpus–like parade), leaving lots of room for child ­readers to interpret and imagine for themselves.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids' toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don't ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and "Fun Fact" boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers titles: Hot Wheels Developer, Lincoln Logs Creator, My Little Pony Pioneer, Nerf Genius, Nintendo Innovator, and The Slime Queen.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 1-3 Warren & Dragon series. Illustrated by Mike Malbrough. Warren and his stuffed-animal best friend, Dragon, covet a fancy volcano-making kit but can't afford the steep price tag.  Warren's machinations to raise money for the purchase lead to a charity bake sale and magic show with his sister and a friend. It's a great success, despite Dragon's interference. Black-and-white cartoons add humor to the lighthearted text.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca