(2) 4-6 Nine-year-old Erik Sheepflattener is a descendant of Vikings. Family members sport rune tattoos and keep a weapons closet full of daggers, clubs, and armor. His older sister Brunhilde wields a mean battle-axe and says things like "by Valhalla's rafters, I am hungry"; her twin, Allyson, though more into pompoms and cheerleading, is equally strong and fierce. Many a meal in the Sheepflattener household consists of "fish hunks, fish chunks, fish lumps, and mutton." Erik, however, doesn't fit in. He's scared of everything: "School buses. Running squirrels. ­Crouching squirrels. Squirrels in trees. Squirrels under beds...Every kind of ball. Having things thrown at you. Having things yelled at you." He hides under furniture and sleeps under the bed. So when the Sheepflattener siblings are shipped off from Connecticut to Minnesota to assist Uncle Bjorn and Aunt Hilda with their new triplets, Erik dreads the trip. But Brunhilde channels her Viking spirit into ­helping Erik conquer his fears, especially his ­sciurophobia (fear of squirrels). Real progress comes when Erik joins a mountain biking team and succeeds in finishing a monster race, even if he does cross the finish line ­toting his bike. The long cycling scene will appeal to all who love well-told sports action. Once again, Uss (The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle, rev. 7/18; The Colossus of Roads, rev. 7/20) delivers a story carried by well-developed characters, plenty of dialogue, and humor.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(4) 4-6 Time Travel Guides series. Illustrated by Bill Slavin. Previously published in the Good Times Travel Agency series. Via magical guidebooks, twins Josh and Emma and little sister Libby travel back through time to the Viking Age and the Han Dynasty. They get a tour of various aspects of life (and encounter mild dangers) in these civilizations before safely making it home. Presented in graphic-novel format, the stories and images are appealing, although the factual information running across the bottom of each page distracts from the time-travel narratives. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Time Travel Guides titles: On the Run in Ancient China and Stowing Away with the Vikings.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) YA Ciara, princess of Mide in the ancient land of Éirinn, has mind-control powers that help her kingdom defeat Northmen invaders but also terrify her father's army. After being banished for believing a dire vision, Ciara works with a captured Northman leader to defeat an even bigger threat to her land. Leake creatively mixes Celtic and Norse mythologies, which elevates an otherwise predictable romance.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(2) PS Illustrated by Isabel Roxas. Sven is happy being the littlest Viking; then a (loud) baby sister arrives. Sven's parents' attempts to mollify their screeching newborn are futile. Fortunately, Sven's storytelling--about "a small, brave Viking and a mighty warrior princess"--calms his sister and saves the day. Roxas's winsome gouache and colored-pencil art follows Sven as he matures out of his "littlest" title and accepts the mantle of big-brotherhood.

Reviewer: Nell Beram | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) YA This companion novel to The Impostor Queen introduces Ansa, who fights to belong in her warrior clan, the Krigere, alongside her love Thyra, the chieftain's daughter. But Ansa is an outsider who becomes cursed with dangerous magical abilities. This non-heteronormative Viking fantasy contains immersive dialogue and evolving characters in an exciting world perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce and Megan Whalen Turner.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(3) 1-3 Ranger in Time series. Illustrated by Kelley McMorris. Time-traveling rescue dog Ranger finds himself in Viking Age Iceland with self-sufficient Helga; together they journey through the ash and smoke of an erupting volcano to find Helga's father before her new baby sibling arrives. This installment is an adventurous, vivid, and well-researched historical piece, with brisk chapters of easily flowing text and full-page black-and-white illustrations. Author's note included. Reading list. Bib.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots series. Each book takes a broad look at its titular warriors, exploring their historical beginnings, how they lived and fought, and even their place in modern pop culture. While treatments of individual topics are brief, the volumes are decently informative overall. The layouts are bland, but photos, illustrations, and sidebars add extra information to the basic texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots titles: Ninjas!, Samurai!, and Vikings!.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Kory Merritt. Mya, Oliver, and Jorge are enjoying a hot-air balloon ride when their evil captain purposefully crash-lands them on a tropical island. The local population of Sabertooth tigers, Dodo birds, and Vikings (who soon become their captors) drives home the strangeness of their situation. Merritt's droll, bug-eyed characters enliven the swiftly moving graphic-novel mystery, but some of the jokes and dialogue fall flat.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 4-6 Norse Myths series. Illustrated by Eduardo Garcia. Death of Baldur details the life and death of the son of the Norse gods' ruler, Odin. This in turn leads to Ragnarök, the end of the world, in Twilight. The graphic novel genre lends itself well to retellings of ancient myths, and these stories are no exception. That said, the very basic, conventional layouts employed here are underwhelming. Glos. Review covers the following Norse Myth titles: Twilight of the Gods and The Death of Baldur.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) YA Team DEVIL returns as Viking prince Alfarin leads his fellow dead souls through the Nine Circles of Hell to find the Devil's Banshee--Satan's wife and the only being capable of protecting everyone from his most evil imaginings. This third book uses the series' (The Devil's Intern; The Devil's Dreamcatcher) signature blend of likable characters, strong friendships, dark humor, and horror to parallel Dante's Inferno.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 Norse Myths series. Illustrated by Eduardo Garcia. Death of Baldur details the life and death of the son of the Norse gods' ruler, Odin. This in turn leads to Ragnarök, the end of the world, in Twilight. The graphic novel genre lends itself well to retellings of ancient myths, and these stories are no exception. That said, the very basic, conventional layouts employed here are underwhelming. Glos. Review covers the following Norse Myth titles: Twilight of the Gods and The Death of Baldur.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 At Home with... series. Each volume takes readers "behind the scenes" of the civilization to cover a wide variety of topics but none of them in any great detail. The presentation is lively and colorful, with generally accurate information broken down into small chunks in overabundant sidebars and text boxes; photographs and illustrations contribute to the visual busyness. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following At Home with... titles: The Ancient Egyptians, The Ancient Greeks, The Ancient Romans, The Aztecs, and The Vikings.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) YA Gudrid has been betrothed since birth to Leif Eiriksson, but she marries handsome Einar instead. She's subsequently widowed, remarries, and is widowed again. Gudrid is prophesied to marry a third time, but will she ever make it to the place Leif calls Wine Land? This historical novel based on medieval sagas offers a wealth of detail about Viking seafaring culture and a strong-willed, adventurous protagonist.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2015

(4) 4-6 How to Live Like... series. Illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum. These books present accounts of selected events that distinguish certain historical periods. Examples include jousting (Knight), battling lions (Gladiator), and training for raiding (Warrior). Each book is narrated by a cocky youth, which adds humor but becomes tiresome. Cartoonlike illustrations and numerous text boxes accompany the main texts. Related facts are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these How to Live Like... titles: A Medieval Knight, A Roman Gladiator, and A Viking Warrior.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 National Geographic: Everything series. With Andrew Jennings. This volume provides a broad overview of Norse civilization during the Viking Age, A.D. 793–1066. In four main chapters, a wide variety of topics are covered cursorily. Multiple text boxes, maps, graphics, and action-packed digital illustrations give the pages a busy feel. Opportunities for interaction (e.g., a "What's Your Viking Nickname?" activity) are plenty. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Magic Tree House Fact Trackers series. Illustrated by Carlo Molinari. This companion to Viking Ships at Sunrise introduces independent readers to more detailed information about Vikings. Exploration, warriors, religion, daily life, burial customs, and farming are discussed in the accessible and engaging text. Black-and-white illustrations and photographs enhance the presentation and help break up the text. A list of museums with Viking exhibits is included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Secrets of the Ancient Gods series. Illustrated by J. E. Larson. The mighty Thor narrates this introduction to Norse mythology. The god guides us through a brief history of the Vikings, explains the myths' lasting influence, and offers retellings of the most famous Norse myths. Dark, moody pen-and-ink illustrations are a stark contrast to the lighter nature of the writing, which sometimes strains for its chatty humor. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(1) K-3 This is a spirited and direct account of Leif's voyage with his father to Greenland and his own subsequent voyages to Norway and Vinland. The book's great distinction lies in its stunning lithographs of dragon ships and Viking homes, of the Norse heroes' deeds of daring and zest for living.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc. | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2041

(3) K-3 Scientist is friends with Viking and with Pirate. But Viking and Pirate are not friends at all, "not even on Scientist's birthday." Scientist tests out different hypotheses to help Viking and Pirate become friends. Once Scientist realizes, through trial and error, what the two have in common, the birthday party is a success. Boisterous illustrations are a good match for this quirky tale.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 4-6 This special collector's edition includes two new short stories along with the original first volume of Hiccup and Toothless's friendship. In "How to Train Your Viking" Cowell tells a story from Toothless's perspective, and Vikings band together in "The Day of the Dreader." Cowell's crude black-and-white illustrations demonstrate humor and motion. The book jacket unfolds into a full-color poster.

Reviewer: Susan Graham