(2) PS Illustrated by Zoey Abbott. A meditation on parenthood (including parental insecurities) and growing-­up-and-letting-go, this gentle story about a nontraditional family begins with two wolves finding a baby girl floating down the river in a Moses basket. One of the wolves is thrilled to save the baby and adopt her; the other takes a little more convincing ("I was planning on ­eating her") but eventually comes around. They form a happy and contented unit of three--until the near-feral girl, now approximately kindergarten age, sees some human children for the first time. She starts to feel curious and restless, and it appears that the wolves' apprehension has been realized: "Time moves too fast." "I'm afraid she will leave us one day." Leave she does--but just to go to school; the wolves' mixed feelings about this milestone will be familiar to many. Abbott's delicate-lined, pastel-hued gouache, colored-pencil, and ink illustrations feature subtle textures, shadows, and motion lines that enhance emotion. Though the text may be more ­adult-centered than child-focused ("That was the whole point of nourishing her and teaching her about good and evil, dark and light, right and wrong"), young people on the verge of something new may relate to the girl's growth and ­independence.

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

(2) K-3 Mac (a neck tie–wearing noodle) and Cheese (an orange cube with a snaggletooth) are best friends. In three stories, know-it-all Mac tries to school his friend but ends up learning to think outside the box. Thick black lines, in brush pen and digitally colored, lend the illustrations accessibility. Although the gags rely heavily on puns and absurdity, the characters' interactions are sincere.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016

(2) K-3 A penguin in red bowler hat and green bow tie searches for his missing friend, a "spectacular dancer." He meets two more penguins, who save him from a saw-toothed seal. The absent friend is revealed as the first penguin's reflection in the ice; the three new friends waddle contentedly into the sunset. Hand-lettered text and robust motion lines emphasize urgency and support the spirited, comical dialogue.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2015

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by James, Jr. Proimos. Spouting hysterically funny dialogue, two dogs await their people's return. Eventually desperate, they break out of the house, discover that all humans have disappeared, and make a grocery store their home. Challenged by some tough animals, they win because of a tick who dispenses military advice. Black-and-white comic panels add quirky humor, although it can be difficult to tell the characters apart.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by James, Jr. Proimos. In the companion to Apocalypse Bow Wow, four goofy dogs and a cat are abandoned after all humans disappear. A rat directs them to a "Twonkies" factory that will provide endless food--but there's a catch. The solution to the friends' dilemma requires creative thinking and teamwork. Well-paced panels, silly dialogue, and a few twists make this an appealing black-and-white graphic novel.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 1-3 This volume combines previously published stories about the sheep in boy's clothing: The Many Adventures of Johnny Mutton (2001); Johnny Mutton, He's So Him! (2003); and Mutton Soup (2004). A section of Johnny's "beliefs" and a tongue-in-cheek author interview are included. The bright comic-strip art and scratchy hand-lettered text are a good match for the stories' goofy humor.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Johanna Wright. While her parents are still delivering their safety warnings, Bonnie rides off on her new bike, climbing over bridges and mountains and visiting the Grand Canyon. The homey ink and acrylic landscapes show that the whole adventure takes place in Bonnie's backyard. Energy springs off the page--it's no wonder Bonnie wants to ride without training wheels...or even training.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2012

(3) 1-3 Knuckle and Potty, characters created by a fictional celebrity author in a popular series of books, set out to destroy the setting of their next volume by trying to erase it. The blend of comic book illustrations and the meta-narrative of children's book characters taking control of their own destinies provides young readers with a silly yet sophisticated diversion.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) YA After his self-help writer/TV personality dad dies, Hercules is sent to visit Uncle Anthony, who assigns him twelve daily tasks for his stay. Though seemingly random, they're (mostly) eye-opening experiences prompting vague understanding of himself, his father, and their relationship. Some elements feel disjointed in this brief and sketchy novella, but Hercules's humorous narrative voice will appeal to reluctant older readers.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 When Todd's parents--who are very busy people--cannot attend a parent-teacher conference, Todd's charismatic TV steps in to help. Soon his TV takes over pancake making, playing catch, and tucking Todd in at night. Comical, uncluttered drawings, touched only by grays and red, provide an entertaining, kid-friendly story with a parent-centered lesson.

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) K-3 An omniscient narrator reports that a boy "no more special than you" has achieved world peace by going on a "world tour" with his father in their VW Beetle and handing out cupcakes. Featuring gag-filled cartoony art starring the spiky-haired young pacifist, this book succeeds where preachy random-acts-of-kindness books fail because there's a laugh on nearly every page.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Patricia von Pleasantsquirrel (a girl, not a squirrel) is looking for a princessdom to rule. After reading Where the Wild Things Are, she finds the Land of the Hippos, and a wild rumpus ensues. The eccentric text's humor is nicely extended by the mostly gray illustrations featuring judicious use of purple and yellow--true royal colors for a truly royal non-princess.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(4) K-3 Illustrated by James Proimos. When Dad goes out of town, the family dog assumes not only his shirt and tie but also his responsibilities and personality. The narrative deflates an intriguing premise by relying on tired puns and stereotypes ("Like Dad, he wouldn't give up the remote") for its humor, which is more effectively conveyed by the large-scale book's full-page cartoony illustrations, featuring a blue dog with human proportions.

Reviewer: CHristine Sarrazin

(2) K-3 Using comic-strip panels, Day-Glo colors, and a hand-lettered text, Proimos shepherds his wise-guy protagonist--a sheep in boy's clothing--through five brief, laugh-out-loud vignettes in which Johnny finds that he has something in common with archenemy Mandy Dinkus, learns about table manners from Ms. Bottoms, and discovers the old couple across the street aren't really so scary--they even like to skateboard.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2004

(2) 1-3 The lovably eccentric sheep who made his debut in The Many Adventures of Johnny Mutton again demonstrates the goofy and sweet-natured qualities that are "so him." Johnny saves the universe (or dreams that he does), writes love poems to a cranky grocery clerk, and has a tooting good time in a staring contest with his momma in five brief, very funny stories related in comic-strip panels.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2003

(4) K-3 This collection of poems, illustrated with spare, appropriately silly cartoons, covers such topics as spaghetti, smelly feet, and staying up late. The lines don't always scan properly, and some rhymes are imprecise ("derby" anticipates "superbly"), but kids will appreciate the high humor and relate to the intentionally gross subject matter. The final offering encourages readers to try writing their own rhymes.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(2) 1-3 When Momma Mutton discovers a foundling on her doorstep, she fails to notice the infant is actually a sheep. Five brief tales describe Johnny's experiences at home and school. Raucously told, each story comes to a gentle conclusion that celebrates the individuality of the good-natured protagonist. The flat, vibrantly colored comic-strip art and scratchy hand-lettered text are a good match for the book's goofy humor.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2001

(4) K-3 Since babyhood, young Sam has always expressed his emotions, both happy and sad, with a lot of volume. His parents nurture his uninhibitedness, but when he visits his aunt in the city he finds that not everyone is so open about their feelings. The book's exaggerated Simpsons-style cartoon illustrations are certainly lively, but often seem too edgy for the text's heartfelt tone.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) K-3 Crazed-looking but companionable caricatures act out a fairly standard plot about an old man on the verge of having his wish to be young again granted. The edgy cartoon illustration style and humorous asides keep the story from dipping into oversentimentality when, after visiting his grandson and realizing neither of them wants their close relationship to change, the man and his grandson retract the wish.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann