(1) K-3 An opening note introduces this story of a mother and son experiencing homelessness. The otherwise wordless story opens with the mother walking through the city carrying a green backpack. She waits patiently for her son to leave school, and they have dinner at a fast-food restaurant and then read and study at the library until it closes. Next the two make their way to a park, where he will sleep for the night while she keeps watch. In the morning, the mother helps him dress with clothes and toiletries she keeps in the green bag, then brings him back to school. Through poignant images created using watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite pencil, readers observe the love between mother and son. For example, in an early spread, they greet each other with open arms. Other images indicate the dangers of their situation, such as those that show the mother looking over her shoulder as her son sleeps. The book gives faces to the many children and families who are unhoused, and the author's note calls on readers to "begin by seeing those who face this issue each day, to pay attention." Teachers, librarians, and families can use this book with varying age levels to discuss Ransome's question: "In a country with vast resources, what is our responsibility to those without access to basic necessities?"

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(1) K-3 Using deceptively simple, repetitive verse, an enslaved girl narrates her family's daily plantation activities over a week, every morning beginning with the bell ringing--until Thursday when her brother runs away. The author communicates the complex emotions of individuals fleeing enslavement and the aftermath for those left behind. Through lush watercolors that expertly frame and highlight the characters, the reader is drawn into scenes of tenderness, joy, terror, and despair.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(4) K-3 A child wonders why her elderly teacher keeps teaching, but she answers her own question by listing the ways the teacher loves to share knowledge and inspiration with generations of students. Ransome's detailed art uses an amiable childlike style; the story is somewhat sentimental, but descriptions of lessons and numerous anecdotes of students past exemplify the concept of high-quality education.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Young Tom is excited to ride his new bike to pal Sam's house. While waiting at Sam's door, Tom's bike disappears (temporarily). The spare text will hold readers' attention--"He zooms down the hill / around the curve / and back up"--while unfussy watercolor and pencil illustrations with lots of white space enhance accessibility.

Reviewer: Sarah Novogrodsky

(4) K-3 "Too short and too round" to be a typical quarterback, Gunner nevertheless makes third-string QB for his PeeWee team. He warms the bench until the team's championship game, during which he improbably throws for two touchdowns. Though the team loses, Gunner is still a hero. Loose-lined watercolors in autumnal hues convey a sense of movement, but figures are sometimes rendered inconsistently.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute