(2) PS Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Gurple (a gangly purple robot with green appendages) and Preen (a diminutive green robot with some neat purple accessories) have crash-landed on an alien planet. Their cargo--a bunch of brand-new crayons--has scattered everywhere, and the robots must retrieve it all. The crayons are actually containers; it's not until breaking them that the robots (and we) can see what's inside. Gurple is perplexed and frustrated ("a TABLECLOTH? What are we supposed to do with that?"); Preen (who communicates in beeps) thoughtfully gets to work repairing the ship. Finally, the mission's commander is released from her crayon, and after being brought up to speed, the explorers are on their way, blasting back off into outer space. The last page brings us down to Earth, as the "commander" is revealed to be a little girl in her bedroom, surrounded by robot toys, crayons, and space-and-science paraphernalia--gazing out her bedroom window at the night sky. In the category of they-were-toys-all-along picture books, this one stands out, as the child's imagined scenarios--and Park's and Ohi's storytelling--are particularly creative and freewheeling. The dialogue, especially Gurple's interjections ("Zap my apps!" "Bits and bytes!"), is bright and witty, as are the digital crayon-box illustrations with lots of dimension and plenty to look at--and starring an endearing android odd-couple pair.

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

(3) PS Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. "Will I always feel like this?" a melancholy flamingo asks a girl on a swing, after which she and a potato (who costarred in this author-illustrator duo's I'm Bored) discuss sadness. Black goes uncharacteristically deep at times but always resurfaces; his signature silliness is reinforced in Ohi's unfussy digital art in which the potato gets around on the unblinking flamingo's back.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) PS Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. In her second investigative case, Mitzi receives help from friends in the apartment building in determining whether her dad is sneaking vegetables into muffins. They collect evidence, examine it, and test their theory (it's carrots!). Subtle humor highlights preschoolers' ways of thinking in a relatable fashion that avoids being cloying. Expressive, black-outlined color illustrations depict a multiethnic community and emphasize a love of science.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(3) PS Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Sea Monkey is scared he will sink to the bottom of the ocean; similarly, puffer fish Bob is scared he will float to the surface. They promise to save each other if either happens. A deadpan text of color-coded dialogue is more concerned with the friends' touching reciprocity than with any actual science of buoyancy. Ohi's digital cartoons play up the conversation's humor.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Busy ballet dancer Ruby Rose is back (Ruby Rose on Her Toes), and this time she and (teddy-bear) dance partner Bearishnikov are putting on a recital in the house. Will the rain keep their audience away? The alliterative language incorporates lots of ballet lingo and speeds the story along at Ruby Rose's active pace; Ohi's digital illustrations capture the girl's dancerly spirit.

Reviewer: Mariko Turk

(3) PS Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Mitzi uses clues around the house to figure out what's different on a special Sunday. Through encounters with family members and investigating strange smells, she discovers that it's her fourth birthday! Subtle humor highlights a preschooler's way of thinking and is relatable for both parents and kids without being cloying. Bright, lively illustrations use the space creatively and depict a mixed-race family.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. Dance enthusiast Ruby Rose can't help herself: she has to dance. When she starts school, she's shocked to learn that "there's no time to dance." She's so shocked she knocks over the classroom ant farm, which gets everyone twisting and stomping. The story, laced with lots of dance lingo, tries too hard, but the friendly digital illustrations are as lively as Ruby Rose.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. What little kid doesn't love to be naked? The narrator--in the No, David! mold--jumps out of the bath and runs around the house in his altogether...until he gets the super idea to don a cape ("Being naked is great, but being caped is even better!"). Lively text and illustrations (no naughty bits are shown) capture the protagonist's unfettered glee.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) PS Illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. A bored little girl encounters a potato who thinks she's boring, so she retaliates by telling him about all the cool things kids can do. While the message is overt, the story is humorous, as is the cyclical ending. Best of all are the minimalist digital illustrations depicting all the "amazing" activities the girl demonstrates.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter