(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Charly Palmer. In a reverent celebration of African American music, Alexander's lyrical free-verse text flows through different eras and genres of sound. This musical tour begins in Africa: "Listen to the fireside chorus / of the motherland / to the talking drums / dancing beneath the golden sun / that beat a bold tapestry / of yesterday's stories / and tomorrow's dreams." From there, the exploration honors the hymns and hopes of enslaved people, gospel music ("Listen to the Amazing Grace / of the Jubilee Singers / to the joyful noise / of Sunday morning gospel / and Let the Church Say /Amen. Amen. HALLELUJAH!"), the blues, jazz, soul, rock and roll, hip-hop, and rap. Palmer's vibrant double-page acrylic paintings burst with color and movement, making a rewarding connection to the music; the full-bleed images are rich with resonance and meaning. Extensive end notes provide helpful information about the musical history, artists and movements, and cultural connections alluded to in both the text and the illustrations. A stunning homage to "the soundtrack of America / a symphony / of refuge and redemption."

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Jerry Craft. Two fifth graders vie to win their middle school’s annual creative storytelling contest. Both are already experienced storytellers: J illustrates books without words, and K writes stories without illustrations. In real life, Craft and Alexander have a lively friendly rivalry on display in social media posts and joint school visits, and this highly illustrated novel (cartoonlike black-and-white drawings appear throughout; final art unseen) is the perfect playground for their fictional ­counterparts—and for themselves, as both authors interject regularly with notes. Ever competitive, J and K try undermining each other’s chances for winning the contest by giving bad advice: draw with your nondominant hand, write what you don’t know, write in “sixth person.” Readers will soon suspect that J and K will join forces to write a book together, combining their talents, and indeed they enter the contest with their frog story collaboration, “Croak and Swagger: The Most Ribbiting Story Ever Told.” The culminating award ceremony, related with suspense and humor, isn’t the final word. Not only are readers told “To Be Continued…” but Craft and Alexander also offer “more fun…with this QR code” and write each other’s author bios with more of their trash talk.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eugenia Yoh. This imaginative story features a restless bespectacled boy named Max who finds a better way to experience a summer day, thanks to his wise little sister, Mimi. On the first day of vacation, Max enjoys a bunch of activities, captured in a clever cross-section view of his home. However, by the second day, "there was nothing else to do." Max wonders if the park would be more fun. He rides the springy toys and swings on the swings, but "what if I was at the pool...?" Visits to the pool and then the zoo fail to enthrall him. Engaging mixed-media illustrations show Mimi, with her enthusiastic body language, joining her brother and thriving in each space. Despite the protagonist's ennui, Chang's sometimes rhyming text is lively and is well complemented by the art. Max dreams of more outlandish things to do -- "What if I...jumped on giant Jell-o...rode on a koi..." -- and the colorful illustrations become increasingly surreal. His imaginings explode on an energetic double-page spread showing him involved in such exciting activities as soaring into outer space. Feeling left out of his elaborate plans, Mimi suggests: "What if WE?" The tale ends on a reassuring note with Max realizing that baby sis is indeed correct. An inventive sibling romp.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) YA Divine Traitors series. This story of dragons and magic set in the warring nations of San Irie and Langley picks up shortly after the cliffhanger ending of So Let Them Burn (rev. 3/24). Faron, linked spiritually and mentally with the dragon Lightbringer and with Iya, the would-be god possessing the body of the boy she loves, hopes to free him, undermine the war effort from inside Langley, and keep innocents alive. Back on San Irie, her sister, Elara, is the new Maiden Empyrean, chosen by the gods to wield their power and charged to defeat Iya and send all dragons away, regardless of the attachments that humans—especially her own girlfriend—have with dragons. Many of the first novel’s charms carry through this one, topmost amongst them the complex, flawed, yet easy-to-root-for sister protagonists and their dedication to each other. The writing successfully balances the tension between the pain of separation and comfort found in moments of connection and solidarity. The world is lushly built, though some aspects of the series (blood magic; the fallibility of gods and dragons alike) could be further explored. Cole sticks the landing, however, with a satisfying ending including hard-fought wins, believable losses, and the end to war as its own kind of magic.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) PS Dalmatians have long been associated with fire trucks and stations. In this preschooler-pitched book about canine fire rescue, we meet four endearing pups: Spot, Zippy, Pip, and Wink. At the firehouse, they are trained to listen, use their sense of smell, check for movement in the dark, and gently carry things in their mouths -- all skills they will use in a real fire. When the alarm rings with a "CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!" the firefighters and dogs jump into action. Once they arrive at a burning house, the drama builds as each dog makes a rescue: Pip sees movement through smoke and brings a hamster to safety, Spot opens a birdcage door and leads a parrot outside, and so forth. Desimini (Dot the Fire Dog, rev. 11/01) presents information simply for young listeners. The illustrations, in collage and paint and finished digitally, use strong, bold colors and depict adorable pups that are eager and attentive. An enjoyable story that successfully introduces firefighters and their firehouse to a young audience from an angle appealing to animal lovers. Back matter includes safety tips and a historical note about Dalmatians' role as fire dogs.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gómez. What do you do when “your brain is buzzy, and it’s way too busy”? Call upon the “Marvelous Now,” a small blue creature who is the personification of mindfulness and peace. “Now” helps you calm down by reminding you to count backward, go for a walk, draw, etc. The reassuring rhymes gives readers effective strategies for “keeping your cool!”; the digital art contrasts gray clouds of stress with soothing, colorful flower trails.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) YA Celia, Ros, and Touchstone are a "triumvirate" of rising high school seniors. They spend the summer on their own for the first time at a cabin in Lovesick Falls, a town known for its spring that purportedly can make anyone who drinks from it fall out of love. Celia, the ringleader of the summer and of pretty much everything, narrates most of the story: her romantic feelings for Ros and subsequent feelings when Ros sets their sights on a new summer acquaintance; her own flirtation with a celeb crush who shows up at the theater where she has a costume-shop internship; and more. (And if third roommate Touchstone sounds neglected, dear reader, you're less oblivious than his friends are.) Drake's reimagining of Shakespeare's As You Like It has plenty to appeal to theater nerds, language nerds, and fans of queer romance. While the humor is plentiful, there's also lots of introspection in this collective coming-of-age story; this is a friend group steeped in tradition and dearly held in-jokes, but some of its patterns are overdue for reexamination, as occasional point-of-view shifts help to show. Emotions aren't as simple as a drink from a spring, and first steps toward adulthood aren't simple either -- but on this stage, comedy ultimately outweighs tragedy.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 This picture book with old-fashioned appeal (think Zion's classic Harry the Dirty Dog) follows Rosemary, a low-slung pup with verrrry long ears, and her best friend/child owner as they head out for a walk. At each stop along the way, Rosemary's ears get her in trouble, dragging through a puddle, then a pile of leaves, then a field of fluffy dandelions, much of which ends up coming with them, stuck on Rosemary's fur. Next they meet up with a group of children eating ice-cream cones who pat her enthusiastically with their sticky hands. "Now Rosemary is...A MESS!" It's time for the pair to retrace their steps for home so that Rosemary can have a bath; she objects ("AWOOOOOOOO") until she realizes how much fun it is to play with the bubbles. The book ends with our protagonist "clean and fresh and bundled into a hug" but with the promise of more adventures tomorrow. Ghahremani's text is tailor-made for reading aloud, full of child-pleasing commentary ("OH NO!") and sounds ("Ahh...AHHH...ACHOO!"). Mixed-media illustrations in cheerful primary colors are imbued with personality and motion, as Rosemary's ears go flying out behind her. Adding to the book's already considerable child appeal are the endpapers tracing the friends' route through the neighborhood featuring all the mess-producing landmarks.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(1) K-3 As a family goes to bed on a cold night, a young girl begins a story to ease her cousin to sleep. The tale unfolds as a walk through the world around them, illuminating the winter landscape and all who find solace in the quiet hours and tempering her cousin's worries about the dark by urging him to "Come! Haagu! Follow the light." The phrase "Come, haagu" is repeated as they explore the forest, the ocean, and the night sky, sharing the wonders of Tlingit tradition and nature's interdependence. Delicate, leafless branches filter moonlight on fresh snow; bear, deer and lichen all find places to rest in the dark; fish and seals leap under the surface of evening waves; and the northern lights put on a show for all. Tlingit creator and Caldecott Medalist (for We Are Water Protectors, rev. 7/20) Goade shares a gentle story steeped in reciprocity; through mutual existence, there is only wonder, not fear. The watercolor illustrations are intensely saturated with dark blues and purples while conveying calm and light through shimmering lines, shadowy creatures at rest and play, and dots of snowflakes that scatter the pages; the stark contrast between light and dark envelops readers in the story. A moving testament to the deep interconnectedness of the world that will both charm and calm readers.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gordon C. James. Few writers have commanded the English language like James Baldwin (1924-1987). As a child in Harlem, Jimmy was expected to care for his eight siblings while his mother did domestic work. He endured a domineering stepfather, bullying, racism, and police violence. All the while, he escaped through the world of words and books. He eventually moved to France, where he used his pen to reconcile his experiences as a Black man in the United States. The result was his first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, which sparked a successful literary career. Harris lyrically narrates Baldwin's childhood and his pathway to becoming a published author, highlighting how reading captivated him at a young age ("in the library, Jimmy could hear the books singing to him") and capturing the essence of a man whose literature still resonates today. James's oil on board illustrations are resplendent in rich jewel tones, with double-page spreads that are at times reminiscent of impressionist paintings. The delight of the library stacks, the fervor of Sunday service, the solitude on a hill in Central Park are all lavishly rendered. This is a beautiful tribute to Baldwin and the book that ignited his career. Back matter includes more information about Baldwin and a list of select sources, along with author and illustrator notes. Pair with Meadows and Law's Jimmy's Rhythm and Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin (rev. 3/24).

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 4-6 Clare the fox lives, so to speak, in Deadwood Forest: “Like Clare, the forest was not quite dead but not quite alive.” He struggles with self-consciousness about his mangled ear and missing eye (the result of the accident that sent him to the forest), but for the most part follows a quiet routine as the Afterlife’s Usher of souls, tending his mushroom garden, reading books scavenged from Deadwood Dump, and making tea for himself and the wandering animal souls that knock on his cottage door. Mostly, the souls are easy to guide into one of the Afterlife’s four realms: Peace, Pleasure, Progress, or Pain. Then badger Gingersnipes, who doesn’t appear to belong to any realm, arrives just as Clare hears of an ominous premonition. Clare embarks on a quest to understand the meaning of the premonition and help Gingersnipes find her way. He engages in some surprising (to him) self-reflection and learns about love—for himself and others—as he travels through neighboring forests with his companion. Between chapters, detailed black-and-white drawings (by Marcin Minor) reminiscent of woodcuts highlight key characters and scenes to come. Though some of the book’s messages are a bit on the nose, ultimately the dry humor, an amusingly intrusive narrator, and a touch of nostalgia intertwine to create an endearingly strange snapshot of a cottage-core world caught between life, death, and the afterlife.

Reviewer: Monica de los Reyes | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Marla Frazee. As an introduction by the late Hoberman­ explains, for this collection she selected favorite poems of hers “about animals and insects” from past books no longer in print and also wrote eight new poems. Frazee’s delightfully energetic pencil and watercolor illustrations bring together the verses into a cohesive new whole -- she sets them at an animal hotel, complete with a spa, yoga classes, and a chocolate fountain. Characters recur (the squirrel bellhops are kept busy), and some subjects are creatively reinterpreted (the extinct brachiosaurus can’t be a guest, but it can provide the shape for the ­playground slide). The poems themselves are full of whimsical wildlife observations (“I often wonder whether / The rhinoceros’s leather / Is as bumpy on the inside / As it is upon the skinside”) and satisfyingly show off Hoberman’s facility with wordplay and with rhyme, meter, and inventive line breaks (“birds / need / bird / seed / bird / seed / feeds / birds / birds / sing / bird / songs / songs / with / bird /words”). A hotel worth checking into—and a collaboration worth checking out.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Oge Mora. How much stuff is too much, and what can be done with the excess? A child faced with a cluttered bedroom and overflowing closet starts small: by giving away items to each of their siblings and to the family dog and cat. Next, the youngster packs up a red wagon and hauls it to the senior center ("donations needed!"), attracting friends along the way who have things to give and spending time with appreciative, active seniors. They band together, young and old, to beautify their space and organize a community-wide collection drive. With just a handful of words (mostly more or less), six or fewer on a spread, Hughes tells a complete and satisfying story, perfectly complemented by Mora's (I'm From, rev. 9/23) reliably warmhearted and enriching cut-paper illustrations. There's much to notice—and more and more with every reread—as the visual excess gives way to scenes of cooperative effort and shared mission. In the end, the protagonist's most special giveaway—a pink stuffed bunny who's been there from the start—doesn't read as sacrifice so much as embodiment of a common interest and of the narrative's culminating philosophy: less is more.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) K-3 After their parents' separation, mixed-race siblings Poppy and Robin adjust to living in two homes. Through the changing seasons, they navigate their feelings, seek comfort in familiar routines, and grow sunflowers together. Despite the challenges, they discover that love conquers all, and with time, change becomes easier. Vibrant digital illustrations with lots of natural outdoor scenery and a touch of nostalgic warmth create an optimistic mood. Back matter includes a psychologist's note for caregivers, online resources, and recommended reading.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) K-3 A curly-headed child, clad in a striped shirt, shorts, and rubber boots, spends the day with a great blue heron named Blue. The two "shriek, splash...and share" in the water. They play together and, as the sun sets, stretch their "wings, feeling our feathers ruffle in the cool air." Then the heron flies away, leaving the child bereft yet still hopeful. Happily, Blue returns to take the protagonist on a ride through the night sky. Eventually, cold and tired, the child realizes it's time to go home, later falling asleep in a warm bed while hugging a stuffed heron to "dream of meeting again." Kaufman uses few words for this lyrical story of a young person's imaginative journey. Her soft, flowing paintings are done in watercolor in shades of blue, black, and yellow with charcoal, pastel, and pencil. The watery setting is well served by the artistic medium: waves splash across the page, and sunlight spreads across the sky. A lovely celebration of the natural world and a child's dreamlike place in it.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) YA Debut author Lessore delivers a humorous and heartfelt story about a thirteen-year-old Black British aspiring rapper navigating social media disasters and personal setbacks. Shaun “Growls” Thompson’s journey to overcome embarrassment and reclaim his dreams is filled with relatable struggles and vibrant friendships. Lessore’s use of first-person narration and beatbox poems adds depth to Growls’s character. The book’s witty dialogue and diverse cast make it an enjoyable read with a powerful message about perseverance.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Iwai. Take a compelling story of an indomitable chef, add heaps of immersive sensory details, stir in a warm palette, then devour this tasty introduction to Cecilia Chiang (1920-2020). Born in an old Beijing palace, young Cecilia loved the kitchen best, with its enticing aromas and iconic clamor of cleavers and sizzling wok oil. Her family enjoyed these delicious meals and savored each unique bite. When the arrival of Japanese troops in China in 1937 caused the family to scatter for safety, Cecilia and her sister fled to the countryside, where Cecilia discovered new cuisines. This education would inform her future, as she moved to Tokyo in 1949 to escape the Chinese civil war and later opened a Chinese restaurant to share flavors of home. After moving to San Francisco, she became determined to change Americans' perception of Chinese food as "cheap and greasy." Her second restaurant, the Mandarin, featured a fine-dining, two-hundred-item menu that would "showcase the best flavors from China's many regions." Excellent reviews and celebrity clientele brought fame, but what mattered most were sharing the tastes of her childhood and bringing customers joy. Leung's straightforward and thoughtful prose never glosses over Chiang's difficult life but lingers instead on the poetry of cooking, which is expertly paired with Iwai's watercolors that offer heartwarming and mouthwatering details on every spread. An author's note provides photos of Chiang and additional information in this story steeped in foodways and family.

Reviewer: J. Elizabeth Mills | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 4-6 On one side of the Old City Gate live the Gongshi: stone spirits that are awakened when carved into statues. The spirits' job is to protect the humans on the other side of the gate. The Stone Lions—cub Jin and his parents—must also guard the Sacred Sphere, which maintains the open gate between the two worlds, but fun-loving Jin is far more interested in playing zuqiu (a soccer-type game) than in protecting anything. When a game is called off, Jin angrily kicks the zuqiu ball, which knocks into the Sacred Sphere, sending it through the gate. Chasing it, Jin becomes trapped in the human world, where he joins forces with a girl named Lulu and with Worm, a wise dragon stuck in a worm's form. The small cub, young girl, and tiny dragon prove that size does not necessarily equal courage as they face terrifying natural disasters and the deceitful Dragon-Head creature in order to retrieve the Sacred Sphere from a mysterious, shadowy figure. Lin (Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, rev. 9/09, and sequels) once again cleverly uses embedded narratives to provide background information about characters in her story. Small spot illustrations open each chapter, while occasional full-page art in gorgeous, saturated color accompanies key moments in Jin's journey. The tale's themes (touching on joy, grief, and the interconnectedness of all life) are naturally integrated into the diverting adventure, and an endnote discusses the author's various inspirations.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) K-3 Ah-Fu, an imaginative young boy, is tasked with bringing an ox home from the field. His grandfather and several animals tell him not to ride the ox, pull it by its horns, or herd it from behind in order to accomplish this mission (because he’s “not big enough”), but when the ox needs him, Ah-Fu rises to the occasion. The story (inspired by traditional Chinese philosophy and featuring characters from Linke’s webcomic) leaves room for young readers and listeners to speculate about what’s real and imagined and to make predictions about Ah-Fu’s actions. Striking digital illustrations, including occasional wordless spreads, lend an ethereal feel.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Colin and his best friend, Ren, are on their way home from a gay club when Ren is apparently attacked by a ghostly hand in the forest. After that, Ren starts acting strangely: he is obsessed with bluebells, lies about unexplained bruises, and is snappy and withdrawn. Eventually, Colin learns that an evil faerie is responsible for Ren’s behavior—and that Ren’s life is in danger. While the story is sufficiently creepy, there is also appeal in the authentically represented (platonic) love story between the two friends.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns