(1) 1-3 Henry series. Illustrated by Mika Song. In his second early-chapter-book outing (Henry, like Always, rev. 3/23), Henry -- a sensitive child who presents as being on the autism spectrum -- is ambivalent about a field trip to the natural history museum. "Henry was excited. Everyone in Classroom Ten would ride the bus to the museum. Henry was also worried. Everyone in Classroom Ten would ride the bus to the museum." Despite his concerns, Henry is looking forward to the dinosaur exhibit. When Samuel's dad (a field trip helper) asks Henry's group of three what they'd like to see, "'Dinosaurs!' said Henry. But he forgot to say it out loud." Each of his attempts to make his voice heard is inadvertently thwarted, and Henry patiently accompanies his group to the rock, bug, and mummy displays. Song's loosely rendered, limited-palette watercolor and ink illustrations telegraph emotion and deepen meaning for newly independent readers. When Henry eventually shouts "DINOSAURS!" the accompanying illustration makes clear his frustration, along with his classmates' bemused reactions. They finally find the dinosaur room (after getting a bit lost), and Henry's absolute joy is palpable. Bailey's relatable characters, familiar scenarios, and gentle humor make this a remarkably satisfying read...whether you embrace the new or not.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Carmen Mok. Orris the rat lives a quiet, reclusive life nestled in the wall of an abandoned barn. He papers his hideaway with stories from discarded books, tends to his treasures (a slipper, a marble, a sardine can emblazoned with a jaunty, crown-wearing fish), and carefully avoids danger. When a young owl finds himself snagged in a mousetrap outside of Orris's door, the rat is faced with a moral dilemma: help the predator, risking that his favor may be repaid with violence, or ignore the owl's clear suffering from the safety of his own nest. This test of character sits at the center of an intimate, fully illustrated early chapter book. As the story is a clear variation on Aesop's "The Lion and the Mouse," the moral option may seem obvious, but DiCamillo's artful use of spare and telling detail along with Mok's attention to visual perspective in her atmospheric art give weight to the rat's decision. Orris's face-off with his admired sardine can's offbeat branding insisting that consumers "make the good and noble choice!!" adds levity. While Orris works to release the trap, a nimbly narrated conversation sets a tentative friendship in motion between Timble, an awkward, good-intentioned lover of stories, and Orris, a grumpy, lonely collector of tales. This is a tender, carefully drawn opening to a promising character-driven series.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 1-3 Bat, Cat & Rat series. Illustrated by Mark Teague. These delightful, very brief stories entertainingly touch on the joys and complexities of friendship. In chapter one, Bat, Cat, and Rat move into a new house together. Each character is distinct: Cat is serious, Rat is mischievous, and Bat is clever. Cat takes the upstairs and pulls books from a suitcase. Rat gets the downstairs and unpacks a satchel of joke props. When Bat declares, "UNDER the stairs is THE BEST!" the friends all end up hanging out in Bat's snug closet. In the second chapter, Rat plays a joke, scaring Cat with a rubber spider. But Bat turns the tables and plays an even bigger joke on Rat. Using only a handful of basic words and repetition, Dyckman creates an inventive, warm text filled with humor. Teague magnifies that humor even further with his trademark cartoonlike drawings rendered in acrylics. The big, bold illustrations capture expressions of joy, anger, contentment, and camaraderie. Young readers will enjoy the stories and discover that a home with friends, even with its ups and downs, is a cozy place to be.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 1-3 Monti the mole has a morning routine: go the bakery, stop at the library, and then rest on his favorite rock beside the river. One day, his routine is interrupted when he hears whispers about a stranger in town -- and then he finds the stranger on his rock. This beginning-reader comic is for children gaining confidence and fluency. It's told in five short chapters with twenty to thirty words per page; multisyllabic words like stranger, favorite, and talent are repeated throughout the text, giving opportunities to practice them. The stranger turns out to be Leo, a long-snouted green creature; and, of course, he and Monti become fast friends. Kantorovitz presents a fresh angle on friendship, though: Leo has been experiencing some suspicion and hostility since he arrived in town, and Monti makes it his goal to show everyone how amazing Leo is. The digital illustrations mix bold lines and pastel colors to pleasing effect, and Kantorovitz varies the number of panels on each page to control the pace, building small moments of drama and breakthroughs and leading up to a talent show Monti and Leo stage to bring the town together. This cozy book feels both familiar and surprising, and it will likely be embraced by young comics fans.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by A. N. Kang. Back for a third adventure (Starla Jean, rev. 3/21; Starla Jean Takes the Cake), our ­heroine and her chicken, Opal Egg, have a mystery to solve. Starla Jean (who now considers herself a "chicken-everything expert") summarizes key points from the ­previous titles as she shares her chicken knowledge along with topics of expertise found among her family and neighbors (e.g., "Mr. Marcos, whose house is near the park, is an expert gardener. His dog, Dean, is great at digging holes"). By chapter two, the plot moves forward as Starla Jean, with baby sister Willa in a wagon unsuccessfully tries to leash Opal Egg for a walk, but Opal Egg insists on walking untethered. The chicken leads them to a mystery when she unearths a yellow bead while looking for snails. As with her chicken-care tactics, Starla Jean's attempts to solve the mystery include a litany of tangents, wacky observations, and wrong turns, ­allowing both readers and Opal Egg to stay one step ahead. With each newly discovered clue, a neighbor joins the pursuit, and eventually this merry crew finds a rainbow of lost beads and their original owner too. Colorful spot art on every page adds information and comedy to the narrative and, along with Starla Jean's penchant for lists and repetition, helps keep the story accessible for new readers.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(1) 1-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. Henry, a boy on the autism spectrum (first introduced in the 2019 picture book A Friend for Henry, rev. 5/19), likes everything about school. Life in Classroom Ten is entirely predictable. Mrs. Tanaka posts the schedule for the week, and Henry can count on ­having Music on Wednesdays, Free Choice every Thursday, and Share Time on Fridays. So when Mrs. Tanaka announces that the class will hold a special parade on the upcoming Friday in place of Share Time, Henry responds with dismay. All week, Henry objects, but to no avail. On the big day, Henry hands his teacher his Quiet Card and enters the classroom closet to regroup. There, he encounters classmate Samuel, who is unhappy about the parade for a different reason. Henry finds a solution to Samuel's discomfort, a way to keep Friday as a time to share, and a comfortable place for himself in the parade. The ending of this short chapter book, heavily illustrated and with a format and content to appeal to new readers, is as satisfying as Bailey's understanding prose and Song's gentle, friendly illustrations. Henry is an extremely sympathetic hero--relatable and authentic. His open face expresses anxiety, calm, distress, or delight with just small changes to his eyebrows or mouth. Readers will recognize Henry as a child who succeeds in adjusting to what is, for him, an enormous challenge.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 1-3 The First Cat in Space series. Illustrated by Shawn Harris. Following The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza (rev. 7/22) is an elaborate and emotionally sincere graphic novel that fortunately retains much of the oddball absurdity of its predecessor. This space-Western whodunit sees the return of the series' heroic trio: stoic First Cat, courageous Moon Queen, and reputable robot Loz 4000; however, the friend group finds itself fractured due to the pint-sized droid's self-assigned exile for an honest mistake. After the queen's soup is mysteriously poisoned, she has only twenty-four hours to obtain lifesaving "golden glumpfoozles" (a.k.a. yellow apples). Joined by First Cat, Her Majesty's episodic lunar adventure is rife with near-constant twists, danger, and subterfuge. Loz 4000 faces peril as well, including unjust imprisonment with a baby pirate, but it's through this relationship that Loz learns to overcome feelings of self-doubt to be the hero that the story needs. Thoughtful plotting, revealing flashbacks, and strong continuity result in a remarkably cogent caper that improves upon re-reading. Harris's lively pencil and charcoal cartooning perfectly pairs with the humorous storytelling and at times experiments with unconventional panel layouts, green monochrome monitor imagery, and expressive shifts in digital color to effectually convey mood, meaning, and setting. Extras include First Cat Fan Club info and a one-page comic announcement: "There's going to be a book 3!"

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) 1-3 Narwhal and Jelly Book series. Excited Narwhal can't decide which costume to wear for Halloween, while scared Jelly doesn't plan to participate. But when Jelly and their friends must "superfy" themselves to bravely rescue Narwhal from a "humongously hungry" sea monster (i.e., Narwhal in too many costume com[cf2boonations), that gives Narwhal the perfect costume idea for their Narwhalloween party...featuring waffles, of course. Humorous puns abound; the varied panel structure and dynamic character expressions in this graphic novel for transitional readers help build age-appropriate suspense. This entertaining eighth series entry includes three "story chapters" plus facts about potentially scary real-life creatures and a "Super Waffle, Strawberry Sidekick and the Bat Attack" comic interlude.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Doug Salati. "Bird affairs are not rabbit affairs," says Butternut's mother. But when the young rabbit meets Piper, an outgoing and adventurous fledgling robin, she starts connecting with other animals in Milkweed Meadow and finding the world less frightening. Butternut directly addresses readers, dropping carrots of wisdom about story structure and life. "Life-and-death stakes might enhance a story, but they were terrifying to live through." The animal characters are anthropomorphized, but they retain core species characteristics and behaviors; some readers may even recognize the dynamics of wildlife interactions around the bird feeder near Butternut's den. Salati's (Hot Dogp, rev. 11/22) textured black-and-white illustrations mirror this blend of realism and fantasy. The animals' faces are expressive, but they look like animals, especially in their body language. When Butternut has to decide whether or not to risk her safety to attempt the rescue she's been foreshadowing since the first sentence of chapter one, no one will be surprised. But how it happens is "a wood-gnawing climax," as Butternut's grandmother would say. This chapter book has a relatively rare and welcome level of depth, and the strong narrative voice, ecological awareness, and themes around the value of connection and community will call to many readers.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 1-3 Bear and Bird are the best of friends. In four stories, the pair navigates misunderstandings and hurt feelings, always managing to remember how much they value each other so they can turn a difficult situation into a happy one. In one story, Bear forgets to pack picnic supplies but can't admit it. He distracts his friend with "The Wobble Song" and an invitation to eat yummy leaves instead of picnic fare. Bird knows Bear forgot, but saves Bear's feelings by going along with the adjusted plan. In another chapter, Bird shows Bear how to paint en plein air. She is then crushed because local animals admire Bear's picture but not her own. Bird's jealousy shows up as anger, but this time Bear saves Bird's dignity by asking to hang Bird's painting on his wall. Jarvis skillfully writes about small adventures and emotional upheavals of childhood. With thick outlines, friendly curved shapes, and touches of humor, loose, cheerful digital illustrations on almost every page make the book approachable. Jarvis's short chapter book will be welcome for readers moving on from Cordell's Cornbread and Poppy but not quite ready for Barrows's Ivy and Bean series.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(1) 1-3 In her third adventure, Marisol (Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, rev. 5/21, and sequel) helps her friend Felix learn to ride a bicycle, navigates her best friend Jada's jealousy that Marisol is spending so much time with Felix, and worries about a neighbor's scary-looking German shepherd, who has gone missing. (At bedtime, after learning that the dog has escaped, Marisol "wonders where he is. She wonders if he will be waiting for her in the morning with all his teeth.") Marisol is an anxious second grader, and her concerns are emotionally spot-on. The limited omniscient narration means that readers know what the protagonist is feeling and thinking while still viewing the world from outside of her head. The book design is approachable for young readers, featuring wide margins, plenty of white space, and an abundance of line drawings. Give this to fans of Dominguez's Stella Diaz Has Something to Say (rev. 5/18) or those ready to move on from Faruqi's Meet Yasmin!

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Blythe Russo. In spite of their differences, Drag, a relaxed, spontaneous dragon, and Rex, a more serious and somewhat stiff dinosaur, are the best of friends. When they make a snowbear together, Drag accidentally melts it by breathing fire a bit too close; but then Drag encourages Rex to recover from disappointment and skate on the ice that forms. Later, Rex, wearing a button-down shirt and a sweater with elbow patches, helps Drag, in his T-shirt and jeans, calm down enough to notice that the scary story he is reading can't actually be too scary, since it is about a dragon. The book is divided into three sections, and each section is further divided into three chapters. The stories have plenty of humor; in "Snow Day," readers may empathize with the friends' exhaustion when they finally conquer all the buttons, zippers, buckles, and laces involved in getting dressed to go outside -- and instead they take a nap. Russo's lighthearted cartoon-style illustrations on every page and the abundance of white space and attention to layout all work well together to make the book approachable for young chapter-book readers. Give this to fans of Cordell's Cornbread and Poppy (rev. 3/22) and Snyder's Charlie and Mouse (rev. 7/17) and their sequels.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) 1-3 Plum, a "peppy little purple peacock" at the Athensville Zoo, is the only animal in his enclosure one rainy day when Scratch, a bossy, greedy raccoon, and his gang invade the zoo. The subsequent chaos disrupts what had been a bucolic home. Plum and his friends--including a domestic cat named Jeremy, a ningbing named Itch, a family of chipmunks, and a bear who lives in the nearby woods--work together to solve the problem. The comic sequel to Leave It to Plum!(rev. 9/22) is heavily illustrated with Phelan's movement-filled black-and-white drawings. Plum sports expressive curly feathers that stand at attention when he is happy but crumple when Scratch is demanding something. At important points in the story, wordless spreads convey the drama of the moment. As he did in the previous book, Phelan weaves ideas important to elementary-school students through the story. Plum accomplishes his goal by working with others; Scratch realizes that family can be made from those who care about you, even if they are not the same species; and all the zoo animals learn about leadership and problem-solving.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) 1-3 How can a single egg lead to a whole town in chaos? Stein's offbeat early graphic novel full of slapstick comedy explores just how much trouble an egg can cause. An uptight food inspector, a chef with something to hide, a fish, and an inventor and her friend (a human-sized chicken named Beaky) are the main players in this silly, pun-filled romp. When the fried egg falls out of the inspector's sandwich, it sets off an improbable series of events that ends with the chicken (in disguise) protecting her only egg from the inspector, who has lost all his clothes and is wearing a barrel. The plot twists and turns through a series of shenanigans, including regular commercial breaks for important messages from our sponsors about the inventor's latest inventions. Stein's recognizable illustration style (e.g., the Interrupting Chicken books) of sketchy pen drawings with watercolor adds even more humor to the goofy goings-on, giving the story the feel and comic beats of a Buster Keaton movie. Readers will find new gags to giggle at with repeat viewings and will look forward to future comic encounters with Beaky and friends.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) 1-3 This debut comic is a collection of six short stories about Reggie, a penguin who deals with such kid-centric trials as picture day, a babysitter who treats him like a baby, and getting a stomachache from eating too much raw cookie dough. A few "Word from the Bird" breaks give Reggie opportunities for direct address, encouraging readers to keep going. De Oliveira tells these stories with minimal dialogue and maximum use of all her tools as an illustrator: pacing of panels, expressive lines, selective use of closeups, and bright, cheerful color. The result is a comic that's easy to read but that also shows a keen attunement to kids' interests and thought processes. When Reggie's cousin insists on putting him on a leash before they go to the park ("It's my job to keep you safe"), Reggie acts like a dog (including trying to urinate on a fire hydrant). Eventually his cousin is so mortified, she lets him off the leash--at which point, he and his friends start pretending they're farm animals. The structure of the whole is well paced, too, alternating between stories and segments where Reggie breaks the fourth wall, keeping pages turning.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(1) 1-3 Illustrated by Onyinye Iwu. Tola, in spite of her young age and diminutive stature, accomplishes big things in this sequel to Too Small Tola (rev. 3/21). In the first of three stand-alone chapters, Tola finds Grandmommy's lost earring, a family heirloom that, when Grandmommy wears it, gives her "the strength to carry on." In the second, Tola sells groundnuts at the side of the road when Grandmommy is sick with malaria. In the third story, Tola is jealous of "three fine girls" who have money for new sneakers and chic jeans. But these same girls are envious of Tola who, standing on the back of her friend's bicycle exuding joy as she heads to the masquerades, is "the happiest girl in the world." The author does not shy away from describing the challenges of daily life in Lagos, Nigeria, but these are not stories of hardship. Atinuke uses her memorable storyteller's voice to create a vivid picture of a strong, loving matriarch; a family surrounded by supportive friends; and Tola, an irresistible heroine who does what she can to help. With large type, plenty of white space on the page, and energetic line drawings throughout, the book is approachable for many young readers, who will be well rewarded for their efforts.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Shawn Harris. What began as an online storytelling experiment between Barnett and Harris during COVID-19 has been adapted into a graphic novel. This wacky space opera follows a crew of unlikely heroes on a mission to stop a horde of moon-eating rats. The cybernetically enhanced First Cat, along with a brave moon princess and friendly toenail-clipping robot, travel to the dark side of the moon, where they encounter a bloodthirsty baby pirate, a thieving team of disembodied hands, and a three-headed Rat King. The breakneck, stream-of-consciousness plot can be dizzying but never fails to be entertaining. Barnett's fast-paced dialogue, pleasing non sequiturs, and humorous wordplay ("Oh my Uncle Tony's hot calzoney") are amplified by Harris's impressive illustrations. An invitingly simple thick crayon-like line is employed throughout the comic, from its cartoony imagery to panel borders to lettering. The surprisingly earnest themes of friendship and individual purpose combined with the absurd humor should resonate with this audience.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Gladys Jose. Eight-year-old Rica (short for Frederica) Baptista desperately wants a pet. When she overhears a conversation that leads her to believe her best friend, Laini, will be moving, getting a pet feels even more urgent in order to ward off loneliness. The breezy chapter book, peppered with cartoon-style illustrations, is a fresh look at evergreen themes. Rica and Laini brainstorm ways to convince Rica's parents that she is responsible enough to care for a pet while planning moneymaking schemes, which are supported by extended family and neighbors--with mixed results. In the end it's an unselfish act of kindness that persuades Rica's parents that she is ready to adopt a cat from the local shelter. The satisfying story closes with some additional happy news about Laini's family. Rica's first-person narration is convincing and endearing. She bounces from one grand plan to a major worry and then on to a new plan. Her mother reminds Rica that she is named after her great-great-grandfather, who emigrated from Cape Verde to the U.S. and was a businessperson and a philanthropist whose community depended on him. By the end of the book, Rica proves that she, too, is a dependable and vital member of her community.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) 1-3 Frank and the Puppy series. Illustrated by Jon Lau. "This was not fair. But it was the way of the world. Just when you think you've got it good, someone brings home a puppy." Narrator Frank, the highly contented and stuck-in-his-ways cat who narrates this brief early chapter book, lives the "good life" with his two loving male humans. Then their family of three expands: a cute, Corgi-like puppy appears and, to Frank's great annoyance, makes herself right at home--even going so far as to ruin naptime. After landing in "jail" (his crate) due to an angry claw-swipe, the indignant feline attempts to use his words. He types out and mails a note to the humans, but before they even read it, they release him with the admonition: "You must be nice to the puppy." In response, Frank composes another note--of farewell--and sneaks out the door in search of a place where he'll be appreciated. The book features seven short chapters with easy-to-read sentences that convey highly relatable, often over-the-top feelings. The accessible text is well supported by Lau's personality-filled illustrations, a mix of full pages and spot art. With the narrative being completely from Frank's wounded perspective, the illustrations display the actions and reactions of every character: the protagonist's emotional highs and lows, the puppy's extreme enthusiasm, the humans' unconditional love (not to mention their chic home décor).

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(2) 1-3 Color by Elizabeth Kramer. This first installment in Chanani's comics series introduces sharks Kitana and Mack, best friends enjoying an undersea day together. When Kitana declares herself Shark Princess, Mack is confused ("What's a princess? And why do you want to be one?"), but he plays along after Kitana agrees to explore a shipwreck with him. While poking around the wreckage, they find a crown, and Kitana encourages Mack to declare himself a princess, too. Chanani keeps a tight focus on her characters in each of her panel illustrations, giving just enough detail in the backgrounds to establish setting and movement. She has a lot of fun with language, tossing in puns ("she shore would") and coining fishy lingo ("somefish") for the early-chapter-book crowd. Mack isn't sure he has what it takes to be a princess--that is until the duo stirs up some trouble, Kitana sustains a minor injury, and Mack saves the day. The story is gentle, but the theme--each of us gets to decide what to label ourselves--is deep.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023