(2) K-3 Photographs by Shelley Rotner. There are many reasons why people seek sanctuary. Some families are uprooted because of war or economic hardship. This book addresses these situations and also alerts readers to the growing number of families who need sanctuary because of environmental or climate changes. The text sets up the premise that many people have "to escape -- fleeing fires, floods, drought, or war -- because it's not safe for them to stay anymore." Stunning photographs of individual children, intergenerational relatives, and friends immediately catch the eye with bright colors, varied moods, and engaged expressions, presenting a truly global and inclusive representation of childhood and family. The photos are punctuated by quotes from the children (set in speech bubbles) about why they left their homes and about their experiences acclimating to their new lives. The book touches on the experience of leaving home amidst an emergency, arduous travel with many temporary stops before finding a safer home, and cultural and language barriers, as well as new friendships, an appreciation for the traditions of home, and the discovery of new interests such as art, athletics, or music. Appended with resources for parents, caregivers, educators, and children, this accessible volume is an affirmation of survival and a resource for helping others

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Alex Boersma. Levy and Boersma's gentle and accessible introduction to climate change centers on carbon and its ubiquitous presence in Earth's living and nonliving systems. Brief definitions of key chemistry terms and concepts precede the title page, and statements in the first few pages lay out the crisis we face with global warming: "After hundreds of years and billions of people burning fuels, there's too much carbon in the air!" The remainder of the book is hopeful, showing how kelp forests, mangroves, and even dirt can "soak up" the excess carbon. Boersma's illustrations represent carbon as delicate white dots swirling in the air over sunny city scenes and landscapes or crowded into the clouds of darker emissions from power plants. The book ends with a call to action: "For the Earth to keep helping us, we must help the Earth." The meaningful solutions presented include alternative energies, public transportation, and scientific innovation. Additional information about global warming and things readers can do to help are included in the back matter.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by John Hendrix. In this accessible overview of garbage, Donnelly's trash talk supports an appealing conversational narrative. She asks readers to examine five questions, each addressed in its own chapter: "What is garbage, where does it come from, where does it go, why do we make so much of it, and how can we do better?" Rather than assuming the tone of an all-knowing narrator, Donnelly uses the first-person-plural we (e.g., "We make a lot of trash") and direct address, inviting readers to be partners in understanding and seeking solutions to this global issue. Hendrix's occasional spot art emphasizes the light tone, accentuating but never undermining the narrative. Donnelly presents pertinent comparisons; for example, in 2018 Americans produced 292 million tons of trash--or what 5,600 Titanic-sized ships would weigh. And she reminds us that when we throw something away, it really doesn't go away. This thorough and thoughtful treatment allows readers to understand the many complicated issues and possibly generate their own individual solutions. Here, Donnelly has turned trash into treasure. Appended with an author's note, a waste management timeline, print and electronic resources, and an (unseen) index.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) K-3 Green Power series. Drummond (Solar Story, rev. 5/20; Pedal Power, rev. 1/17) continues to spotlight communities that adopt environmentally sustainable projects. This time, he takes readers to Kamikatsu, Japan, a small mountain town with big ambitions. The narrative centers on two children visiting their spunky, dedicated, proverb-sharing grandmother, a lifelong resident of Kamikatsu who explains the town's environmental history. Years earlier there had been no waste collection service, so residents dumped and burned their refuse, creating not only eyesores and noxious smells but also poisonous dioxins in the air, soil, and water. In 2003, citizens of Kamikatsu declared that by 2020 they would produce zero waste. Impossible? Almost, but today, through "Chiritsumo!" (as Grandma says, or "Perseverance is power!"), more than eighty percent of the town's waste is recycled. While ­Drummond depicts some citizens grousing about the ­proclamation, more often his breezy, humorous ­watercolors show them eagerly ­engaging in "­Mottainai!" ("Waste not, want not," or reduce, reuse, recycle.) Residents not only compost but also painstakingly divide their waste into dozens of different containers. The rewards are great: new, younger inhabitants; a tourist-attracting hotel constructed entirely of recycled materials; and the creation of a Zero Waste Academy where individuals come from all over the world to study the project. Best of all, the book shares the local sense of "Kachou fuugetsu!" ("Experience the beauty of nature. Learn about yourself!") This inspiring account concludes with an author's note and suggestions for further reading.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Kate Gardiner. Taking its title from Eleanor Roosevelt's 1958 remarks delivered at the United Nations about the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights she had helped champion ("Where, after all, do universal rights begin? In small places, close to home"), this book informs young children of their own rights and responsibilities as humans. Hopkinson's text (also inspired by that Declaration) uses active first-person language: "I am free to choose what I think and believe. And it's up to me to listen and respect how others think and believe too." Each assertion is direct and powerful, with sections starting with "Me" and then expanding to "My School and Community" and on to "My Country and World." Gardiner's gouache and pencil illustrations, assembled digitally, have a soft color palette with pops of yellow and tomato red and demonstrate human rights playing out across a variety of communities. Front and back matter pay tribute to Roosevelt's work, including resources for learning more about her and the United Nations. This elegantly and accessibly presented book empowers the youngest humans and their accompanying grownups to recognize their rights and safeguard them by extending them equally to others.

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

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Alex Bostic. This highly readable and engaging book tells the story of three six-year-old girls who were the first Black children to integrate a public school in New Orleans following the mandate of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. Nelson (Bad News for Outlaws, rev. 11/09; No Crystal Stair, rev. 3/12, and many others) builds an informative and affecting narrative from extensive interviews with the McDonogh Three: Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost (Williams), and Gail Etienne. The text clearly details their experiences as young girls and, importantly, displays their innocence with details about giggling, hair ribbons, and playing hopscotch despite the violent racism targeted at them. Similarly, Bostic's evocative illustrations add tenderness to a narrative of real terror. The soft-edged, at times sepia-toned images have the feel of a family photo album. One of the more touching illustrations depicts the girls' shoes with those of their teacher, Miss Meyers, representing the warmth between this educator and the young students she helped protect. An important addition to civil rights movement literature with which readers can connect on a human level. Back matter (more information about school desegregation and the McDonogh Three, a glossary, a selected bibliography, and photos) provides a wealth of historical context.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Molly Mendoza. Daunting, exhausting, sweaty, filthy, and dangerous are all words that can describe the work of the teams of firefighters who join together to contain and control wildfires. Paley and Mendoza's informative picture book gives readers a full view of the effort that goes into protecting homes, people, and habitats when these all-too-common out-of-control fires endanger lives. Technical vocabulary abounds and is well explained in Paley's clear text, which follows a team of firefighters from the first indication of a blaze until the last embers are extinguished. Reminiscent of WPA National Park posters, Mendoza's graphically striking art is energetic and engrossing. The yellows, reds, and oranges that fill the pages provide a visceral sense of a wildfire's heat, while cool blues and purples provide readers a chance to recover. The abundance of captions in and around the art informs curious readers about each piece of firefighting minutia, while sidebars provide detailed explanations where necessary. Extensive back matter includes a history of wildfire management, explaining how past policies have contributed to the now-common occurrences of massive wildfires and the increased dangers they present. Specific mentions of Indigenous "hotshot crews" and the important role Indigenous leaders have in crafting more sustainable fire management practices are very welcome.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) K-3 Books for a Better Earth series. Illustrated by Ziyue Chen. A fascinating history of straws morphs into a call to action. The first two-thirds of Romito's friendly text traces drinking tubes from the ancient Sumerian innovation of drinking beverages using a hollow reed, through many changes in materials and shapes over time, up to the development of the mass-produced plastic drinking straw we know today. Chen's crisp digital illustrations rely on vignettes to showcase the variety of materials tried, the beverages they were designed for, and the people who used them. The straws themselves are front-and-center in the illustrations, giving readers an insightful glimpse into how something familiar has changed over centuries. After the introduction of the plastic straw in the 1960s, Romito moves the focus to the effect of single-use plastics on the environment and a gradual shift in public opinion, with straightforward text identifying alternative materials (and their limitations for medical usage) and emphasizing actions young people can take. An author's note provides more context; a list of sources offers opportunities "to learn more about plastics and their effect on the environment."

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

(2) YA In 2015, lawyer Julia Olson filed Juliana v. United States on behalf of twenty-one young plaintiffs from across the country, all of whom were affected in some way by climate change (e.g., health effects, threats to their homes). The suit alleged that the government was violating their constitutional rights by promoting the fossil fuel system that was wreaking havoc on their lives, and that the government had known about these dangers for decades. The still-pending case wound its way through the legal system with dramatic twists and turns; most recently (as of this writing), a judge ruled that the plaintiffs could amend their complaint and go to trial. Rusch does a marvelous job of weaving together multiple strands into a compelling and timely narrative: an inspiring and empowering story of youth activism, a primer on the role of the judicial branch in our democracy, and a cautionary tale about the mounting dangers of climate change. It's no small task to distinguish the twenty-one young people, but Rusch liberally quotes them throughout the book, and an annotated list of characters at the beginning is paired with an update at the end (there are also sixteen pages of black-and-white photographs gathered in the middle). Additional scientific information, websites, a timeline, source notes, a glossary, and an index are also appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(1) K-3 Books for a Better Earth series. Illustrated by Gordy Wright. In 1976, after approximately twenty-five years of service, the massive aircraft carrier USS Oriskany was decommissioned. Rather than being sold or relegated to retirement, "chained to a pier. Rusted, empty, and without purpose," the "Mighty O" had a different future. Conservation scientists and Navy engineers converted it into an artificial reef, sinking it about twenty miles off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. The great strength of this account is that Stremer creates a dual focus. She first details the destruction of natural reefs and the benefits they provide for marine life. A full-bleed gouache and acrylic double-page spread shows the ocean floor teeming with life around a natural reef, contrasting with a subsequent reef-less scene devoid of fish and plants. Second, Stremer outlines the scientific planning involved in converting the massive ship into an artificial reef--including stripping the ship of copper (and selling that to help pay for the reconstruction) and removing paint toxic to the ocean environment until the ship is "nothing more than a shell of its former self." Wright's striking art outlines the entire process of the Mighty O's makeover, as well as detailing a careful plan for sinking the ship in such a way that storms and tides would not alter its position. This clear, logical, and fascinating combination of natural and industrial science concludes with information about reefs and the Mighty O, a bibliography, and an index.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) YA Williams and Long provide readers with a complex narrative of the 1963 March on Washington that goes beyond Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous speech. They begin with the 1962 meeting between Bayard Rustin and A. Philip Randolph, where the two decided the time had come for the march that Randolph had conceived more than twenty years earlier. By starting at this point, Williams and Long are able to highlight the many challenges (governmental resistance; disagreements among the organizers) and triumphs that took place before, during, and (briefly) after the march itself. Photos, newspaper clippings, and other primary-source images bring the history to life for young readers. Throughout the text, sidebars add important historical information and questions to consider. Back matter includes additional interesting facts ("Extra Steps"), discussion questions, extensive source notes, and an index (unseen); an opening note addresses word choice and the use of quotes containing racist language (including the n-word). Pair with Lewis and Aydin's March series (March: Book One, rev. 1/14; and sequels).

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jessie Hartland. What kind of spark is needed to ignite a global movement? In the case of the Earth Day Movement, it was quite literally sparks from a railcar landing in the heavily polluted and quite flammable Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. "KABOOM!" While not the first time the river had caught fire, this time, as Wittenstein's enlightening text shows, residents had had enough. Spurred on by the activism of the 1960s, they demanded action to clean up the river, and by extension the planet. While young readers may take for granted the concept of environmentalism, the book does an excellent job depicting the nascent moments of the movement that led to the first Earth Day celebration, the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, and legislation such as the Clean Water Act. Hartland's playful gouache paintings shine, reflecting a child's perspective on the events and conveying their emotional significance and ramifications. Back matter consists of a detailed author's note providing additional historical details; a timeline of the environmental movement; a bibliography; and a list of resources where readers can learn more about the Cuyahoga River Fire of 1969, Earth Day, and more about protecting our planet.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mike Orodán. In friendly direct-address text ("Dear little humans living on me: It's your E.F.F.!* *Earth Friend Forever"), Earth explains the ways plastics are damaging the planet and suggests how children can make a difference by choosing better alternatives and recycling. "Every time I see you refill a water bottle instead of buying a plastic one, it makes me spin with joy." This is an informative and accessible book, written by the hosts of the kids' science podcast Brains On! and illustrated with approachable digital art. Back matter includes details about how plastics are made and emerging solutions to the plastic problem.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA This history of the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights (originally published in the UK) begins in antiquity and progresses through Magnus Hirschfeld's groundbreaking 1900s research, to the seminal Stonewall Riots in 1969 and the civil rights victories of the present day. Sidebars profiling noteworthy people, including Anne Lister, Oscar Wilde, Marsha P. Johnson, and Matthew Shepard dot the chapters, along with testimonials from LGBTQ+ youth about "Why I Have Pride." Line drawings and rainbow colors make the retro design pop. The emphasis on international current affairs will broaden American readers' perspectives. The book concludes with a timeline, glossary, index, and a list of resources (PFLAG, the Trevor Project, etc.) for queer and questioning youth.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA In the irreverent voice of an occasionally profane favorite aunt, Dawson, a transgender woman, talks about her coming out process before presenting a comprehensive introduction to all things transgender. Discussion includes basic definitions; FAQs; a history lesson; the decidedly-not-cut-and-dried science of gender; and frank discussions of hormones, surgery, sex, legal issues, religion, violence, bathrooms, coming out, and more. Mini-bios from the "Transgender Hall of Fame" sprinkle the text, sidebars from guest explainers address related topics, and an informative section for parents and caregivers calms nerves. The appendix of websites and hotlines has an international slant (Dawson is British), while a reading list, glossary, references, and index (not seen) round out the humorous, eye-opening presentation.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Martina Peluso. A series of eye-pleasing, digitally rendered double-page spreads depicts twelve different holiday traditions around the world (e.g., Martes de Challa in Bolivia; Crop Over in Barbados) related to giving thanks. The text is rhyming couplets, with useful explanatory sidebars and pronunciations that make potentially unfamiliar vocabulary approachable. Thorough back matter further describes the cultures, histories, beliefs, and food. Also appended are a calendar of when these holidays are celebrated, questions to encourage contemplation of how food is sourced, and author and illustrator notes.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(3) PS Illustrated by Shane W. Evans. Racial unrest has a way of unearthing a lot of questions in all of us, particularly in our children. This picture book takes the bold step of beginning to address specific, difficult questions about racism. In lyrical text, children ask family members why a particular act of protest occurs: "Why are those people shouting?" "Our people are shouting because we need to be heard. We need to be heard." The illustrations, done in digital collage and paint, are colorful and engaging while still managing to express a somber, thoughtful mood. This is a good starting point in the process of understanding.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 Open-ended questions encourage readers to consider our assumptions about gender. "Who made these rules? Do we need to follow them? What happens if we don't want to?" An opening double-page spread of labeled images--e.g., "blue things," "pink things," "ballet," "building blocks"--gets the conversation started, asking "Are some for girls? Are some for boys? Are some for everyone?" Gravel's friendly cartoon drawings welcome all readers to a thoughtful discussion of gendered language, identity, laws, and unspoken rules that try to proscribe what men and women can and can't do. A handful of gender pioneers are introduced, including the first male U.S. Army nurse; a Zuni Mexican two-spirit person; and girls' rights advocate, Malala Yousafzai. A list of related websites is included on the copyright pages; "Fun facts about gender and clothing" concludes the book.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) YA Beginning with basics (e.g. how sex, gender, and sexuality differ), this guide to "inhabiting a body in a gendered world" covers an astonishingly broad yet interrelated array of topics in double-page-spread sections. Discussion includes intersectional feminism, the "pink tax," women in STEM, trans issues, violence against black males, abortion, sex work, advertising, alternate genders in Indigenous cultures, and snail sex and sea turtle gender. "Spotlight" pages highlight gender nonconforming role models like Laverne Cox and Prince. Gottlieb's simply drawn and colorful illustrations lighten each page with a striking image and plentiful white space, and a concluding section reveals her unfolding understanding of her own gender. Back matter includes a bibliography, websites and hotlines, and an index. This is the paperback edition of a book previously published in hardcover.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Our Universe series. Illustrated by David Litchfield. This companion to Earth!: My First 4.54 Billion Years; Sun!: One in a Billion, et al., focuses on the impact of human activity on our warming planet. Giving readers simple steps to address climate change, the cheerful text invites them to choose "human power--that's from your own two feet" and other sustainable resources. A large, smiling Earth fills, and sometimes spills over the edges of, square pages. With its long eyelashes and bright brown eyes, the endearing planet narrator makes a strong case. An author's note, additional related information, and a source list are appended.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth