(2) PS Croc, who works as the local river ferry for other animals in the jungle, is running late one morning and doesn't have time for his usual bowl of Snappy Snacks cereal. Backup plans fall through: all of the doughnuts at Hippo's stand are sold out; his emergency banana falls in the mud. When he finally begins his shift with an empty belly, Croc discovers a new problem: his animal passengers look delicious. Larmour's lighthearted text uses repetition and occasional direct address ("Told you"), with entertaining dialogue shown in word balloons. Thought bubbles enhance the humor, such as when Croc envisions his passengers in meal form (e.g., a warthog hot dog). The illustrations, in bold gouache hues finished digitally, also provide various comedic pauses, as when Croc's hunger hits a fever pitch and a shower of doughnut sprinkles rains down before his wide, intense eyes. Croc's feelings are palpable, including relief when a friend swoops in just in time. A fast-paced, comical reminder that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(1) K-3 A gentle panther loves the forest, but he's afraid to scale the tall trees and feels different from the other majestic cats. He admires Tiger's bold stripes, Lion's bright mane, and Leopard's dazzling spots. The panther collects feathers to mimic Lion's mane, but Wind blows them away, telling Panther he doesn't need them. He uses sticky pollen to give himself stripes like Tiger's, but Rain washes them away. When he attaches leaves to his fur to resemble Leopard's spots, Sun dries them out and they fall off. Disheartened, the panther turns to Moon. Enchanted by the moonlight, the panther forgets his fear and climbs high above the trees. Moon points out that Panther has a special gift "to be the color of the night," and, awestruck by the beauty of the night sky, the protagonist embraces his true self as a midnight panther. Mistry's intricate patterns, reminiscent of indigenous South Asian art forms, teem with life and serve as the perfect backdrop for the panther's dark coat. The fable-like story unfolds to show how the panther's timid nature and self-doubt slowly grow into self-confidence. Mesmerizing visuals underline the beauties of nature and of embracing oneself.

Reviewer: Sadaf Siddique | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(3) 4-6 Nandu (What Elephants Know), a young elephant driver in Nepal, cares for his elephant Hira Prashad and welcomes breeding elephants to a new nursery in the Borderlands. When poachers begin killing nearby rhinoceroses, Nandu sets out to track the poachers to their base. Rich descriptions of the jungle, touching relationships between humans and elephants, and a strong conservation message give this novel its warm heart. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) PS An exasperated orangutan mother tries to keep up with her adventurous wild child. Simple patterned phrases--"Wild stretch. Wild yawn. Wild morning starts at dawn"--chronicle the pair's daily activities. Accompanying sherbet-toned illustrations depict an increasingly frazzled mother's efforts to keep her fearless baby safe. Parents will recognize Mama's range of hilariously horrified facial expressions, which will entertain young readers.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) 4-6 True Tales of Rescue series. Photographs by Ella Baron. The rescue stories of four orphaned raccoon kits and an injured anteater pup are used to spotlight the work of two animal sanctuaries in these series entries. Accessible text, engaging photographs, and frequent informational sidebars allow readers to shadow the volunteer caregivers as they work toward the ultimate goal: releasing the animals back into the wild. One of the young creatures "narrates" part of each book. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these True Tales of Rescue titles: Anteater Adventure and Racoon Rescue.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) K-3 This book's Little Doctor, like Steig's Doctor De Soto before her, provides medical care to potentially dangerous animals. The little girl administers medicine, provides tail splints, etc., and the gentle crocodile patients pay her with stories. So far, so sweet--but there is underlying tension, involving teeth and jaws and plastic debris. Watercolor illustrations, rich in detail and in texture, give the dreamy narrative (with an environmentalist reminder) its energy.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) PS In this companion to Hug, Tall, and others, young chimpanzee Bobo would rather play in the jungle than go to bed--at least until "Dark" turns out to be scary. Like the previous books, Play features comics-style panels with limited speech-bubble text and expressive pen-and-ink illustrations. Bobo has pleasantly grown as a character, with an expanding vocabulary and a desire for independent exploration before snuggling up with Mommy: "Bedtime."

Reviewer: Rachel Marsh

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Nikki Dyson. When a mysterious creature with "super-duper, ship-shape-sharp teeth" starts biting everyone's bottoms, Frog and friends seek out King Lion's help. Don't look here for animal accuracy--Zebra lives in the jungle and Lion prefers mangoes to meat--but a peppy rhyming refrain, silly sound effects ("EE-EE-EEEK!"), and much talk of bottoms will keep readers laughing. Digital illustrations create a lush, colorful jungle world.

Reviewer: Rachel Marsh

(3) PS Little Tiger's older brother challenges him to scare "a single animal in the forest." But no matter how much Little Tiger tries ("Tiptoe, tiptoe, tiptoe... / ROAR!!!"), he's too little to be frightening. Finally, he catches sight of his own reflection in a pond and manages to scare...himself. Soft, personality-rich pencil and watercolor illustrations accompany a simple but entertaining story.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Translated by Lisa Rosinsky. Illustrated by Nathalie Dieterlé. In this French import's fictitious jungle where kangaroos, lions, alligators, and others incongruously coexist, all the animals are fighting. Little elephant Jojo, who carries an adorable pink parasol, pretends he lost his memory so the creatures will work together to help him. His clever tactics will delight readers, especially once they're in on the joke. The animals are somewhat abstract-looking in the humorous, colorful ink and colored-pencil illustrations.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) K-3 Young girl Nina visits a secret jungle that has engulfed a forgotten city, where she reads to the animals. The jungle creatures have wide-ranging tastes in stories, but they collectively prefer--in a meta touch--"this one...Nina calls it 'Animal City.'" Negrescolor's narrative won't grip young readers the way Nina's stories grip the animals, but the digital art powered by tropical colors will.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ziyue Chen. After acting selfishly, Mela gets lost in the jungle near her northern Thai village. She requests help from different animals, offering her possessions as rewards. Ultimately, only a kindly elephant helps her, and for nothing in return. Mela learns a valuable lesson about generosity and gratitude in this original fable with a folkloric, repetitive cadence and verdant digital illustrations. Includes a note on Thailand.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kristjana S. Williams. Five linked stories expand the adventures of Kipling's Mowgli. The first four stories illustrate important qualities and skills through the experiences of Mother Wolf, Bagheera the panther, Baloo the bear, and Kaa the snake. In the final tale, Mowgli draws on each lesson to prevail over his own adversary, the great white ape. Williams's illustrations add interest, but Rundell's storytelling is the star of this collection.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Nora is bored at Grandma's house. When Grandma encourages her to visit the garden because "I thought I saw a tiger there earlier," Nora isn't buying it...until she actually encounters one. Nora's discussion with the tiger about whether it's real or a figment of her imagination never yields clarity, which may frustrate readers otherwise delighted by the book's sumptuous illustrations of the jungly wonderland.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 1-3 With additional illustrations by George Boorujy. Shoe-making donkey Francis is thrilled when calypso singer, Miss Manatee, places a special order. When Francis (carrying a field guide with illustrations by Boorujy) and his bird friend Rhoda enter the jungle in search of wild tiger grass for the order, they make a surprising discovery. The cartoon panels in this silly and delightfully odd early-reader graphic novel's six chapters are filled with informational matter about South American jungles.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) K-3 First Facts: Animal Rulers series. This series showcases predators that dominate their food chains. Each book briefly describes characteristics that help creatures--such as the scorpion (Deserts), Bengal tiger (Jungles), and great white shark (Oceans)--not only survive but rule their habitats. The small volumes offer vivid photographs and interesting content; fact sidebars and same-page vocabulary definitions are helpful design elements. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: Animal Rulers titles: Kings of the Deserts, Kings of the Jungles, and Kings of the Oceans.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 New Jungle Book Adventures series. Illustrated by Javier Joaquin. London boy Mak must use his wits to survive after a boat accident in the Indian jungle. Mak learns from wolves, a panther, and a bear while fending off threats from cobras, poachers, and more. A pedestrian reboot of Kipling's famous tale told in straightforward prose, this contemporary wilderness-survival story cashes in on TV-adventurer Grylls's famous can-do approach. Survival tips appended.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Illustrated by James Boast. Storytelling with a "once upon..." refrain follows the jungle food chain, from insects to predators to trees. Foldout back matter describes the pathway of natural energy, touching on producers, consumers, and decomposers. Bright, sharp-edged swaths of color, made all the more vivid against predominantly black backgrounds, create the flora and fauna. The crisp art works alongside simple prose to create a cursory ecology lesson.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) PS Grumpy old Tiger is annoyed at having to watch rambunctious Cub. But Cub's contagious enthusiasm helps Tiger rediscover the wonders around him, and he comes to appreciate his little charge. While the mostly rhyming text awkwardly slips in and out of poetic meter, the simple story, with its catchy jungle sounds ("Chitter-chatter! Screech!"), is enhanced by vibrant stylized illustrations of jungle flora and fauna.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 When patchwork elephant Elmer hears "a catchy tune" from his friend Rose, it gets stuck in his head. He strolls through the jungle humming the tune...and soon all the animals are stuck singing the melody and look to Elmer for a solution. The one-note premise wears thin, but, as with most Elmer books, the vibrant, rainbow-colored art provides the familiar appeal.

Reviewer: Russell Perry