(2) K-3 Barnabus is a mouse/elephant hybrid who has "lived in a secret lab...as long as he could remember." The location of the laboratory is quickly revealed on an impressive double-page spread showing first a "perfectly ordinary" city street--including a store called Perfect Pets--and then its underground, which makes visible the secret pet-manipulation operation. Barnabus, trapped in a glass jar alongside other pint-sized hybrid creatures, learns about the outside world from a cockroach named Pip. The trees, lakes, and "mountains that reached all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars" (a.k.a. high-rises) described by Pip spark Barnabus's sense of wonder. After the creatures are officially deemed "Failed Projects," off to be recycled into something more perfect, a glass-shattering "BWAAHHH!!" (courtesy of Barnabus's trunk) jump-starts their escape. The graphite and digitally colored illustrations convey a gentle, handmade quality through substantial cross-hatching and an emphasis on shading. A harrowing chase through the lab's pipework showcases the Fan brothers' strong sense of perspective, spatial continuity, and skillful expression of light. After Barnabus releases a massive, tentacled creature (also a Failed Project) from its watery tank, the entire cast of creatures rockets up a pipe and into Perfect Pets, creating a literal splash that leads to their freedom and reinforces Barnabus's optimistic mantra that "nothing is impossible."

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(1) K-3 The "strongest guys in the whole forest" are the Little Guys--small pastel-colored creatures with acorn-cap hats and stick arms and legs. This presumed root-for-the-underdog story takes a humorously unexpected turn as close observation shows the Little Guys obnoxiously stealing food from the other forest animals ("None for you! All for us!"). Brosgol's jewel-toned mixed-media illustrations are imbued with humor both subtle and exaggerated, enhancing and extending the spare text.

Reviewer: Emmie Stuart | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Germán Blanco. "Pencil liked to work alone." So imagine its chagrin when little pink Eraser comes on the scene, undermining Pencil's work. Eraser's effacing marks on Pencil's charcoal-colored drawings will win over the reader as they ultimately win over Pencil: Eraser calms Pencil's choppy ocean waves, etches star shapes into Pencil's night sky ("Look! Now we can stargaze"), and more.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) YA Exiled after a cruel betrayal causes her to fail her coming-of-age trial, Rasmira leaves her village for the treacherous wilds, where she meets fellow exiles Iric and Soren. Working together, they can accomplish their "mattugrs"--impossible tasks--and return to their villages, but Rasmira's mattugr is daunting: she must assassinate a god whose supernatural powers kill at a gesture. Growing self-confidence, humorous banter, and an incipient romance distinguish this fantasy adventure.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) K-3 Mip challenges Pip to a race to build the tallest treehouse. Impulsive Mip gets to work right away, while planner Pip drafts detailed blueprints. When things don't go as hoped, the two young fairies work together and discover the joys of teamwork. The mixed-media art has an immersive 3D quality that makes the fairies and their creations pop off the page.

Reviewer: Meredith Madyda

(3) K-3 Steve the Horse series. Horse Steve always wins the annual race-a-thon, but this year's race is a relay and Steve's been paired with the slowest runners: Duck, Turtle, and Snail. Can he coach his team to success? Can he keep his hubris in check? This comical story about a self-absorbed yet endearing equine is filled with cheeky asides and balanced by simple, monochromatic ink and watercolor art.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(4) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Jim Paillot. A.J. refuses to join Ryan's curling team. But after learning the coach is star athlete Mo Deen, A.J. watches every practice and replaces an injured player during the big game. A slight but accessible easy-reader plot centers on the (forced) humor the series' longer chapter books are known for. Full-color cartoon illustrations capture the story's frenetic spirit.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 1-3 Makers Make It Work series. Illustrated by Anthony Lewis. In each of these early-reader stories, the main character learns a makerspace skill--woodworking, robotics, 3D printing, and baking--to solve a problem. If the child's first effort fails, he or she persists to achieve success. The various illustrations (by different artists) are serviceable and the stories are fairly engaging, but kids will likely be more interested in the included hands-on activities. Useful for early-elementary classrooms and makerspaces. Review covers these Makers Make It Work titles: Double or Nothing, The Color Day Coach, Robot to the Rescue, and The Runaway Chicken.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Neil Hooson. Ophelia von Hairball V is the star thief of the Furry Feline Burglary Institute (FFBI). She tries to shake her newly assigned goldfish partner, inventor Oscar Fishgerald Gold, but instead learns teamwork. In this caper, told in a hybrid prose/comic format, cat and fish are as cute as they are clever. Navigating goofy situations with finesse and style, the characters deliver a delightfully pun-filled crime-adventure.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Andrea Offerman. Two sisters illustrate the Chinese concept of opposites forming a powerful whole. Strong, energetic Wei and thoughtful, creative Mei together fight the dragon that prevents their family and neighbors from using the local bridge, forcing all the villagers to travel long and far to get to market. With folkloric rhythms and beautifully detailed pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, this original story will satisfy readers.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Cassie's middle-school softball team has a shot at the championship, but its dynamic is destroyed by the inclusion of a new player with Asperger's syndrome. In befriending Sarah, Cassie jeopardizes her own leadership. Lupica's preachiness interferes with his vivid sports writing in this fourth message-driven Home Team novel.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 As seventh grader Wes Davies's basketball team competes for a championship, his Navy-veteran father sinks into PTSD-caused alcoholism. Meanwhile, Wes's showy team nemesis "Dinero" challenges Wes's commitment--drilled into him by his father--to above all be a good teammate. Short chapters alternate between on-court action and Wes's home life. The resolution feels tidy, but hoops fans will root for resilient and likable Wes.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mandy Sutcliffe. Miss Amy's ballet class is excited to put on a show. The youngest, Rosa, is disappointed when she is cast as a glowworm instead of a butterfly but soon realizes her role is important after all. Friendship and collaboration steal the show as the students help one another with dance steps, costumes, and self-esteem. Sutcliffe's warm illustrations realistically capture the movements of young dancers.

Reviewer: Mariko Turk

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox Girl Sports Stories series. Illustrated by Katie Wood. These sports-themed stories starring girls highlight important skills necessary for success at a skate park (Longboard), a ranch (Cowgirl), on the ice (Ice Rink), and with the cheer squad (Squad). Fast pacing and black-and-white digital illustrations keep the predictable plots focused and easy to follow. Discussion questions, writing prompts, and facts about the sports are appended. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox Girl Sports Stories titles: Cowgirl Grit, Ice Rink Rookie, Longboard Letdown, and Squad Struggles.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox JV Girls series. Figure skating, gymnastics, volleyball, and softball action (and stereotypical girl-drama) dominate these message-driven short novels about middle-school girls who learn lessons concerning the importance of doing the right thing for your friends and yourself while seeking the glory of winning. The easy-to-read, engaging hi-lo books also include discussion questions, writing prompts, and interesting facts about each sport. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox JV Girls titles: Aerials and Envy, Back Row Dynamo, Catching Confidence, and Spinning Away.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox JV series. Breakneck soccer, football, basketball, and baseball action dominate these message-driven short novels about middle-school boys who learn lessons concerning the importance of doing the right thing for your friends and yourself while seeking the glory of winning. The easy-to-read, engaging hi-lo books also include discussion questions, writing prompts, and interesting facts about each sport. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox JV titles: Block and Rock, Free Throw Fail, Home Safe Home, and Soccer Sabotage.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) 4-6 Jake Maddox JV series. Breakneck soccer, football, basketball, and baseball action dominate these message-driven short novels about middle-school boys who learn lessons concerning the importance of doing the right thing for your friends and yourself while seeking the glory of winning. The easy-to-read, engaging hi-lo books also include discussion questions, writing prompts, and interesting facts about each sport. Glos. Review covers these Jake Maddox JV titles: Block and Rock, Free Throw Fail, Home Safe Home, and Soccer Sabotage.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) PS "1 shiny trophy / 2 blows on the whistle / 3 hurdles / 4 white lines." So begins an up-to-twenty counting book starring an all-animal cast participating in an Olympics-like competition; after a "break for 20 minutes!", it's time to count back down to "1 winning team!" The woodblock-like art, in a starter-crayon-box palette, has a tidiness that keeps things from getting too zoo-y.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Wing & Claw series. Illustrated by James Madsen. In this trilogy finale, apothecary Raffa and the Afters--refugees from a great quake--resist the Chancellor who's trying to exterminate them. With his talking bat and human friends, Raffa uses herb lore to generate nonviolent ways to disarm the guards and drugged animals sent to attack them. Although Raffa isn't a believably childlike character, his team's creative solutions keep the story moving.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Five socially awkward sixth graders in Seattle learn they have more in common than they thought while they gather ingredients for sleepover soup--a soup, blessed by the Hawaiian gods, that grants wishes. This delightful modern adaptation of "Stone Soup" steeped in Hawaiian folklore is narrated by Leilani, an oversharer who immediately draws readers into her story with her chatty impulsiveness.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes