(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Jacoby. Barnett is openly admiring of Brown's legacy in this picture-book biography. In forty-two pages (because Brown lived forty-two years), he weaves facts about her life with information on how her books were received, in particular by notable librarian Anne Carroll Moore. Barnett conveys the sense that Brown's stories felt as strange and wondrous as life itself can be. Jacoby's mixed-media illustrations are appropriately impressionistic and playful. Bib.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Abigail Halpin. Eight chapters relate the beginning of Anne of Green Gables's story, remaining faithful to the events--and often the language--of L. M. Montgomery's original but with short paragraphs and plenty of white space. This inviting introduction for newly independent readers includes color-saturated mixed-media illustrations that capture the spirit of the characters and the Prince Edward Island setting.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Santat. In a mash-up of fairy tale and auto race, the Princess passes a litany of favorite characters from fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and classic books like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz after a pit stop. In the vibrant art, full-bleed pages of bold lines and dramatic layouts play up tension and movement. This speedy freshening up of classic children's literature honors the power of confidence and determination and puts the Princess in the driver's seat.

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

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Geneviève Godbout. Anne of Green Gables says good night to the things and people she loves, giving brief explanations for each. Though the chief appeal may be for adults familiar with L. M. Montgomery's famous story, the hushed text combines with ethereal pastel and colored-pencil illustrations in muted colors to create a bedtime book well suited to lulling young listeners to sleep.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Júlia Sardà. Krull embraces the absurdity of Carroll's writing in her whimsical biographical sketch of the author and the creation of his most famous work, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She emphasizes the imaginative entertainment he devised for children, creatively incorporating some of his invented words (such as frabjous and mimsy) and including them in an appended glossary. Sardà's fantastical, idiosyncratic illustrations channel Carroll's genius for nonsense.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. A mother tells her son the "real story" of the bear that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh: the boy's great-great-grandfather, Captain Harry Colebourn (author Mattick's great-grandfather), bought Winnie in a train station and made her a mascot for his Canadian Army battalion during WWI. A deft blend of historical research and gentle, heartwarming fiction enhanced by Blackall's art. "Colebourn Family Archive" appended.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Four Long Island prep-school students experience tragedy after they fall in with the beguiling author of their favorite teen novel. Interview transcripts and diary excerpts provide shifting accounts of what happened between the powerful (fictional) author and her fans; interspersed excerpts from the author's books reveal she was lifting story lines from her young friends' lives. This is a twisting, salacious drama that tantalizingly blends fiction and reality.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(2) 4-6 Although the intended audience is young people, adult fans are the most likely readers of this breezy sketch of L'Engle's life, from childhood through the publication of A Wrinkle in Time. Not as comprehensive as Leonard S. Marcus's Listening for Madeleine (2012), but L'Engle's granddaughters present a sweet biography full of nice insight into the artist as a young woman, particularly as demonstrated in her journal entries.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) 4-6 Fifty-two letters are divided into age-level sections (upper elementary, middle school, high school), then further grouped by theme. Addressed to a wide variety of authors, from Elie Wiesel (Night) to Sharon Draper (Forged by Fire), the letters reveal young readers' personal connections, revelations, encouragements, and more. A tribute to the power of the right book in the hands of the right reader. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Bachelet hypothesizes a diary entry by the White Rabbit's wife, about her at-home-mom life while her husband is at work at the palace. Wonderland characters grace the art, which shimmers with winking allusions to Carroll's original work; the text's darker elements (e.g., Mrs. Rabbit wishes her husband "paid just a little attention to me every once in a while") skew toward mature picture-book readers.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) YA Essential Literary Genres series. Each volume briefly introduces a genre, then summarizes four or five well-selected books within it, suggests simple critical angles for understanding and interpreting the titles, and gives examples of topics for high-school essay-writing. Brevity rather than depth defines this series. The light-pastel sidebar type was a poor design decision. There are four other spring 2017 books in this series. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Essential Literary Genres titles: Young Adult, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, and Science Fiction.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) PS Illustrated by Clement Hurd. Retrospective by Leonard S. Marcus. This edition is notable for children's literature historian Marcus's twenty-page afterword. His reflections include biographical information about the creators and their editor (the legendary Ursula Nordstrom); insight into the trio's collaboration; discussion of the book's legacy; and reproductions of correspondence, photos, and illustrations from early editions. Scholars and interested (grown-up) readers will find this a rich look at a cultural touchstone.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Castillo. White is introduced in spare text and warm images, with a focus on his love of nature and animals plus the creation of his first two children's books. Herkert effectively evokes White's own prose, filled with sensory detail and phrases that roll off the tongue. Castillo's illustrations mirror the text with natural colors and lively drawings of the young boy growing into the adult writer. Bib.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) K-3 Illustrated by John Rocco. A picture book biography of author-illustrator Burton focuses on her adult life as mother to two boys who love trains and trucks. The text and art are at their best when "Jinnee" is illustrating, creating lifelike scenes out of blank paper and charcoal. Rocco's paintings of the artist at work and his replicas of her illustrations are masterful. An intriguing, loving introduction to a picture book icon.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. Sierra's origin story of the first modern easy reader, The Cat in the Hat, explains--via straightforward narration and occasional playful rhymes--the challenges Dr. Seuss faced while creating a beginning reader that would encourage kids to read a whole book. Hawkes's dynamic, colorful illustrations seamlessly mix the realistic and the Seussian. An informative and entertaining biographical snapshot of the author's important accomplishment.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) K-3 First Facts: Your Favorite Authors series. This hip-looking series profiles award-winning children's book creators. The brief texts target emerging readers, introducing nonfiction conventions and structure. Abundant photographs, graphic elements, paint smears, and doodles accompany the biographical content. However, the books do contain some factual inaccuracies and unfortunately lack a forthright discussion of race. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following First Facts: Your Favorite Authors titles: Jacqueline Woodson and Kadir Nelson.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) K-3 First Facts: Your Favorite Authors series. This hip-looking series profiles award-winning children's book creators. The brief texts target emerging readers, introducing nonfiction conventions and structure. Abundant photographs, graphic elements, paint smears, and doodles accompany the biographical content. However, the books do contain some factual inaccuracies and unfortunately lack a forthright discussion of race. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following First Facts: Your Favorite Authors titles: Jacqueline Woodson and Kadir Nelson.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Karl Kwasny. One stepmother works hard to keep all her stepchildren safe as danger spreads across the kingdom in this mock-horror-themed collection of fractured fairy tales. White's satirical omniscient narrator keeps the tone light as familiar characters' stories are upended (e.g., Snow White is a vampire, Cinderella is an arsonist). Nursery-rhyme parodies introduce each chapter, while black-and-white spot illustrations reinforce the narrative.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Allan Drummond. In 1940, the Jewish Reys barely managed to escape the invading Germans--on bicycles. An early draft of Curious George was one of the few items they carried with them as they fled occupied France. Borden's quietly dramatic text is enhanced by well-integrated historical and family photos and documents. Drummond's watercolor-enhanced sketches nicely complement Hans's art. These smaller paper-over-board and paperback editions include "A Conversation with Louise Borden" and activities. Bib.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2005

(3) 4-6 Also written by Kate Saunders. With decorations by Mark Burgess in the style of E. H. Shepard. The authors pay homage to Milne and his characters for the ninetieth anniversary of the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh. Four seasonal stories ably re-create the feeling of the original books, and Burgess does an admirable job of picturing Christopher Robin, Pooh, and the rest. Fans who want more Pooh adventures will be pleased (though purists may not).

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt