(3) YA Lou Parker is a sarcastic, passionate teen with a summer job dressing as a hot dog at a rundown but beloved amusement park. Lou turns her enthusiasm into saving Magic Castle Playland from closing down, but relationship dramas among her park coworkers distract her. This is a pleasantly peppy rom-com populated with memorable characters and refreshingly nonchalant treatment of their varied evolving sexual identities.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Allison Colpoys. In this Australian-import picture book, young Alfie gets a case of the nerves before the Underwater Dress-Up Parade. His anxiety (including nightmares, upset stomach, and negative self-messaging) is palpable as the event approaches. The story's resolution is realistic about Alfie's current state of readiness, with hope for the future. Striking illustrations in a limited palette (coral, blue, and seafoam) reflect the warmth of Alfie's home life, his active imagination, and his complex emotions.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) PS The plot of Charlip's (Fortunately!; Thirteen) very first book, here reissued, is simple: John invites his friends to a dress-up party; as the book unfolds, we see them all arrive, enjoy cake, and then depart. The variation in the costume choices is entertaining, and the page turns flow effortlessly. For Charlip collectors.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) YA The summer before senior year, cosplay-costume-designer Cameron pretends to be a boy to fit in at her local comics shop and escape the internet trolls angered by her cosplay-contest win. Gardner expertly balances serious topics--including assumptions about gender and the consequences of dishonesty--with light, frothy romance. Intermittent pages of black-and-white comic panels depict Dungeons & Dragons campaigns.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(4) 4-6 Birdie wants to be a butterfly in the class play...as do many others, particularly her nemesis Anya. But never fear: where there are costumes, there's a chance for Birdie's alter ego, Crafty Cat, to shine. Series fans will find familiar absurdist humor amid the clean-lined panel illustrations, but they may be disappointed that Crafty Cat has fewer scenes than in previous installments. Craft instructions are appended.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(1) K-3 After seeing three magnificent-looking people dressed as mermaids, Julián creates a makeshift mermaid outfit. Abuela discovers her grandson's attire; how will she react? She helps Julián complete the outfit, then proudly takes him to a festive sea-creature-attire parade. Small but important details add depth to Julián's emotional journey. Vibrant watercolors with gouache and ink create lively scenes that splash and swirl on the page.

Reviewer: Minh Lê | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) 4-6 One summer, neighborhood children enact fantastical adventures by constructing places and costumes out of cardboard. The diverse group includes a boy pushing gender norms with his alter-ego "the Sorceress," who he describes as "what I want to be." A refreshing look at what creative kids can do with a little imagination, this graphic novel uses vivid color and expression and very few words.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Soman. In the popular series' latest cheery story, "Ladybug Girl" Lulu wants to rescue all the dogs at the farmers' market adoption stand, but she settles for bringing them water. When her "Bug Squad" friends join her, they organize an attention-grabbing dog parade to help the dogs find homes. Ink and watercolor illustrations capture the costumed heroes' energy and spirit.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Fox thinks tigers are very cool, so he paints stripes on himself and "goes for a prowl." Soon Tiger meets Turtle, who wants to be a race car, and Rabbit, who wants to be a robot. But after rain washes away their costumes, Squirrel's admiration ("Wow! A fox!") helps Fox realize that foxes are pretty cool, too. Expressive illustrations further a highly readable text, and the plot will capture brand-new readers' interest.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) PS Illustrated by Kasia Matyjaszek. A dark-skinned, curly-haired little girl likes to play dress-up. One day, she is a penguin. And the next day...and the next. Her family mostly indulges her fancy but grows exasperated with her commitment to penguin-hood when she slides down the stairs on her belly, is a penguin at her aunt's wedding, and tries to catch fish sticks in her "beak." A funny and preschooler-relatable romp with bright, stylized mixed-media illustrations.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(3) PS Eleanor Sue dresses up as a series of characters, and each time her mother plays along, inviting in the new neighbor, witch, and "small delivery person"--but not the "crazy-eyed bear." Tusa's playful illustrations celebrate this loving mother/child relationship; preschoolers will delight in each make-believe scenario and the portrayal of fantasy play.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) 4-6 Create with Duct Tape series. Each volume begins with a cursory overview of the habitat and its respective food chain. The following six related modeling and craft projects explore habitat features such as the rainforest water cycle (by making a "self-watering" terrarium). Not all the projects are especially informative (e.g., "chimp tools" made from pretzel rods), but overall the books could provide good fun for nature lovers. Glos. Review covers these Awesome Super Simple Habitat Projects titles: Super Simple Backyard Projects, Super Simple Farm Projects, Super Simple Grassland Projects, Super Simple Ocean Projects, Super Simple Rain Forest Projects, and Super Simple Wetland Projects.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) PS The pages of this inexpensive paper-over-board reissue look browned with age, giving the book an antique-y patina. Otherwise, Bridwell's story about Emily Elizabeth and her oversized red pup, instantly recognizable in the author/artist's two-color illustrations, are unchanged.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) YA Edan starts a cosplay ("costume play") club called SEW: Superheroes Everywhere. In addition to drama within SEW--from sniping among members and a love triangle to sexual objectification and a false accusation of theft--Edan also weathers turmoil at home. Edan's frustrations at not having her passions taken seriously are relatable, and interactions among the casually diverse SEW crew make for a mostly breezy, diverting read.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(4) YA Alyssa lives in a fairy-tale world--literally. She loves her summer job as Cinderella at a theme park but is crushed when her boyfriend dumps her. Her friend Miller (also a park character) is there to support her. Alyssa's attempts at personal development sometimes feel unconvincingly facile, but the setting brings originality to this breezy summer romance.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Lily wears a cat-shaped mask in myriad social situations. It's a sort of safety blanket: the mask helps Lily hide when she's nervous or instantly gain attention when she wants to be seen. The perceptive story is furthered by watercolors showing the emotions behind Lily's attachment to the mask as well as the compassion of the adults (and other kids) who understand these feelings.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) PS Illustrated by Joyce Wan. Housemates Pug and Pig (of Pug Meets Pig) have different ideas about Halloween fun: Pig loves wearing a costume and mask, but Pug finds his uncomfortable and alienating. They find a (rather contrived) solution that allows the two to enjoy the holiday. Lively vignettes of the roly-poly friends are placed against dark purple backgrounds for a festive yet mysterious air.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(3) K-3 Duck eagerly anticipates trick-or-treating in his ghost costume on Halloween, but superhero-clad Goose is worried: their friend Thistle has warned, "Beware the swamp monster!" Ongoing hints at the monster's true identity (it's costumed Thistle) temper the scariness, as does the humorous, fear-facing confrontation. Textured illustrations in oil and acrylic paint and colored pencil surround the friends in warm fall colors.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old fanfiction writer Hailey and her three best friends form a princess-and-pirate-themed babysitting company to earn money to meet their favorite YouTuber. But as their business increases, so too does homework, sleepless nights, and overbooked schedules; and the teens soon question their goal's worthiness. Despite some quickly dated cultural references, Mancusi's writing is well paced, and the unpredictable babysitting situations the characters experience are comic gold.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 Painfully shy Pixie is the exact opposite of her party-planner and costumed-performer parents. When her mom leaves town for a while, Pixie steps up to help her dad--and finds herself stepping more into the spotlight. But she manages to cope and even develops confidence (in mermaid attire no less). Similarly introverted readers will sympathize with Pixie's situation and appreciate her satisfying growth.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee