(2) K-3 Illustrated by Shanda McCloskey. "Nubby was done." Fed up with a life of being "carried, buried, dropped, dragged, torn, worn," and so on, a dingy blue stuffed bunny is ready for a new beginning. While the text stays focused on this character's point of view, the engaging illustrations clearly show what's really happening as Nubby ventures "out into the great wide world." The family dog makes off with him and runs down the sidewalk to the neighbors' yard. There he encounters some actual rabbits ("Friends! Surely he'd be appreciated here!"), but they don't pay him any attention ("His boy would never treat him like that"). Next, a little girl wearing a magician's cape and a top hat spots Nubby on the ground; from his perspective, he's "landed the starring role" in her magic show. But each new adventure is ultimately disappointing (the show's a flop), and Nubby begins to long for his old life. Both text and pictures are energetic and funny, with McCloskey's digital, watercolor, and pencil illustrations showing the neighborhood from varied perspectives, including views of Nubby's family searching the yard for him. A very happy ending has the bunny nestled together with his boy (and pup), each one with a new appreciation for the other.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) PS Little Pookie series. On Thanksgiving Day, Little Pookie (Spooky Pookie; Merry Christmas, Little Pookie) helps make apple and pumpkin pies and sets the table with his parents before Nemmy and Boppa arrive. After dinner, the pig family members each share what they're thankful for, with Pookie's closing "and pie" leading to a joyful dessert-eating finale. The simple rhyming text features excited asides from Pookie ("Ooo! Butter!") that fans of this series, especially young listeners, should enjoy along with Boynton's ever-pleasing signature illustrations. A board book embracing family togetherness to be "so thankful for" this season.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(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

(1) K-3 In Goade's (Caldecott Medalist for We Are Water Protectors, rev. 7/20) latest picture book, set "on an island at the edge of a wide, wild, sea," a Tlingit grandmother teaches her granddaughter "how to live on the land." First, they gather what they need from the water. Then they enter the forest to pick berries; the berries' names serve as an evolving refrain, and the land is also frequently and reverently referenced. As they pick, they sing to the flora, the fauna, and the ancestors: "We take care of the land... As the land takes care of us." Once they have collected what they need, they head home. After their subsequent feast, they say "Gunalchéesh," giving thanks for the food. The story ends with the girl passing on the song and her grandmother's knowledge to her younger sister. Goade's lush, brightly colored art vividly portrays the landscape. In many of the images, the child and her grandmother are shown intertwined with the forest, with which they are deeply connected. In one scene, the grandmother and granddaughter are the same green as the forest, and their hair and faces are covered by leaves. In another image, we see a totem pole faintly outlined within a tree. An author's note tells more about Goade's childhood; her life in Sheet'ká, or Sitka, Alaska; and the song in the book. Endpapers name the berries in both English and Tlingit.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Kris Easler. It's Hanukkah, and the Menashe family is stuck at home during a blizzard in this picture-book reissue, with new illustrations and an updated text. The family is out of apples, and their potatoes are buried under the snow. As the snow keeps falling throughout the holiday and the lack of food becomes more serious, a cat and then a dog arrive in need of help--and ultimately lead the family to discoveries that feel miraculous...and are definitely delicious. The tale of generosity rewarded draws readers (and listeners) in with a storyteller's cadence, and the mixed-media illustrations show deep-blue winter nights and warm, glowing family scenes. Back matter gives more information about various elements of Hanukkah.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Heather Ross. Sallie Bee, a little girl with bee-shaped clips in her hair, is surprised to receive a present one day in the mail--a yellow scarf with black stripes accompanied by a note from her grandmother. She immediately wants to text Grandma Bee to thank her, but Mom is using the phone. Sallie Bee decides to put her thoughts on paper so she won't forget, including "I love my new scarf. It has two of my most favorite colors." By the time she's done, she has written a full thank-you note, so instead of texting, she and her mother put the note in the mail. Sallie Bee enjoys the process so much that she begins finding people to whom she can express appreciation, such as the crossing guard and a friend who lends her an umbrella, and she writes a note to someone each day. Ross's pencil, paint, and digital illustrations use bright colors with expressive lines against white pages with words incorporated into the pictures--all of which make the task of writing thank-you notes look like fun, not work. More importantly, this is not a book about manners; it is a very upbeat demonstration of the satisfaction to be found in noticing others' helpfulness and expressing gratitude for it.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) PS "Night lights, streetlights, flashlights, and table lamps" often shine against a childhood fear: the Dark. Here gently curved indigo outlines form the Dark's broad hands and soft face as it hides from glaring lights and frightened people trying to ward it away. Tired of being shunned, the Dark disappears, leaving people with only the light. Slowly, though, a young boy--who had been afraid of the Dark--begins to realize that without it, many beautiful things have also disappeared: the song of crickets, the twinkling of the stars, the hooting of owls. Imbued with the sense of something missing, the young boy sets out to "find the Dark and persuade the Dark to return." Along the way, he meets a burglar who misses the Dark for the shadows it provides; a poet, too, joins them because "there is no mystery without the Dark"; a gardener longing for the scent of night-blooming jasmine falls in line. Their company continues to expand as others learn of their purpose. When at last the Dark hears the crowd's shouting and returns, everyone's previous fear transforms gradually into acceptance and welcome. Stringer's watercolor illustrations beautifully capture a world bathed in both stark light and soft darkness, and her lyrical text, with a storyteller's cadence, calls out for repeated readings.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky. Claire, who lives with her family in Hawai'i, yearns to experience snow. Her family visits Mauna Kea, but the snow there isn't the kind she's seen in movies--she wants soft snow, not icy. She also wants real mittens (not socks), a real scarf (not an old beach towel), a real snowman (not the sad-looking lump they build), and a real sled (not the "sugarcane truck inner tube" that bumps over the hard snow). But her discontent dissipates after a day at nearby Hapuna Beach, where her family builds a sandman, using shells for eyes, driftwood for a pipe, and coral for a smile. Claire floats happily in the waves (in the inner tube), and then everyone makes sand angels. Claire now realizes she lives on a "beautiful island of lava fields, sandy beaches, rain forests, fiery volcanoes, sacred mountains, and, yes, even snow." This "grass is always greener" story will fascinate kids accustomed to snow every winter and will remind kids in warmer climates of the beauty to be found in their own surroundings. Yamanaka and Lukashevsky both convey their love of their home state; the lyrically written narrative contains Hawaiian words (glossary/pronunciation guide included), and the digital illustrations glow with vibrant colors, the multihued ocean imagery far outshining Claire's imaginary pink and purple snow scenes.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) K-3 Caldecott winner Floca (Locomotive, rev. 9/13) presents a love letter to New York City and its essential workers during COVID-19. "We are here at home now, watching the world through our windows. Outside, we see the city we know, but not as we've seen it before." As children peer out from their apartment windows, the streets are quiet, but not empty. There are food deliverers on bikes, sanitation workers, mail carriers, first responders, and more; an ambulance pulls into a hospital driveway, and we enter the building to see the medical professionals and support team, "everyone working through long days and worry to help patients heal." As evening falls, we're back to the neighborhood, where at seven o'clock people open their windows, clap their hands, bang pots and pans, shout, and cheer their thanks. (The appended author's note provides further context.) Floca's watercolor, ink, acrylic, and gouache art, in his beautifully realistic style, features delicate lines, light-catching hues, and pore-over-able details, much like an actual city scene. Motion-filled vignettes alternate with expansive spreads to help pace the narrative and hold readers' attention; so, too, do many of the figures' gazes, looking directly out at viewers. The text is true to events but un-alarmist, with restrained lyricism that underscores unity: "We hear the city say to us--and we say back to the city--that we are still here, and we are here together."

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Katie Wilson. This gentle picture book opens with a question: "Have you ever had an extraordinary wish?" The opening pages set the stage by proposing dreams of flying with eagles or harnessing unicorns, but soon the rhyming text and accompanying spreads shift to suggesting that moments in daily life can be equally "extraordinary." "The extraordinary bellows, / it trumpets and booms. / It towers above us, / it blazes and blooms. / But what of the ordinary, everyday thing? / The soft, quiet moment that makes the world sing?" As the words describe the sensations of an experience, the soft art depicts the source of those special moments: a bird's nest, a shooting star, a full moon, a bountiful garden, a quiet forest. The moments chronologically cover the seasons of the year from spring through winter: each picture shows a child absorbing a detail of the world around them, either alone or with friends or family, which can give readers and listeners an entry point to think about their own special moments as well as providing a springboard for identifying new ones. Endpapers bracket the book's timeline, with migrating birds heading one way in spring and in the opposite direction in winter.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) PS Three, a small three-legged dog, sees the world through a unique lens. Three roams the city, identifying its ­inhabitants in terms of the number of legs each possesses. There are the six legs (ants) and the eight legs (spiders); and those with too many legs to count (centipedes). But Three wants none of those multiples, nor does he wish for four legs, for in his experience these are often chairs that the two legs (guess who?) sit on all day long. Although content with his physical self, Three would like a loving home, perhaps with his new friend Fern, who talks with him and plays with him. She introduces Three to all sorts of creatures, including a one leg (Mom in yoga pose) and a twelve leg (the pretend throne Fern's brother creates by pushing three chairs together); best of all, together the three humans and Three make "a perfect four." The book's perspective calls for readers to use their inference skills (what is a "winged two leg that lays eggs"?) while following Three's thought processes. King's uncluttered and cheerful pencil and watercolor illustrations allow readers to confirm the identities of the animals under discussion. Expect lots of interaction--­counting, adding, and even tracing Three's routes on two map-like spreads--when reading this aloud. One engaging story + three legs + six legs = a perfect 10.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier. In expertly scanned and rhymed verse, Rylant offers up many of the things we can be grateful for: "We give thanks for apple trees / and bushes filled with roses. / We give thanks for nice warm soup / and fires to warm our toeses." The text gains by its specificity ("The mailman, the grocer, and the nice Italian waiter") and is augmented by Ruzzier's gently comic ­pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations of a kingdom of animal friends, a world in which a bear can lovingly cradle a smiling fish. With the verses easy to remember and fun to say out loud, this could become a favorite (and non-sectarian) Thanksgiving (or anytime) tradition.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Ryan Ehrenberg. Pearl (a dog) and Squirrel (self-­explanatory) live "inside a box beside the old corner store." After hot-dog vendor Stan tells them about Thanksgiving, they note things they're thankful for (playing fetch, a cuddly nap spot), and then are not-so-thankful for a storm--but it all ends with a generous act that gives them a big reason to be thankful. This sweet story, with inviting cartoon illustrations in an autumnal palette, can serve as a seasonally appropriate discussion starter about giving thanks and helping others.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(2) PS The titular blue table in Raschka's (Mama Baby, rev. 3/20) latest offering is akin to a stage, with props appearing to represent characters named in the text but initially unseen in the art. Throughout, watercolor and collage illustrations match the text's simplicity, with loose, gestural lines lending a comforting roundness. "A child" is the first character mentioned, represented by a glass of milk on the blue table. Nearby is a vase with a cheery yellow flower that first appeared on the opening wordless page, both objects invoking those who placed them there. Next, a cup and saucer, a mug, a newspaper, and a book introduce "a parent," and "another parent." Someone also places a plate of pastries on the table, and the child's setting grows to include paper and crayons. Then, all objects disappear on a page reading "get going." The blue table is empty--but not for long. "Good things from the garden, the store, and the farm" arrive. But perhaps the most pleasing arrival is anticipated by wordless pages in which the table is extended to accommodate "one more family." Now Raschka provides glimpses of people holding hands around the table in thanksgiving. Readers may regard this scene as the Thanksgiving holiday, but it could evoke any occasion of togetherness, perhaps providing comfort and hope for a return to such times in a post-pandemic world.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lorraine Rocha. When her grandmother gifts her with not a computer but a lemon tree, the disappointed birthday girl decides to make lemonade. This how-to (recipe included) features the girl's bossy-spunky narration (when juicing lemons: "Come on--squeeze, squeeze, squeeze-a-roo!") and summer-kissed art that portrays the whole community pitching in to support the lemonade stand. The girl's profits go toward something surprising for the whole block.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) K-3 Illustrated by April Harrison. In this story of giving, James Otis marvels that Mama is contributing to the church's "love box" for a family in need when they have so little themselves. But hearing "what is given from the heart reaches the heart" helps James Otis start thinking differently about what he does have. Detailed, highly textured, strikingly patterned collage illustrations invite readers to linger over the pages and add depth to the characters.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) YA Australian teen Marlowe is crushed to learn that the family of the organ donor who gave her a new heart has refused contact. After Facebook sleuthing, Marlowe finds and befriends the sister of the boy she suspects is her donor. Marlowe's colorful family members and a prank war with a cute guy add comic relief to an otherwise weighty novel about loss, guilt, and gratitude.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ruth Jeyaveeran. In Kathmandu during the Festival of Lights--called Swanti, Tihar, or Deepawali in Nepal (Diwali in India)--two brothers look for a kukur (stray dog) to honor during the celebration. Coauthor Amish Karanjit, Engle's son-in-law, lived through the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, when rescue dogs played an important role in finding survivors. The interesting holiday story is illustrated with cultural specificity. Suggested activities are appended. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(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

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. Thank yous have many purposes in this book, wherein animals and people find opportunities to express gratitude. The poetic text conveys a heartwarming message, despite occasionally awkward phrasing. Lushly colored and delicately rendered illustrations show kindness, inclusion, and happiness.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth