(2) PS Illustrated by Robert Starling. Some stories encourage quiet listening, but books can also call for moving around and being silly. This latest I Am installment (I Am Happy; I Am Hungry) centers on a wide-eyed pink bunny with a lot of pent-up energy to release. "I am wriggly. REALLY wriggly. Wriggly, wriggly, wriggly." Spot art shows this energy building as the narrator begins to shimmy, tap its feet, and then start hopping. The activity ramps up from there. The creature wriggles its body and then starts adding toys, utensils, and furniture into the game. By the end, the combination of narrative action and increasingly colorful and lively mixed-media illustrations shows this bunny working itself into a frenzy of wriggles: "I can't stop wriggling, I can't stop giggling." The situation finally peaks, and the rabbit suddenly recognizes that it can stop when it wants and take a little rest. An opening "Note to Grown-Ups" encourages using this story to initiate play and explore language with children as a means for self-expression. From start to finish, the snappy text and large, bold art effortlessly facilitate audience participation through prompts for physical activity and verbal engagement. A smart choice for a wriggly toddler storytime or for anytime when releasing some extra wriggles might lead to better self-awareness and an expanded way to appreciate books.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(4) YA On his eighteenth birthday, Patrick receives a letter from his long-dead mother. Only she's not dead--his dad's been lying to him for years. As "Pack" unravels the mystery, he loses his supportive girlfriend and his whole life turns upside-down. Though readers may not feel satisfied by the hurried resolution to the mystery, Pack is an interesting character and his complicated relationship with food and exercise adds dimension.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 4-6 Five preteens from diverse backgrounds train together at a local gym to prepare for a televised junior ninja competition in this high-interest series-starter. The stock characters are nevertheless relatable, and the brief backstories provided are intriguing. Details of the athletic competition keep the action rocketing forward, and the ending sets up forthcoming volumes. An interview with real-life American Ninja Warrior star Allyssa Beird adds authenticity and appeal.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) YA When overweight but body-confident Jess Jones receives an invite to a party from her crush Matt, the British year-eleven student begins a strict diet and exercise regimen hoping to win him over. Debut novelist Mainwaring's heartwarming, hilarious story about wanting to fit in but ultimately choosing to stand out is bolstered by Jess's snarky yet accurate observations about women's place in society.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) K-3 Exploring Our Community series. The five friends from Ritchie's informational series prepare for an upcoming swim meet. Coach Penny makes sure they stretch, get good sleep, support one another, eat nutritiously, and have fun. The informal narrative is accompanied by bold-faced health-science facts or suggestions on every spread. Sunny digital illustrations include bird's-eye, close-up, and panoramic views of the diverse group of healthy kids. Includes ideas for active play. Glos.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 DC Super Heroes: Science Behind Superman series. This book examines where feats of strength like Superman's are found in science and nature. Bolstered by key vocabulary terms, the text explores the science of human muscle movement, strength building, mechanical exoskeletons, and powerful animals. Additional fact sidebars accompany the main text. Relevant photos and diagrams are accompanied by mostly unnecessary, generic drawings of Superman characters. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) K-3 My Day Learning Health and Safety series. Each slight easy-reader text enumerates multiple straightforward ways that the child characters--and young readers--can take care of their bodies. David gets exercise through biking; Emily wears sunscreen to the park; Pearl brushes her teeth twice each day. Bright, relevant full-page photos provide new readers with resting points on every spread. Follow-up questions encouraging personal connections are appended. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these My Day Learning Health and Safety titles: David's New Bike, Emily Goes to the Park, and Pearl's New Tooth.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(4) K-3 My Day Learning Health and Safety series. Each slight easy-reader text enumerates multiple straightforward ways that the child characters--and young readers--can take care of their bodies. David gets exercise through biking; Emily wears sunscreen to the park; Pearl brushes her teeth twice each day. Bright, relevant full-page photos provide new readers with resting points on every spread. Follow-up questions encouraging personal connections are appended. Reading list. Glos. Review covers these My Day Learning Health and Safety titles: David's New Bike, Emily Goes to the Park, and Pearl's New Tooth.

Reviewer: Rebecca Fox

(3) PS Illustrated by Brian Won. A sleepy monkey becomes a happy, active youngster with some vigorous exercise. Meant to inspire kids to get moving (per Sampson's note) and told in rhyme (a variation of the "Down Down Baby" clapping game), the simple text has a nice rhythm, with energetic sound and action words ("Ding-Dong"; "Stomp! Stomp!"); appealing digital art shows Monkey and other animals boogeying across bright backgrounds.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Healthy Plates series. The importance of various types of exercise (aerobic, strength-building, stretching) is outlined in very broad strokes on double-page spreads; one page touches on healthy food choices and a recipe for trail mix (paired with a photo showing trail mix with very different ingredients) is appended. The active full-color photos are enticing. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) 4-6 Math Everywhere! series. Challenging multi-step word problems center on practical topics--fitness, gardening, money, weather--with scenarios and questions that are livelier than typical word-problem fare. Hints offer formulas, unit conversions, and suggestions for rounding, but more substantive problem-solving strategies are not suggested or demonstrated. Well-chosen stock photos are included, and detailed answers are appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Math Everywhere! titles: Fitness Math, Garden Math, Money Math, and Weather Math.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) K-3 SandCastle: Healthy Habits series. This book's opening question--"What is a healthy habit?"--isn't really answered. Instead, examples of age-appropriate activities (playing soccer, sledding, riding bikes) are described in one or two simple sentences with full-color, up-close photos on double-page spreads. A final question invites readers' input, and a quiz reviews information. A slight but satisfactory reading exercise. Glos.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: My Healthy Habits series. Illustrated by Renée Kurilla. On her class's field day, super-cheerful Natalie ("captain of the Beach Ball Relay!") relates, in exclamation-point-heavy text, some basic information about exercise and its importance in kids' lives. Exaggeratedly cartoony illustrations show Natalie and her classmates doing the three types of exercise: aerobic, anaerobic, and stretching. It's all very basic but may get kids moving. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Healthy Me! series. Pages containing three or four easy-to-read sentences face colorful full-page photos to explain the importance sleep, exercise, nutrition, and hygiene have on human health and well-being. Gleisner offers basic physiology facts as well as encouragement of good choices. "Healthy Hints" sidebars add to the main text; final "Get Started" lists offer practical tips for optimizing personal responsibility. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Healthy Me! titles: My Body Needs Exercise, My Body Needs Food, My Body Needs Rest, and My Body Needs to be Clean.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) YA Holcombe describes her journey to fitness and health, which she began at age fourteen, when she weighed 230 pounds. Teens looking to lose weight slowly, safely, and permanently will be inspired by this story of one girl's determination to come to peace with her body. The information on exercise, nutrition, and motivation (plus a list of resources at the back) is solid and should prove helpful.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) 1-3 Amelia Bedelia Chapter Books series. Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Amelia turns her attention to sports as she prepares for the school Greek Games in this fifth chapter book about the young Amelia Bedelia. Parish uses every opportunity to play with language, so plot and character development are slight, but the silly wordplay and Amelia's literal interpretations will be familiar to fans of the picture books and easy readers. Lively black-and-white illustrations break up the text. An inexpensive paper-over-board edition is also available.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Let's Read and Talk About... series. Each double-page spread poses a main question, which is answered with several more targeted questions and simple responses. Full-color photos on each page show kids playing, eating, and taking care of themselves. Boxes suggest activities and topics for discussion. Subjects are basic and appropriate for the audience; the tone is upbeat and encourages personal responsibility. Glos., ind. Review covers these Let's Read and Talk About titles: Keeping Clean and Keeping Fit.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Move Your Body: A Kid's Guide to Fitness series. Geared to novice young athletes, Tieck accentuates the health benefits for children who participate in these sports. Color photos and anatomical diagrams supplement very basic texts that suggest how kids can learn how to bike, hike, and skateboard and protect themselves against accidents. The books are eye-catching and slickly packaged; athletes with some experience will likely already know the information. Glos., ind. Review covers these Move Your Body titles: Biking, Hiking, and Skateboarding.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Move Your Body: A Kid's Guide to Fitness series. Geared to novice young dancers, Tieck accentuates the health benefits of dance. Color photos and anatomical diagrams supplement a very basic text that suggests how kids can learn how to dance and do basic warm-up exercises to keep their bodies in shape and protect against injuries. The book is eye-catching and slickly packaged; dancers with some experience will likely already know the information. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Move Your Body: A Kid's Guide to Fitness series. Geared to novice young athletes, Tieck accentuates the health benefits for children who participate in these sports. Color photos and anatomical diagrams supplement very basic texts that suggest how kids can learn how to bike, hike, and skateboard and protect themselves against accidents. The books are eye-catching and slickly packaged; athletes with some experience will likely already know the information. Glos., ind. Review covers these Move Your Body titles: Biking, Hiking, and Skateboarding.

Reviewer: Jack Forman