(4) PS Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup. In Daddy, a father otter explains, in rhyming couplets, how much he loves his child: “When I became your daddy, you made my world complete. / I didn’t know the little things in life could be so sweet.” In Mommy, a mama bunny expresses the same feelings. The sentimental texts are more likely to interest mommies and daddies than their children, but the soothing, textured illustrations -- pastel-colored spreads showing the pairs’ day of frolicking and snuggling -- are appealing. Review covers these titles: When I Became Your Daddy and When I Became Your Mommy.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(4) PS Illustrated by Laurie Stansfield. A series of short, themed poems (“Bedtime Stories”; “Car Wash”), in singsong-y rhyme, celebrate dads on Father’s Day. The text describes the things children appreciate about their dads (most of these stereotypically paternal, such as camping, telling dad jokes, and fixing things). The digital-looking illustrations show a diverse group of fathers (with a couple of moms but no same-sex pairings) supporting and enjoying quality time with their children.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(3) 4-6 Young German girl Marta and her papa are passengers on the Lusitania during WWI. They both survive its sinking, but Papa is captured and imprisoned. Marta, taken in by an Irish family in England, hides her German identity, aided by her acting skills and facility with accents. The appealing heroine’s arc is set within an engaging adventure, though readers may be quicker than Marta and others to grasp the novel’s messages against prejudices tied to war. An author’s note adds historical background.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) 4-6 In this fast-paced historical novel, Danilo is a Black Panamanian living in a neighborhood destroyed by the United States' invasion of Panama in 1989. Since the first night of the attack, life has become more and more difficult for him and his family. Papá left them prior to the military action in search of better opportunities in the States, but lately he hasn't been calling or sending money home. As a former baseball player, Papá introduced Danilo to the game and nurtured his considerable talent, but in his absence, Danilo decides to stop playing. But then, ironically, Danilo's skill as a baseball player provides him with the chance to reconnect with his father by playing and training in California for a few months. Ultimately, he must decide if he wants to follow in his dad's footsteps to become a baseball player or pursue a different dream. Burgess has created a sympathetic character in Danilo, a kind, hardworking boy who has PTSD and copes with microaggressions and stereotyping in the U.S. The scenes involving baseball are particularly well written and feel authentic. This novel may hold special appeal for baseball fans, but one needn't be an aficionado to enjoy the story.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Taylor. Daddy, Rosie, and Jojo are excited to meet Papa at the airport after his long trip. They load the car with everything Papa might want, from a big glittery sign to a cake to his bicycle to the dog. Of course, while Papa appreciates everything they brought, he is just glad to see them. Digital illustrations bursting with color highlight the delightful chaos of life with toddlers and celebrate the love in a family obviously inspired by the author’s own.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) YA Sixteen-year-old Eleanor is obsessed with learning all she can about her birth father, tech mogul Hugo Harrison, who ended his relationship with her mother long before Eleanor can remember. When the opportunity presents itself, she takes a summer job under an assumed name as a nanny for his two-year-old son, Arlo, and in the process gets to know Hugo's young wife, Aurora. As Eleanor takes a front-row seat to a family she thought she knew all about from social media, readers may be less surprised than she is at how much isn't what it seems; however, it's easy to empathize with her wish to know her father and to believe the best of him. And Eleanor, who makes frequent, admiring reference to an early comic-book heroine named Miss Fury, becomes more heroic herself as she grows to question Hugo's ethics in developing his AI projects, including his treatment of both Aurora and Arlo. Her questions are likely to prompt readers' own about how to know what to believe, and about what makes AI (or anything else) go "from cool and interesting to creepy and disturbing."

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(3) K-3 The first day of school is approaching, and Yeti is feeling nervous. She comes up with several excuses to stay home (a missing pencil, a lost backpack), but her dad steps in each time to reassure her and urge her to keep her cool. Once she arrives at school, she discovers that other students are anxious too, and that gives her the confidence to make friends and stay calm. Carter’s digital illustrations lean into the humor of the situation, while the text is comforting.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(2) 4-6 Chang's fictionalized graphic memoir delves into the complexities of a family harboring a secret: Cindy's father moved back to Taiwan four years ago, leaving her, her mother, and her older sisters on their own in San Francisco. Cindy is shy and quiet, but excerpts from her journal accented by doodles reveal a twelve-year-old full of emotion. While she longs for a picture-perfect family, her mother is overwhelmed with household responsibilities and her older sisters are focused on college. Her grandmother's death reunites the fractured family in Taipei, where Cindy learns the truth about why her father left. She discovers her authentic voice and embraces vulnerability to deepen her relationships with those around her. The panel-to-panel flow is occasionally broken up by tight panels showing her phone as she inspects a photo or her hands as she draws pictures, bringing readers closer to the protagonist's inner world. Chang's animated facial expressions reveal her vibrant personality and lighten the mood. Colors range from warm hues to soft and muted shades. Nostalgic earth tones are used in a flashback to her mother's difficult backstory, while darker reds and pinks are used after a pivotal cathartic moment.

Reviewer: Kristine Techavanich | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 4-6 Color by Ronda Pattinson. This graphic novel celebrates the contributions of women throughout automotive history, along with providing a critique of the industry's persistent sexist practices. A prologue set in 1962 begins at an amateur car race with the skillful real-life driver Janet Guthrie. While respected by some of her peers, many others express a combination of anger, humiliation, and jealousy over her success. The story then shifts to 2019 New Hampshire, where (fictional) twelve-year-old Alexandra is similarly passionate about cars. Alex discovers a treasure trove of cars at her recently deceased grandfather's country home; however, her single father is unsupportive of her interest. Alex experiences highs and lows while working to restore a vintage Jaguar: the support of a local librarian; comments on her appearance and questioning of her knowledge. Throughout, Janet's life and career as a groundbreaking female racecar driver (somewhat coincidentally) intertwine with Alex's experiences, culminating in a multigenerational meet-up, complete with surprise appearance by Alex's favorite female YouTube mechanic. Copeland's streamlined art features a doodle-y thin black line and flat colors with minimal shading. Constantly shifting page layouts, from traditional panels to epistolary interludes to exciting (and coherent) race sequences, result in strong visual storytelling. An author's note separates fact from fiction and reminds readers that "girls can stand on the shoulders of those who came before them only if they know their stories."

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(1) YA Thirteen-year-old Pakistani American Mohammad and his father move from Queens to Houston to stay with his aunt and cousin while his research scientist mother works in a refugee camp in Greece. Mo’s father’s paranoid schizophrenia, which causes dramatic mood swings, makes it difficult to hold down a job and live independently, and Mo adopts a tough bad-boy act to protect himself from the pain of abandonment and anger at his parents. His aunt provides much needed warmth, love, and support, and his cousin Rayyan, coping with his own father’s tragic death, serves as a friend at his new school. Mo tries to channel his feelings through engrossing himself in South Asian folktales (interspersed throughout the story), boxing, and art. As he discovers truths about his family, he slowly opens himself up to being more accepting of others. Mo’s brave front in trying to deal with volatile situations makes him a sympathetic protagonist. Secondary characters provide nuanced perspectives on how people cope with trials in their lives. A raw portrayal of the pain, confusion, and hurt of a memorable young teenager.

Reviewer: Sadaf Siddique | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) YA In imperial Mali in 1359, Aminata, a rich merchant's daughter originally betrothed to a noble she loves, loses everything after a false accusation leads to her disownment and the cancellation of her engagement. Now she must work as a servant to Princess Mariama, daughter of Emperor Suleyman, a ruthless man who forces the princess's suitors to undergo impossible Trials that result in their being boiled to death. The only thing keeping Amie afloat is a plan to elope with her beloved, Kader. However, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Mariama, a charismatic young woman who intends to end the Trials for good. When Amie embarks on a quest to steal a hammer from an exiled god -- both the key to ending the Trials and an opportunity to run away with Kader -- she is torn between her promise to her first love and her loyalty to the princess. Romance, court intrigue, and a classic fantasy adventure combine as Fears draws readers in with lush world-building and a flawed but sympathetic protagonist whose passion and resilience sustain her. This solid foundation becomes the springboard for a fast-paced quest arc full of perilous and thrilling encounters, testing Amie's courage and conviction at every turn. The ending feels a bit abrupt, but it sets the stage and builds anticipation for a potential sequel.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) YA In this “brother novel” to The Skin I’m In and The Life I’m In (rev. 3/21), Flake explores the connection between fathers and sons. John-John McIntyre and his best friend, Caleb, enjoy archery, Star Wars, and puzzles: “geeky nerd stuff,” as he puts it. John-John imagines that his father wishes he had a different son—Big John always talks about how popular he was with girls when he was in high school and how John-John needs to toughen up and start dating. He wishes his dad were more like Caleb’s father; even though Mr. P. hasn’t been the same since he suffered a brain aneurysm, he still listens to and respects Caleb. When John-John tries to live up to his father’s expectations, he finds himself saying and doing things that get him in trouble with his friends and at home. As with Flake’s previous books, readers will be able to relate to the struggles many young people face when they don’t fit their family’s perceived ideal.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(1) K-3 At the start of this bittersweet ode to the enduring bonds of family, the unnamed young narrator and “Brother” embark on a summer outing, hiking to a jewel-like lake complete with a massive rock perfect for diving. Although they follow all the same rituals (changing, stretching) that “Father used to,” the narrator hangs back, afraid, even as Brother fearlessly dives into the lake’s cobalt depths. What’s changed? The answer prompts the narrator to relive memories of earlier visits to “our lake” with Father and thereby reclaim some former courage. Art rendered in gouache with colored pencil and crayon is saturated with the colors of midsummer. Dark blue and green trees, whose shapes seem to mimic heat waves, rise in-to a lemon-yellow sky; memory takes shape through teal and chartreuse swirls that mingle with the sky and with the lake’s rich blues. The play of bubbles, light, and shadow on water is especially striking. Without being explicit, the story encourages readers to draw their own conclusions about the siblings’ shared loss. Kang’s debut picture book is a quiet portrait of the ways in which grief takes us by surprise, and its glorious final celebratory splash offers a radiant reminder of how joy and connection can exist alongside sadness.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Glynnis Fawkes. Fifth grader Maple is having a hard time at home: her mom and dad fight a lot, and her dad disappears after their fights. The anxiety she feels affects her school life and her relationship with her older sister and brother; drawing comics and being alone under the tree she’s named for provides some relief. Maple’s complicated feelings about her dad are portrayed sensitively and realistically; the black-and-white comics-style illustrations from Maple’s sketchbook provide additional insight into her frame of mind.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Aly McKnight. Rose, her oshiimeyan (younger sister), and their parents gather with other Métis families for the biannual buffalo hunt. This time will be different both because Rose's pa is one of the hunt's captains and because "the settlers and their iron horses had eliminated most of the buffalo"; the accompanying illustration shows Rose saying a "prayer of gratitude to the buffalo" while a train churns out black smoke, turning the blue sky gray. When scouts are unable to find buffalo after a week, Rose decides to look for them on her own. Her cleverness and bravery lead to success for the whole community. Lindstrom's (Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior, rev. 11/23) engaging text is well paired with McKnight's expansive, atmospheric watercolor and graphite illustrations. Back matter adds useful context; for example, in her appended note, Lindstrom says: "Rose's story is my version of the Little House series. So readers will know that before there was a little house on the prairie, there was a little tipi on the prairie...on the same land where the Little House stories were set." Important terms are defined, and a history of the buffalo hunt is provided. This Métis/Ojibwe perspective of life on the prairie by two Native creators is a moving tribute to a culture and people.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) YA When seventh grader Finn Connelly is caught on a surveillance camera kicking over a headstone in a local Lake Placid cemetery, little does he know it was the grave of Edna Grace Thomas, "Queen of the High Peaks," one of the first women 46ers: those who have climbed all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks. Edna's daughter, Kelly, sets Finn on a mission of atonement: to climb all forty-six mountains in memory of her mother. She suspects that Finn can use what the peaks offer: "The power to heal. / To help a troubled soul find peace. / Make a broken person whole." Finn begins a hero's journey, accompanied by Seymour, "the most slobbery, / drooly-faced, / smelly-furred, / farty-butted dog / in the world," along with a series of 46er "trail nannies," and soon realizes that "the trouble with long hikes / is that your brain has to come with you." He has plenty of time to think about the mess he has made of his life recently and about his anger and grief over the (unprocessed) loss of his father two years earlier. Messner relates Finn's story through an animated first-person narrative and through the poems Finn must write for a school project, mixing in text messages with his mother, letters to his English teacher, cookie recipes, and more. This verse novel covers a lot of ground, literally and metaphorically, and thoughtfully grapples with the big ideas of life.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 4-6 In this coming-of-age Western, twelve-year-old Will Samuels and his father, a stoic, formerly enslaved man, leave their sharecropper home in Texas for the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. Along the way, they encounter Caesar, a Black former Union officer who makes the journey with them. The group encounters perils such as wild animals, gunslingers, and, most dangerous of all, former Confederate soldiers who are still fighting the war. Will and Father grow closer during the brutal trek. Eventually, circumstances force Will to show leadership and bravery to help his family lay claim to land. Rhodes's storytelling is at its strongest during times of high drama, such as when Caesar is shot and when the trio traverses the treacherous Red River. The writing isn't quite as successful during quieter moments, and the use of relatively modern terms such as "Black" and "enslaved" is a bit jarring in a historical novel. Still, readers who love adventure will find much to enjoy here, and the book would pair well with Cline-Ransome's One Big Open Sky (rev. 3/24). An afterword addresses how the land rush was made possible by the subjugation of Indigenous people and links this fictional story with the Tulsa Race Massacre that saw racist whites kill successful Black residents, many of whose families participated in the 1889 land rush.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) YA Six months ago, strangers took twelve-year-old Mimi’s papi and deported him. Since then, she’s had to take over her father’s electronics repair business to help her mother pay for a lawyer. Mimi has been so busy working she has not had time to hang out with her friends or focus on her schoolwork, but when her friends encourage her to enter a robotics contest with a $50,000 cash prize, Mimi cannot say no. Further complicating things: a robot crash-lands in the repair shop. Along with helping her father get back home, Mimi now must help the robot find its family while avoiding an overzealous government agent who is looking for the robots and will do anything to find them. Rodriguez and Ortega have created a fast-paced adventure that skillfully weaves in themes of friendship, family, community, and activism. This is an engaging and accessible addition to middle-grade and middle-school science fiction.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Gracey Zhang. In this first picture book written by middle-grade powerhouse Stead (Newbery Medalist for When You Reach Me, rev. 7/09), the unnamed narrator's father serves up chocolate cake to celebrate their first day in apartment 3B. "But something was wrong." Daddy says the child can make three wishes, for "Anything." Grief lies between the lines of restrained text. "I can wish for very hard things," but those Anything wishes are for things like the biggest slice of pizza in the world, requests the father can approximate. Illustrations done primarily in black ballpoint pen with small patches of gouache color open the book. In Zhang's subsequent spreads, as the narrator more fully feels and expresses emotions, the colors expand and ultimately fill the entire space. We don't know why this pair has moved, but heartache is evident in the effort both parties are making and in the tentative expressions on the child's face while navigating change. A secret wish comes out in a series of heavily inked nighttime spreads when a siren tears through the quiet: "I wish I had one more Anything. Because I want to go home." Resourceful Daddy provides comfort and creates a new memory, beginning to transform the unfamiliar place into their home. This introspective, sensitive, and stunningly rendered story will encourage families weathering tough transitions and stay with readers for a long time.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) K-3 “I don’t like the CRACKS and the CRASHES and the RUMBLES.” As a thunderstorm approaches, an anxious child hides in the cupboard beneath the kitchen sink. Dad, with a scruffy beard and a steady presence, coaxes the narrator to emerge into the “magic” of Thunderland. The child is hesitant but lured by the appeal of a cozy blanket fort with snacks and beloved stuffed animals. The protagonist (with Dad’s encouragement) names the storm Nancy, and the two holler back at her turbulent booms. Thunderland sparks an idea inside of the narrator: perhaps “we can be brave and afraid all at the same time.” The sketchy strokes of Willis’s digital wax-pencil illustrations depict dark, moody scenes illuminated by yellow flashes of lightning and the glow of a flashlight. The storm’s intensity is visually expressed through the jagged font of crack, the dramatic capital letters of crash, and the wavy-lettered word rumble. When the storm retreats, golden rays of sunlight dispatch the darkness and shower parent and child in light, conveying that as storms pass, so does fear. Willis’s relatable first-person narrative offers an endearing depiction of a parent guiding their child through fear to bravery and will be a story to revisit anytime the cracks, crashes, and rumbles roll in.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025