(1) 4-6 When child chimney sweep Nan Sparrow gets stuck in a flue and nearly dies, she is saved by a "soot golem." Nan and the kind, gentle "Charlie" escape from her cruel master and make a home in an abandoned mansion. Weaving together strands of Jewish folklore, Blake's poetry, Frankenstein, child-labor reform, and magical realism, Auxier crafts a beautiful, hopeful story from the ugly realities of nineteenth-century British life.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Katherine seeks to avenge her Catholic father's death by masquerading as a male actor to kill Queen Elizabeth I. She and Toby, the closeted-bisexual royal spy charged with foiling the assassination, become mutually attracted while performing the leads in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, a play of disguises, deception, gender, and love. Told via dual first-person narratives, this entertaining historical novel deals with many still-relevant topics. Bib.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Luisa Uribe. Princess Charlotte brings a decorated yew branch, a German Christmas tradition, when she marries England's King George III in 1761. Forty years later, she hosts a Christmas party with a decorated yew tree. Based on real-life events that brought the Christmas tree to Britain, the approachable text emphasizes Charlotte's generosity, concern for children, and love of nature. Muted, soft-lined illustrations portray a relatable queen. Biographical information appended. Reading list.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) YA Sixteen-year-old Lady Silvie of Loughsley must flee her privileged life to escape her cruel brother John's control. She founds a forest community bound by love and care, which expands to take in all those exploited by corrupt aristocrats until the balance of power shifts. A glorious gender-swapped reimagination of the Robin Hood legend, with flavors of matriarchal mysticism along with restorative economic justice.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian

(3) YA Lady Helen (The Dark Days Club and others) finds it harder than ever to negotiate her secret Reclaimer duties with Regency-era expectations--especially since her demon-fighting partner Lord Carlston is not her soon-to-be husband. Helen strives to claim her worth as a woman with power while preparing for a supreme showdown with the Deceivers in this highly enjoyable trilogy finale.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(4) YA Twin brothers Charlie and Alex belong to a secret society that employs time travel to manipulate, even assassinate, historic figures. Sent to the Tudor court to stop Jane Seymour's marriage to Henry VIII, they find themselves entangled in romances and intrigues from both their own era and the one they're visiting. Hosie's fast-paced, ambitious adventure occasionally overreaches with too many complications and not enough character development.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) YA Myriad storytelling formats (narrative prose, documents, emails, etc.) are woven into an epic story about true love and reincarnation. Sixteen years after the events in The Next Together, Clove Sutcliffe searches for her missing relatives, Kate and Matt, who seem to appear and disappear throughout different eras. Blending historical fiction and sci-fi, Clove's quest through time is entertaining and absorbing.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) 4-6 In 1872 Edinburgh, mute pickpocket Danny inadvertently helps a wealthy menagerie owner purchase an elephant at auction. Mr. Jameson concocts a P. T. Barnum–type spectacle in which Danny, posing as an Indian prince, rides the elephant, Maharajah, across Scotland and England. Young animal lovers and fans of historical fiction alike will enjoy this big-hearted adventure based on true events.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(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

(1) 4-6 Clarry, her brother Peter, and their beloved cousin Rupert were introduced in a WWI London–set Binny in Secret subplot; here, McKay gives us their full story. When soldier Rupert is declared MIA, "presumed dead," Clarry sets off to find him. This exceptional novel is both broad and deep, sketching the scope of the Western Front but drawing us into Clarry's heart and mind as she valiantly grows up. Bib.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kerry Hyndman. A small Scandinavian robin fights rain, snow, rough terrain, and the churning sea to complete his migration to Britain. The poetic text and striking digital illustrations convey the challenge and drama of the journey. A note explains the Scandinavian robin's migratory pattern and how the Brits associate the bird with Christmastime.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) 4-6 A near-drowning experience left twelve-year-old Cassidy with the ability to see beyond "the Veil"--and to see ghost Jacob. While her parents film a ghost-themed reality show in Edinburgh, a malevolent spirit plots to steal Cass's life; she and Jacob must rely on their wits and fellow "in-betweener" Lara's expertise to protect themselves. This supernatural adventure nicely balances spine-tingling spookiness with the protagonists' humorous and warm strong bond.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(4) 4-6 STEM Trailblazer Bios series. Each volume details the life of a significant person in a STEM-related field. Emphasis is placed on the individual's childhood, education, and development of a specific interest, as well as notable contributions. The prose is stilted but informative, and many photographs are included alongside sidebars of related information and "Tech Talk" quotes by the featured trailblazer. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these STEM Trailblazer Bios titles: Google Cybersecurity Expert Parisa Tabriz, Astronaut and Physicist Sally Ride, Code-Breaker and Mathematician Alan Turing, NASA Astronomer Nancy Grace Roman, Science Educator and Advocate Bill Nye, and Environmental Activist Wangari Maathai.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. This picture book biography covers the basics of computer programmer Lovelace's (1815–52) life: the conflict between her practical mother (a mathematician) and romantic father (poet Lord Byron); her pioneering work with Charles Babbage; etc. The book's layout mirrors Lovelace's own analytical and imaginative sides, with a clean Helvetica type carrying the straightforward text and Priceman's warmly curved gouache and ink illustrations creating colorful flights of fancy. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) YA When eleven-year-old Miss V. becomes young Princess Victoria's companion at Kensington Palace, she doesn't realize how her father, Sir John Conroy, will manipulate her to support the oppressive Kensington System controlling the future queen's life. This alternate history chronicling the girls' friendship over several years until the coronation is full of accurate details and historical figures, including Miss V. A must-read for Queen Victoria enthusiasts.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 In this British import, follow-up to The Queen's Hat, a swan snatches the queen's handbag, setting off a wild chase past various UK landmarks. The queen, her dog, a horde of police officers, and a butler carrying her hatbox use multiple modes of transportation in pursuit. Their zany antics, illustrated in small-scale detail, will keep readers poring over each spread. Brief endnotes describe the sites.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) 4-6 In 1724, twelve-year-old Oliver takes to the road and is forced into becoming a highwayman. Inexorably leading to London, Oliver's odyssey lands him in Newgate Prison--where he, older sister Charity, and their father each await trial. Inaugurating a new series, this Oliver Twist–like tale stands alone as a page-turning adventure full of cliffhangers, lush descriptions, and neatly woven-in historical details.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(2) 4-6 In 1486, Lambert Simnel, orphan and scullion (and a real-life historical figure), learns that he is in fact Edward, Earl of Warwick, rightful heir to the English throne. Lambert revels in his new power but soon learns his life is in peril even from his supporters. This engaging middle-grade novel's direct, accessible narrative style provides adequate historical detail without bogging the story down.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Victo Ngai. Barton recounts how design patterns camouflaged British and American ships to confuse German U-boat submarines during World War I. Royal Navy lieutenant-commander Norman Wilkinson proposed that a dazzlingly painted vessel would prevent attackers from determining the ship's speed and direction. Ngai's mixed-media illustrations artfully capture some of the thousands of ships painted by men and women civilian workers during the era. Reading list, timeline.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) YA Kingdom on Fire series. Sorcerer Henrietta was named the chosen one to save Victorian London from the demonic Ancients (A Shadow Bright and Burning). Though the prophecy was wrong, Henrietta grows increasingly desperate for a way to kill the Ancients--and stop the boy she loves from becoming a monster. Plenty of dramatic twists, romantic entanglements, betrayals, and secrets will hook readers in this entertaining second volume.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers