(2) PS "Sometimes I want to run away," says a girl staring out a window. She'd like some company and is frustrated not to have it. Her mother is busy teaching music lessons, and her sister would rather be alone. The girl slides a note under her mother's door and, with her cat Mango by her side, runs away--to the top of a nearby hill, that is. Under a lilac tree, she constructs for herself a small fort out of cardboard and sticks, one that resembles the house she's just left, and wonders if anyone will notice that she's gone. Though disappointed by her family, she misses them and ensures that there's room for them all inside her fort. The family members eventually head outside to join her under the lilacs--although possibly only in her imagination. A lush, lemony yellow and soft, warmly colored shades of green dominate Goodale's deliciously textured monoprint illustrations in the form of the brilliant light outdoors and the grasses where the girl builds her home-away-from-home. Vividly popping off the pages is the lavender of the flowering lilacs on the tree guarding the girl's construction. Goodale examines with sensitivity the need for children to occasionally break away and find their own space for solitude while simultaneously exploring the sense of security they get from a loving, if sometimes distracted, family.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) K-3 In fifteenth-century northern Italy, on the island of Murano, where glassmakers thrived, lived young Marietta Barovier. Marietta dreamed of working in glassmaking. Bucking the conventions of the time (it was deemed men's work), her father, considered a "true maestro" of the art, taught her the trade and took her along when he had business in Venice, where she fell in love with the intricate mosaics of San Marco. After her father's death, and inspired (as Turk imagines) by her childhood experiences, she one day crafted her first set of rosetta beads (each bead "an individual blossom...frozen in glass"), thereby rediscovering a lost technique. Her beads became known around the world, and Barovier became one of the first women ever to be granted permission to open her own furnace. With deliberate pacing; repeated sun motifs, both visual and textual; spare use of lively figurative language (adult Barovier cherished childhood memories "like a precious jewel"); and generous use of glowing light (Marietta's own face often sparkles in the glow of a furnace), Turk brings readers the empowering story of an artistic luminary. Slightly off-kilter perspectives, skewed angles, and exaggerated features emphasize the story's emotional undercurrents and Marietta's fascination with glittering glass and the "wonder of creating." An afterword fleshes out Barovier's contributions to the arts and makes clear that because little is known of her life, much of the book is speculation.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) PS The notion that "everything passes, moves on, or changes" is the subject of this playful, introspective French import. The bird that perches on your finger; small wounds; music; bubbles; baby teeth; dust; and even lice--they all pass by, fly away, or disappear. Alemagna also addresses deeper, more abstract subject matter, such as the notion that "dark thoughts," sadness, and fear may appear but will make their exits. Each double-page spread is bisected by translucent paper vellum, upon which Alemagna makes simple markings in a bold line, shifting meaning and mood depending on which side of the spread is covered. A monster, constructed out of a series of black dots, looms over a child lying fearfully in bed, whom we see through the vellum. Turn that vellum page, and the monster has moved to the verso, away from the (now peacefully sleeping) child. In one funny spread, a woman's head of hair moves over to become the mustache of her friend to the left. The richly colored oil illustrations engage readers with their occasionally off-kilter perspective and scale. The closing theme of unconditional love is implied in the text--but shown in the illustrations in the form of a warm, tender hug between adult and child. That bond is here to stay.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) PS Illustrated by Elizabet Vuković. This moving story opens with an introduction to Mrs. LaFleur, who is watering her flowers; the children playing together outside in the neighborhood; and a noisy crow named Magnificent. Turning our attention across the street, we see medical personnel entering two side-by-side houses. The family on the left is saying goodbye to their beloved old golden retriever; in the house on the right lives a woman about to deliver a baby. In one home, there's a final breath exhaled, and in the other, a first breath taken. A striking penultimate spread is filled by the black wings of the ever-present crow as "the world shifted": "It was an ordinary day in the neighborhood. It was an extraordinary day in the neighborhood." Arnold deftly draws parallels between the interior drama of the two homes--for instance, in each one music plays, "soft and without too many words." Specific details ground the story: Mrs. LaFleur always overwaters her roses, and the dog's name is Sally. Illustrations, in shades of gray, blue, and brown, include touches of warm reds, and the soft edges of the art match the hushed quality of this bittersweet tale.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Adam Rex. "No matter who holds the job right now, the presidents of tomorrow are always out there somewhere." There are picture books aplenty about United States presidents, but make way for this breath of fresh air. Messner presents brief profiles of each one through a particular lens: starting in 1789 with George ­Washington, she makes her way down the timeline to the current day, looking at which future presidents were alive when each predecessor served and what they were doing at the time. For instance, when Washington served, nine future presidents were already alive, though Martin Van Buren, William Henry ­Harrison, and Zachary Taylor were still ­children. We often see more than one president at a time as we move through decades, while text boxes impart relatable or little-known facts about them. Rex breathes life into these illustrations, showing the humanity absent from most official portraits. Each president pictured is tagged with a number on these busy but never cluttered spreads so that we always know who's who. And Messner doesn't sugarcoat or whitewash history: "Most [of America's earliest presidents] were wealthy, white, Protestant men," she states; and she notes that while Thomas Jefferson wrote that "all men are created equal," he himself owned slaves. The mood turns to awe-inspiring at the close, when we read that "at least ten of our future presidents are probably alive today," the art here showing an inclusive group of children and adults at a portrait gallery of presidents, gazing hopefully into the unknown, "getting ready to lead." Back matter includes a substantial bibliography.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(1) PS In this exuberant celebration of a summer day, readers engage with compelling page-turns to solve simple nature riddles. "Morning lays me on your pillow," the book opens, "square and warm. Come out and play!" Turn the page to see the source of that invitation, and thus the answer to the riddle, on the verso: a waking girl is greeted by a patch of morning light on her pillow, and the text reveals the speaker to be sunlight. The recto of each spread features one of these tantalizing invitations from a different element in nature; the verso of the next spread reveals who (snail, tadpole) or what (pebble, rain) is speaking. Portis (Wait, rev. 7/15; Hey, Water!, rev. 3/19) offers viewers a sensory experience; we hear a stream and a cricket, feel an inchworm on our finger, splash in the rain, and see lightning. Toes "taste" mud; a pebble is likened to "a candy sucked smooth in the river's mouth." The palette features the earth tones of nature with visually distinctive hand-stamped lettering. The use of leaf prints in the art grounds the story in the earth it celebrates. The story ends, naturally, with the shadows of night ("a black coat slipped around Earth's shoulders" is but one example of the book's vivid figurative language) and thrumming crickets. A playful, thoroughly captivating guessing game for young listeners.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(1) PS The author-illustrator brothers tell the story of a family farm and the truck that assists with chores. As the hard-working truck ages, so does the farming couple's young daughter. The two are a pair, making this story, despite the title, as much hers as it is the vehicle's. The Pumphreys allow their retro, earth-toned illustrations room to breathe in an uncluttered, gently paced presentation. Rendered via a mixture of low-tech (hand carved stamps...) and high (...which are then digitally manipulated), the illustrations are infused with cheer (the farmers are always smiling) and playfulness. As a young child, the girl imagines spectacular adventures with the sturdy truck. In a series of three spreads, as she sleeps snug in her bed, we are privy to her dreams--of her and the shape-shifting truck on the ocean, in the air, and in space. As an adult, she becomes the "new farmer" who pulls the tired, neglected truck out of the weeds to rehabilitate it. It's refreshing to see an African American farming family depicted in a picture book, as well as determined, resilient women who farm. The final spread shows a child (who appears to be the woman's daughter) on the bed of the newly remodeled truck, representing the next generation of industrious farmers.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) PS Intent on impressing her older sister at the beach, Jules plans to build a big sandcastle. When the waves foil her plans, she assumes "the Ocean" is "out to get her." There's much humor, such as in the way Jules defiantly stares down her nemesis, saying, "Not today, Ocean." Expect giggles when she loses her bucket to the waves, dejectedly collapses on the sand, and determines there's "no hope." After her sister comes in from the waves and puts down her boogie board to tell Jules the ocean isn't her enemy, they work together. Here, the book's sunny, bright full-bleed spreads are juxtaposed with ones featuring small vignettes of the girls bonding, constructing a splendid sandcastle as a team; this pacing change builds the drama at the story's close when a massive wave destroys their co-creation. In the triumphant double-page spread that follows, though, they engage in an exuberant high five (after a brief moment of shock), having enjoyed the spectacle of it all. Sound effects are used to dramatic effect, as the ocean waves meet the shore: "SPLASH!" "SLAP!" "CRASH!" The cheerful palette is the star of the show, with its bright pinks (swimsuits, bucket, and beach towels), blues (ocean, sky), and vivid yellows (sun). A funny, felicitous summer read.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) PS Illustrated by David Soman. Ms. Flamingo's cat Fluffy is missing, but Agent Lion is on the case...sort of. He means well and works hard--he is often shown with his tongue at the side of his mouth, like a child concentrating intently--but he's far from sharp-witted. During his investigation, he asks Ms. Flamingo if Fluffy has antlers and tries to peg a pigeon as the cat in disguise. As the lovable, bike-riding, snack-loving detective tries to find Fluffy, readers explore his town and the characters therein, rendered in pale watercolors; light teals and pinks with touches of vivid purple mark this cozy community of anthropomorphized animals. Occasional intentional contradictions in text and art accentuate the humor: the line "He took the absolutely most direct route" is illustrated with an aerial view of Agent Lion's circuitous path to Ms. Flamingo's home, marked by stops for popcorn, ice cream, and jelly donuts (his favorite). Expect more giggles over the visual hyperbole, such as a tall apartment building bending over due to the loud wails of Ms. Hippo's babies, awakened from their nap by Agent Lion. This spin on the bumbling detective trope will delight readers; children love to see a grown-up making so many mistakes, and Agent Lion has personality to spare.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) PS Snail sees an enticing field of cabbages across a road and heads for it. He is too small to recognize the automobile that barrels over him for what it is--"Some things are too big and fast for snails to ponder"--but, luckily, the wheels miss him. When rain derails Snail, as well as some determined ants he meets on his journey, Snail invites them into his cozy, snug shell so they won't drown, and serves them tea. After this brief respite, Snail resumes his trek (the repeated refrain: "Nothing could stand in his way!"), but while avoiding a crow, he unknowingly makes a U-turn and ends up back where he started. Never fear: his new ant friends prove to be true blue--and they help to deliver Snail his hoped-for snack. Tabor uses scale to emphasize Snail's helplessness; viewers may gasp at the oncoming vehicles and Snail's vulnerability in the face of danger. Yet cheerful Snail never despairs. A glass-half-full tone pervades the story, and Tabor creates an endearing character in Snail, with his big eyes and determined spirit. A moment of larger vocabulary--"Evasive maneuvers!" Snail declares as he changes direction to avoid a crow--will have children putting context clues to work to learn new words. An appealing story about friendship and how little characters can overcome big obstacles.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) PS Translated by Bill Nagelkerke. Told from the baby's point of view ("I've known my mama for a long time"), this playful offering explores, through two elephant characters, the strong emotional bond between parent and child. They play together; they run errands together; and sometimes Mama gets "really ANGRY" when her baby gets into mischief ("altering" her dress with scissors, or watering houseplants by urinating on them). Still, our narrator knows, without having to be told, of Mama's unconditional love. Nearly every spread is filled with the mother, stocky and sturdy, as she plays with her child, with no background details to distract from their interactions. Throughout, the baby wears white pants adorned with orange stars; at bedtime, Mama "shakes the stars off my pants," and the baby elephant stares in wonder at the orange stars floating above, the same ones that adorn the opening and closing endpapers.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) K-3 A determined girl wants a dog; an animal shelter worker shows her everything but a dog. His offerings become increasingly absurd, and eventually he admits that he has no dog. There's abundant humor in the nonsensical pet options (a dead goldfish) and the man's suggestions (teach the lizard to say woof). This is signature Agee: the pictures, punch lines, and expert pacing carry the weight.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) K-3 In this tender and restrained story of moving on after loss, a young boy states matter-of-factly that there's a ghost in his house; he suspects it's his beloved cat. The ghost isn't frightening and even brings comfort as the boy can feel the spectral feline curled up on his bed. Atteberry keeps the spreads unfussy--the focus is always on the boy and cat--and even the palette is spare.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Laura Borràs. Arturo may love to look at maps, with their thick lines that show where countries meet, but he does not like the lines on the map (nor the physical wall) that keep him and his mother separated from his father and beloved brother. In this tender story of longing, Arturo fantasizes about a borderless world, while simultaneously recalling fond family memories. He imagines a gap in the map's borders, one he can squeeze through; he dreams of a tunnel that goes beneath the lines; he envisions building a bridge that goes over them; and he dreams of flying, meeting his brother in the sky, which has no lines at all. References in text and art to fútbol, churros, adobe houses, frangipani bushes--combined with a sketchily rendered map on the opening spread--set this story in Mexico. Borràs's highly stylized figures are elongated, with oversized, white-irised eyes and rosy cheeks. Earth tones (rusts, oranges, and browns) match the restrained wistfulness that dominates the first part of the book, replaced with a warm blue in the closing spreads that mark the freedom and togetherness the two brothers find as they fly through the sky, all the way to the moon itself. Birds that fly free make frequent appearances in a story that asks why "the lines [have] to be there in the first place."

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) PS Illustrated by Lane Smith. A young brown-skinned boy, cozy in bed, smiles up at his female caretaker. The imaginative story--told in soothing, rhyming text--proceeds with the many possibilities a day could hold, from the mundane to the playful (encountering a squirrel...named Stu) to the fantastical. The stylized mixed-media illustrations' bright colors and energetic, angular lines capture the boy's city neighborhood and its hypothetical goings-on.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ruth Chan. In this mischievous comedy, as the humans leave in a camper van, bears, beavers, deer, and skunks move into their house. The deer bring a karaoke machine; the beavers take over the kitchen; etc. The animals' week of excess leads to chaos before they all depart, cheerfully promising to return next year. Expressive cartoon illustrations play up the outlandish humor inherent in forest creatures vacationing indoors.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) K-3 Earthworm Carl is always moving underground, digesting leaves and "turning hard dirt into fluffy soil." When a field mouse asks him why he does that, Carl suffers an immediate identity crisis and asks other animals if they know his purpose. Freedman's light ending allows readers to deduce an earthworm's role in maintaining ecological balance. Carl's existential woes are illustrated via delicate earth-toned watercolors on expansive, full-bleed double-page spreads.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley. This Australian import opens with baby penguin Gilbert's magnificent view of a seabird-filled sky. As he grows, Gilbert makes repeated efforts to soar, without success. The illustrations of soaring seabirds, snowy vistas, and underwater landscapes are splendid. Cleverly, the text plays with the story's premise: "up up up" at the opening is followed by "down down down" as Gilbert discovers the breathtaking "second sky" under the waves.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) PS In this diverting alphabet story, a bear wakes too early (it's the dead of winter) from hibernation, heads to a girl's cabin in the woods, rings her doorbell--and a friendship is forged. No full sentences or dialogue here; words beginning with each letter of the alphabet are presented alone (doorbell) or in phrases (enter excited). Both capital and lowercase versions of each letter are featured on every page. Included are some delicious words for readers to try out--intrigued, oblivious, outlandish, wistful. Harrison's richly colored gouache illustrations are expressive, with much being conveyed in the pair's body language. The girl puts a yellow knit hat on her new friend and they walk into town to explore (the library, the market, etc.), alarming residents along the way. There are moments of mischief (bear hungrily attacking the girl's breakfast); humor (bear clinging to a branch as the girl tries to lead it back to its cave); and subtle poignancy as the girl successfully brings the bear home and says goodbye. The book meets the x challenge of any alphabet book, with the girl planting multiple kisses (X x x x x) on the creature's nose. The note she leaves for the bear ("See you in the spring!") guarantees that this friendship isn't coming to an end. A sunny seasonal story to brighten a cold winter's day.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(2) PS Illustrated by Kenard Pak. In a book intended to get the wheels of one's mind turning, Holt presents a series of questions children might pose. These vary in tone: playful (thoughts about belly buttons and breakfast cereal); scientific (questions about insects and galaxies); empathetic (does your teddy bear have feelings?); and metaphysical (could the ocean be merely a giant water bottle?). There are also absorbing linguistic queries, including one that plays with homophones: "Do tires get tired?" Many of the questions will generate laughs--for one, the notion that a sandwich gets mad when you bite it--and all of them would make effective writing prompts in elementary classrooms. Pak plays with perspective in his velvety, soft-focus illustrations; we get both indoor and outdoor aerial views, as well as views from the ground when, say, the text wonders if grasshoppers need hopping lessons. All the images are full-bleed; no borders can contain all the astonishment in a book that is an imaginative exploration of the word wonder. "I wonder why I wonder so much," a child asks toward the book's close, answered by "because you are wonderful." A tribute to the inquisitiveness of children, one that understands that the questions alone can be thrilling.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020