(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Victor Hugo Green (1892–1960) was a mail carrier whose work took him all across New Jersey. Though well-loved on his routes, Green knew the danger he faced as a Black man anytime he went somewhere unfamiliar. This prompted the energetic Green, who "had great get-up-and-go," to create a guide for Black people to find safe places to stop, eat, and stay when road-tripping on the nation's newly built highways and turnpikes. Called the Green Book, this handbook grew from "just a pamphlet" listing welcoming places in the New York City area in 1936, to a 1940 edition featuring amenities in large cities in every state plus Washington, DC, and standing as a useful--and possibly life-saving--tool for Black travelers well into the 1960s. Velasquez's scrapbook-style, painterly vignettes capture period detail and nimbly complement Bolden's conversational free-verse text ("These travelers, / whether going places with smiles / or with tears in their eyes, / could face / hassles, humiliation, hardships"). Back matter includes a timeline, source notes, and selected sources.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Stacy Innerst. In 1921, a perilous coast-to-coast airplane relay pushed a handful of pilots to their limits. If successful, the publicity stunt would prove that the U.S. Air Mail Service was superior to its locomotive counterpart, quelling concerns of cautious politicians. Esbaum's conversational present-tense narration places readers in the middle of the action alongside Jack Knight, the only pilot able to ­complete two legs of the relay (before being relieved), from Nebraska to Illinois, all the while braving frigid temperatures, snowstorms, and unfamiliar terrain. "Jack wipes slush from his goggles. He peers ahead, but can no longer see the horizon through the swirling snow... Will he find it before the plane runs out of fuel and crashes?" Harrowing details, such as ­snow-covered runways, miscommunication between airfields, and Knight literally freezing to his biplane's seat, amplify the ultimate success of the daring pilot. Innerst's mixed-media illustrations, primarily rendered in watercolor, ink, and pencil, are expressive and atmospheric. Rather than depicting objects and characters realistically, he manipulates their sizes, shapes, and colors to accurately reflect the mood of any given scene. Tight ­framing of Knight crammed into his cockpit is informative and discomforting, and effectively portrays the rudimentary nature of aircraft at the time. A thrilling and well-told moment in the history of information distribution across the United States. Back matter includes an author's note, ­highlights of U.S. mail history, a bibliography, an illustrator's note, and photo credits.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(2) K-3 Graham, an expert in spinning affectionate stories from the details of ordinary family life (see most recently Ellies Dragon, rev. 11/20), here tackles the ubiquitous mystery of the missing jigsaw-puzzle piece. The Kelly family members--Mom, Dad, Kitty, Katie, and dog Lucy--receive a jigsaw puzzle in the mail from an anonymous giver that depicts an "African sunrise." Over the course of the next year, the family completes the puzzle. Well, almost. What the reader knows from the illustrations is that one piece was accidentally thrown out in the trash the very day the puzzle arrived. When the Kellys discover the problem, they go into overdrive, visiting the giant paper recycling warehouse in a wild, hopeful quest. Graham's fans will know to expect a miracle. His squiggly, interrupted pen line can render even a pile of wastepaper dynamic, and the cadence of his text makes the ordinary grand. "There were letters of love from faraway places, letters of sorrow, notes of forgiveness, bus tickets, train tickets, cards saying 'thank you,' and newspapers old and forgotten in time." Obviously inspired by our stay-at-home lives over the past couple of years, this timely tale is a celebration of wishful thinking.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 A young girl's assumptions are overturned in this story of unexpected friendship. Bianca loves letters, stamps, and thinking of interesting things to write to her friends, relatives, and pen pals, but she "does NOT love Yolanda," a clerk at her neighborhood post office. Not only does Yolanda have "scaly talons" (long manicured nails), but she once slapped an extra postage sticker right on top of Bianca's envelope art. One day, Bianca is dismayed when she arrives at the post office to mail her letters and discovers that "there's only one window open. And it's guess who." But then Bianca manages to tack a question onto the end of her request for stamps ("...and how was your weekend?"). She is met with a surprise when Yolanda smiles and shares a story about her glorious weekend meal inspired by Isak Dinesen's short story "Babette's Feast." Bianca's fear is transformed into curiosity and friendship, and soon Yolanda is added to her pen-pal rotation. Abbott's light ink, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations use color and ­perspective to show Bianca's perspective shift, ­adding both tension and cheer. Sincere and accessible, the book celebrates overcoming initial assumptions and the value of community friendship.

Reviewer: Emmie Stuart | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Michele Wood. "I entered the world a slave...I was a slave because my countrymen had made it lawful, in utter contempt of the declared will of heaven." Our introduction to Henry Brown in the opening lines of the book are in his own words (Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown, Written by Himself). The history of Henry Brown--who self-emancipated from enslavement after his wife and children were sold away by shipping himself North in a wooden crate, hoping to "pass as dry goods"--has been told before (see Henry's Freedom Box, rev. 3/07). Here, Weatherford's moving, poetic verse gives the story a very personal tone as the reader becomes immersed in Brown's harrowing tale of loss and sorrow and his determination to be free. Written in sixains, with each line representing a side of a box, the text painstakingly traces Brown's journey: "I take a bladder of water and a drill to bore air holes / And cram my two-hundred-pound body into the box." The mixed-media art uses collage elements effectively. Deep reds and bright blues and greens figure prominently, giving the art a somewhat vintage feel while still being vivid and vibrant. The book ends powerfully with a sixain titled "AXIOM": "Freedom / Is / Fragile. / Handle / With / Care." Appended with a timeline, a bibliography, and notes from the illustrator and the author.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Claire Almon. It's 1895, and Mary Fields wants the stagecoach driver job she sees advertised around Cascade, Montana. Unfortunately, she has two strikes against her: she's black and female. (Driving a stagecoach, which can mean run-ins with thieves, is considered man's work.) Charles tells Fields's triumphant story with aplomb, and illustrator Almon captures the Wild West's earth tones and Fearless Mary's arms-akimbo determination.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Sharack. Suzy Smith doesn't think twice before boarding the troll-run Impossible Postal Express train, which delivers mail to the Union of Impossible Places. However, as a newly deputized postal operative, Suzy faces a steep challenge: her first delivery is to the Union's most powerful sorceress. Bell's smart pace guides Suzy smoothly through one impossibility after another without bogging readers down in reality-based objections; spindly line drawings capture the action.

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

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Karl James Mountford. Mia's frustrated that her homemade card won't reach Grandpa before Christmas. She discovers a magical mailbox that transports her to the Reindeer Express office. With help from a flying reindeer, she hand-delivers the card--and a hug--to Grandpa at his Arctic cabin. The simple text focuses on Mia's emotions and sensory details of the season. Thoughtful die-cuts and flaps enhance the jewel-toned illustrations, by turns fantastical and homey.

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

(3) K-3 Mr. Postmouse (Mr. Postmouse's Rounds) is back, this time taking his family--and the mail--on holiday. At each stop, we learn that a parcel has been delivered, and we can search the large spreads for more information and several side-stories, à la Mitsumasa Anno. Dubuc's small animals living in cutaway homes and habitats are endlessly rewarding for sharp-eyed explorers.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson

(4) K-3 Bumba Books: Hooray for Community Helpers! series. This serviceable series covers a variety of community-helping careers. Each book has brightly colored pages; large type; and cheery stock photos featuring men, women, and kids of different ethnicities. Some volumes are simplistic, but question bubbles ("How might gloves keep a worker's hands safe?") will help young readers think more about the topics. A photographic "tools" guide is appended. Also available in Spanish. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Bumba Books: Hooray for Community Helpers! titles: Hooray for Dentists!, Hooray for Doctors!, Hooray for Firefighters!, Hooray for Garbage Collectors!, Hooray for Librarians!, and Hooray for Mail Carriers!

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Billy Aronson. The stars of the titular PBS Kids show star in their first easy readers: in Dog, Peg and Cat must navigate around a mailbox-blocking dog; in Pirate, they must fairly divvy up fruit for hungry pirates or suffer through a pirate song. Teach-y but entertaining enough, the easy-to-read stories based on TV scripts feature digital art with graph paper backdrops that mimic the show's look. Review covers these titles: Peg + Cat: The Big Dog Problem and Peg + Cat: The Pirate Problem.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Joe Lillington. Written in brisk rhyming verse with vivid imagery, this rendition of Will Cody's historic twenty-one-hour ride on the Pony Express is immersive historical fiction. Unfortunately, the strong telling isn't quite matched by the illustrations, which are often overly cartoony (especially human figures). The book includes an extensive endnote about the Pony Express and "Buffalo Bill" Cody's life and legacy.

Reviewer:

(3) PS A new Stanley book means another chance to watch the ultra-mellow hamster demonstrate yet another profession: this time, he's delivering mail by scooter. The simple premise and tidy illustrations are just right for the Maisy crowd, but the older set will smile at some of Stanley's encounters (e.g., because Hattie's mail includes a speeding ticket, she grumbles, "Thanks a lot, Stanley").

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 When Liam writes to his mailbox asking for mail, the mailbox delivers a fire-breathing dragon and much more. Cheerful, digitally assembled pencil and watercolor illustrations depict the "oodles and oodles" of creatures and objects that spew forth. Clanton's clever visual incorporation of all things mail-related--including letters, envelopes, and postmarks--bolsters a simple text and heightens the story's humor and appeal.

Reviewer: Nancy Sheridan

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Anna Raff. Little Card and Long Card wonder what their grown-up jobs will entail. After a mix-up, each finds the perfect profession: library card and birthday card, respectively. The original premise is visually well realized in cheery illustrations that incorporate ink washes, stamps, and digital textures. The celebratory tale breathes new life into the theme of paper in the digital age.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(4) K-3 My Community: Vehicles series. With simple, declarative sentences, these books introduce community vehicles. The stock photos can create confusing narratives--e.g., firefighters rush to a blazing lumberyard then battle flames at a multistory building; Maya waits for mail that arrives elsewhere. The sturdy, high-interest books hit the important notes for library nonfiction collections. Codes provide access to online resources, including activity sheets and videos. Glos., ind. Review covers the following My Community: Vehicles titles: Ambulances, Fire Trucks, Garbage Trucks, and Mail Trucks.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) K-3 My Community: Places series. These titles introduce readers to important places in a community. They use simple, declarative sentences to explain who works there and the activities that occur in each building. However, the inclusion of names for the people featured in the stock photos creates a false expectation for narrative continuity. The sturdy, high-interest books otherwise hit the important notes for library nonfiction collections. Glos., ind. Review covers these My Community: Places titles: The Fire Station, The Hospital, The Library, The Police Station, The Post Office, and The School.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(4) 4-6 Wild West series. This series presents condensed information about the development of the American West in the 1800s (e.g., the Louisiana Purchase; building the Transcontinental Railroad) and the people who helped shape this region. Although details are limited, these books may inspire a deeper curiosity about this colorful historical period. Sidebars, maps, captioned archival photographs and paintings, and back matter activity prompts add interest. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Wild West titles: Famous Lawmen, The Oregon Trail, The Pony Express, The Louisiana Purchase, Notorious Outlaws, Women of the American West, and The Transcontinental Railroad.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Readers follow a mailmouse as he does his rounds, which include the Rabbits' house (most rooms are below ground) and the Mountain Goats' house (it's way up high). The book offers a leisurely stroll for the eyes, as each illustration features terrific details reflecting animal habits and habitats, shown in cross section (e.g., Mr. Bear has a honey-dripping faucet).

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jamie Hogan. Stormy weather on an island off the Maine coast causes concern for young resident Riley, who's fearful his birthday present will not arrive in time. Riley wonders if island life is really for him, but community interactions broaden his perspective and develop his appreciation for island living despite its challenges. Hogan's prosaic, chalky illustrations adequately capture the bustle and beauty of this isolated community.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis