(4) K-3 Translated by Elizabeth Law. Illustrated by Simon Bailly. When Thomas can't find his parents on the beach, he discovers a book--in which he's in another vacation setting and finds another book. Each book, bound inside the other, has a smaller trim size and a text that repeats exactly as colorful, intriguingly textured illustrations show Thomas next exploring a ski slope and then outer space. This French import's conceit, while clever, has limited reread appeal.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(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 On vacation with his family, a child waits for his friend Chicken Smith, who usually stays at a nearby cabin (observant readers will notice the for-rent sign). Our narrator reminisces about previous summer escapades, including their favorite pastime--searching for whales--while his sister repeatedly calls for him to see something important. Teals, grays, and blacks dominate Mackintosh’s scratchy, loose-lined illustrations in this poignant Australian import about change.

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

(3) YA Hugo's girlfriend dumps him right before their pre-college train trip across America. He's got the tickets, but he needs someone with his girlfriend's name to get him on the train. Mae answers his ad; unexpected romance ensues. Although Hugo is a British sextuplet looking for his own identity and Mae's an American film student, their alternating narratives share an appealing mix of reflection and buoyancy.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(2) K-3 In this surreal, wordless summertime story, a young girl explores outdoors until her grandfather calls her inside. They walk to the train station to meet a small, sailor-hat-wearing elephant, who brings stress and disharmony. After the elephant departs, the girl returns to exploring nature--but not before a final moment of surprise. Lush colors and screenprint patterns radiate from the roughly textured pages, creating an open-ended, dreamlike reading experience.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(4) K-3 Rodale Kids Curious Readers: Positive Power series. Illustrated by Eren Unten. In Brave, a girl conquers her (small) fears on a family beach vacation. In Strong, a boy takes the lead during his school's field day events. Both easy-reader stories, with their "Positive Power" messages and somewhat static digitally-colored pencil illustrations, are reassuring if a little bland. Review covers these Rodale Kids Curious Readers: Positive Power titles: I Am Brave and I Am Strong.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) YA In this sequel to 99 Days, Molly faces belated fallout from her messy love triangle when she and her new boyfriend run into old love Gabe (and his girlfriend) while on a European vacation. Suddenly traveling in a foursome, Molly must reconcile her new life with the reckless girl she's tried to leave behind. Molly's struggle to embrace her true, flawed self is compelling in this otherwise light travelogue.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) K-3 A girl who's just returned from a beach vacation discovers a clever way to extend it: she flings the yellow sand from her shoes into her yard, and it grows a field of yellow beach umbrellas, a crop of lemon-flavored ice-cream cones, and so on. Delacroix adds another layer of dazzle by working largely in black-and-white, which makes the book's yellows shine extra-bright.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Back in England with Aunt Evie, Americans Tess and Max (The Castle in the Mist) visit the traveling Fun Fair. Tess is recruited to perform with aerial artists; Max discovers oddities in the House of Mirrors. But the outing turns ominous when the magical carnival's proprietor kidnaps the siblings. Ephron balances genial fantasy with a tinge of threat in this pleasing if unstructured episodic adventure.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Devlin Quick Mysteries series. With the discovery of a gold doubloon, twelve-year-old sleuth Devlin Quick (Into the Lion's Den; Digging for Trouble) and her best friend Booker embark on a pirate-treasure adventure during a summer vacation on Martha's Vineyard. To determine the coin's owner, Devlin must once again draw upon her sound detective skills (and access her police-commissioner mother's resources) to solve this satisfying third mystery.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA After a mysterious fire killed all but one member of the wealthy Garrison family, suspicion fell on Pearl Haskins's father, caretaker of the Garrison mansion. This summer, Pearl is determined to clear her father's name and befriends the Maine vacation town's elite to investigate; complications arise when Pearl finds herself drawn to Tristan Garrison. French's compelling murder-mystery is stoked with glitzy intrigue and thrilling twists.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) 4-6 This year, twelve-year-old Shayne's annual idyllic Maine vacation devolves into disaster: she realizes that her grandmother's quirky "collecting" may have become hoarding; her summer-BFF Poppy is spending all her time working and otherwise preoccupied with boys; and Linc, the new neighbor, is oddly obsessed with the Civil War. Told with sensitivity and insight, this summertime coming-of-age story touches on loss and true friendship.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) YA Perfect rich-girl Avery and shy loner Kayla haven't been friends since childhood. But when Avery's dad arranges for Kayla to accompany the family on a summer trip to Spain, the two girls discover they have a surprising--and initially unwelcome--connection. Told in short chapters alternating between Avery's and Kayla's perspectives, Haddix's narrative effectively builds sympathy for both girls.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Translated by Anja Mannion. Illustrated by Timo Mänttäri. Young Olivia complains that her father spends too much time away as a professional spy. So he quits his job and takes Olivia on a vacation...all the while trailed by shady villains in the sharp, retro-style illustrations. Vibrant wordless sequences help to give the pages an action-packed, comic-book feel. The text, translated from the Finnish, contains some strange word choices.

Reviewer: Jessica Costello

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Shahar Kober. Plucky chicken Zoey, her pig BFF Sam, and rat Pip (all from Lehrhaupt's Chicken picture books) are going to the beach...at least in Zoey's imagination (it's really a close-by pond). They swim, build sand castles, search for treasure, and--Sam's favorite--eat a picnic lunch. Humorous illustrations in subdued hues keep to the barnyard setting throughout the perfect "beach vacation."

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Leo Espinosa. A sign appears on a derelict fountain: "COMING IN TWO WEEKS! CALLING ALL GOLDFISH LOOKING FOR A SUMMER HOME." Three goldfish-owning neighborhood children and their grandfather watch as a park worker cleans up the fountain, turning it back into something beautiful and functional--and ready for goldfish. Espinosa's bright illustrations bring a sense of joy to every page of this amiable story inspired by true events.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(2) 4-6 An unreliable narrator turns this road-trip adventure story into something more complex--exploring loss, responsibility, and the power of fortuitous meetings. The narrative moves back and forth between Martin and younger brother Charlie's current trip and an earlier family vacation--punctuated by excerpts from Martin's poetry journal--as readers gradually learn the reason for the journey. Martin and Charlie are effective foils for each other, and their brotherly banter is entertaining.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(4) PS Illustrated by Tad Carpenter. In this second Bitty Bot outing, a bored, uncomfortable Bitty Bot finds fun at the beach, creating and testing a submarine with new friends. The rhyme's succinctness evokes Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama books, and the robots similarly represent children, though their vessel failing seems at odds with the book's cheerful vibe. Blocky digital illustrations shift from warm sands to cool undersea tones, heightening the adventure.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. In her second adventure (Roxie and the Hooligans), Roxie accompanies best friend Norman and world-traveling Uncle Dangerfoot on what she thinks will be a beach vacation. Complications accumulate, and the children discover a secret jet pack Dangerfoot is testing. The shenanigans ramp up, culminating in a kidnapping. The pace is bouncy and the sensibility jokey, good-natured, and mildly anarchistic. Pencil drawings capture the mood perfectly for newly independent readers.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) 4-6 Spirit Hunters series. Harper Raine's family takes a trip to a remote Caribbean island. Harper experiences visions of disappearing islanders and must rely on her spirit-hunting skills and help from new friends, human and ghost, to save the day. Delightfully spooky and with a cast of well-drawn multicultural characters, Oh’s second Spirit Hunters tale should appeal to a wide audience.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters