(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Checkerboard Library. Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids’ toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don’t ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and “Fun Fact” boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Checkerboard Library. Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids’ toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don’t ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and “Fun Fact” boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Checkerboard Library. Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids’ toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don’t ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and “Fun Fact” boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) YA Seventeen-year-old narrator Kiera is (secretly) the creator of the hugely popular multiplayer gaming community SLAY, which is rooted in Black culture and which she developed to "showcase how awesome we are as Black people, how multifaceted, resilient, and colorful we are." When a troll disrupts SLAY--and an act of real-life violence follows--Kiera must investigate the events without losing herself or compromising her creation. Morris has truly captured the holistic experiences of many Black digital users.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) YA Max is a quiet fourteen-year-old Brit who enjoys birds, video games, and geocaching. But his anorexia threatens to take all his attention and might be destroying his family. An endearingly intimate voice draws readers into Max's internal battle, including his notably complex feelings about masculinity and puberty. This tender story is hopeful but painfully honest about the difficult work Max's recovery will require.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) 4-6 Alternator Books: My Minecraft series. Each of these four volumes offer a brief overview of a feature of the popular open-world video game. Accompanied by screenshots from the game, the straightforward, second-person texts tend to be repetitive from book to book, particularly when discussing a 2018 update and MineCon. Sidebars highlight STEM connections and how coding skills come into play. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: My Minecraft titles: The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Construction, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mining and Farming, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mods, and The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Survival

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Alternator Books: My Minecraft series. Each of these four volumes offer a brief overview of a feature of the popular open-world video game. Accompanied by screenshots from the game, the straightforward, second-person texts tend to be repetitive from book to book, particularly when discussing a 2018 update and MineCon. Sidebars highlight STEM connections and how coding skills come into play. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: My Minecraft titles: The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Construction, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mining and Farming, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mods, and The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Survival

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Ready, Set, Code! series. Illustrated by Sue Downing. Each volume in this series introduces a coding language, providing instructions for four progressively challenging projects. Brief introductions orient coders, having them download the appropriate programs on the appropriate devices. Brightly colored, simple illustrations accompany clear, numbered steps. Tangential facts about various topics (animals, flowers, etc.) add a touch of whimsy. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ready, Set, Code! titles: Coding with Hopscotch Coding with Python Coding with ScratchJr and The Unofficial Guide to Coding with Minecraft

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids' toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don't ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and "Fun Fact" boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers titles: Hot Wheels Developer, Lincoln Logs Creator, My Little Pony Pioneer, Nerf Genius, Nintendo Innovator, and The Slime Queen.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Checkerboard Library. Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids’ toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don’t ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and “Fun Fact” boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: Toy Trailblazers series. Checkerboard Library. Toy Trailblazers series. Each of these engaging biographies introduces readers to the creator of a popular classic kids’ toy or game. The texts are generally positive (and overuse exclamation points) but don’t ignore difficulties and hardship, both personal and business-related. Captioned photos, archival reproductions, and “Fun Fact” boxes liven up the pages. The topics have ready-made kid-appeal; readers will glean insight into product development and the challenges of running a business. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Alternator Books: My Minecraft series. Each of these four volumes offer a brief overview of a feature of the popular open-world video game. Accompanied by screenshots from the game, the straightforward, second-person texts tend to be repetitive from book to book, particularly when discussing a 2018 update and MineCon. Sidebars highlight STEM connections and how coding skills come into play. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: My Minecraft titles: The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Construction, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mining and Farming, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mods, and The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Survival

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Alternator Books: My Minecraft series. Each of these four volumes offer a brief overview of a feature of the popular open-world video game. Accompanied by screenshots from the game, the straightforward, second-person texts tend to be repetitive from book to book, particularly when discussing a 2018 update and MineCon. Sidebars highlight STEM connections and how coding skills come into play. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: My Minecraft titles: The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Construction, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mining and Farming, The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Mods, and The Unofficial Guide to Minecraft Survival

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) YA Emika Chen (Warcross) isn't over Hideo Tanaka, inventor of the virtual reality–enabling NeuroLink, which was redesigned to subvert people's free will. While preparing for the Warcross championship rematch game, Emika is courted by Hideo's nemesis (and long-ago-kidnapped younger brother), Zero. This edge-of-your-seat sequel propels readers through action sequences and intrigue in the shadowy Tokyo underground, even as they may ponder the ethical implications of biotechnology, virtual realities, and artificial intelligence.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) 4-6 Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls series. In this second series installment, Abigail's mother is now headmaster at the posh boarding school that doubles as a secret training ground for spies. When a friend's father, a famous augmented-reality game designer, is kidnapped, Abigail and her classmates are tapped for a dangerous mission to save him. Nonstop action, more cool gadgets, and strong secondary characters should grab new readers and keep existing fans hooked.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(3) YA With her mom's death, her dad's remarriage, and estrangement from her best friend, sixteen-year-old anxious introvert Analee prefers online role-playing games to living in the real world. An arrangement to fake-date a popular jock, though, sets her on a course of self-rediscovery. Milanes delivers a diverse cast of fully fleshed-out characters with nuanced relationships and relatable situations in this complex, rewarding rom-com.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Xavier Bonet. Bart doesn't fit in at his new middle school and is targeted by bullies. But secretly he's been fine-tuning the code on his own interactive smartphone game, and it eventually becomes the game of the moment. When Bart orchestrates a very public revenge on his bullies, he ultimately connects with them instead. Cartoonlike black-and-white illustrations bring the game to life and add to the laughs.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 4-6 Rogan Webber, twelve, spends most of his life in Virtual City, gaming his way to the top five in Laser Viper. Invited to compete in an exclusive, high-stakes gaming competition at the creator's cushy headquarters, Rogan eagerly agrees, but the young competitors soon realize the game feels alarmingly real. Video gamers especially will love this thrilling, high-tech adventure.

Reviewer: Jenn Matters

(3) 4-6 With Ali Fadhil. Eleven-year-old Ali lives with his Christian-Kurdish family in Basra, Iraq, during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Entranced with American television, comics, and video games, Ali is dismayed to be considered the "enemy"; why can't they just kill Saddam Hussein and leave Ali and his countrymen alone? Young Ali's engaging voice and perspective add appeal to this story based on contributor Fadhil's childhood in war-ravaged Iraq.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Searchlight Books: The World of Gaming series. Each of these informative titles introduces young readers to a specific popular video game, sharing--over four or five brief chapters--the history of each game's development, success, and fandom. Full-page sidebars feature key developers and related careers. Photos of game content, creators, and actual fans appear on every page and highlight the gaming industry's racial and gender diversity. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Searchlight Books: The World of Gaming titles: The World of Angry Birds, The World of Minecraft, The World of Mario Bros., and The World of Pokémon.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin