(2) 4-6 A prehistoric monster was sighted in Loch Ness! People say they have seen it. Newspapers have reported it. But does it really exist? Fleming involves readers in the hunt: “You are an investigator for the Black Swan Scientific Investigation (BSSI) team. Your job is to unravel -- if you can -- the natural world’s greatest mysteries. Ghosts. Sea serpents. Aliens from outer space. You’ve tackled them all by asking the right questions and looking for evidence.” In the untangling of this famous mystery, Fleming lets readers in on the tools of historical detection and narrative nonfiction writing, of which she is a master. Reader-sleuths learn the difference between direct and circumstantial evidence, and between evidence and proof. It turns out there’s plenty of evidence, but is there proof? In the years since the first sightings almost a century ago, people have tried many ways to locate the monster: submarines, sonar, underwater cameras, infrared cameras, and even a gigantic comb raked through the water. But “no definitive evidence has been found.” Sightings continue today, and “Nessie swims on, swift and elusive, in the imagination of millions.” Back matter includes an extensive bibliography and source notes.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) YA Narrative nonfiction veteran Jarrow (recently American Murderer, rev. 9/22) digs into the history of the greedy hucksters and charlatans who defrauded naive and grieving people for decades, as spiritualism began in the mid-1800s and gained popularity in the postwar periods that followed. The book shows how these mediums employed parlor tricks and sleight of hand to deceive seance-sitters into believing the dead could communicate from beyond the grave. Each rise in the practice's popularity brought renewed skepticism, with a curious alliance of journalists, magicians, scientists, and detectives working diligently to convince the public that mediums were merely con artists. The book spends much of its time with famed magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, who used his expertise and experience to disprove mediums' deceptions, performing their tricks himself during his touring shows. This intriguing deep dive into an underexplored period of history shows readers how obvious lies can cement into passionately held beliefs that can stand up to scrutiny if the believer is sufficiently motivated. Frequent visuals include photographs and advertisements; "How Did They Do It?" sections detail mediums' secret methods. The thorough back matter includes a timeline, a glossary, additional resources, an author's note, source notes, an extensive bibliography, and an index.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Goss. Rusch's thought-provoking text begins: "Nothing is the space around and between everything." The presence of nothing, cued by plain white areas in the cut-paper illustrations, appears first as physical space: the gap where a tooth once sat, the expanse between stars in the sky, the space for a missing puzzle piece. Important, too, is nothing as temporal space: the moment before a leap of faith or a bit of spare time in one's day. Even in music, room for nothing fosters beauty: "For what is a song without some silence?" There can be, of course, too much or too little of nothing. On these spreads in particular, Goss's use of color and space makes a strong emotional impact: a queasy-green child sandwiched between tightly packed adults in a crowd finds "too little" of nothing, while a blue-hued child sulks surrounded by "too much" of nothing amid a stark white double-page spread. Wherever nothing is found, there is space for something to unfurl. Goss's intricate illustrations visually articulate the importance of nothing, or negative space, as discussed in the back matter. A striking call for young children and aspiring artists alike, the story sets out to prove that "nothing" matters, after all.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 Fleming deftly explores the enigmatic history of UFOs, extraterrestrials, and conspiracy theories related to the infamous events during the summer of 1947 in Roswell, New Mexico. Brisk chapters (with such evocative headings as "What's That in the Sky?" and "Could It Really Be a Flying Saucer?") cogently weave together how the now-ubiquitous story of a UFO crash-landing in the desert came to be. Yes, mysterious debris really was discovered by a sheep rancher near Roswell; however, a growing post-WWII fear of nuclear war combined with a highly publicized "flying saucer" sighting near Mount Rainier caught the public's imagination, spiraling into a convoluted tale of secret alien autopsies and interplanetary spacecraft. With four distinct parts spanning the last seventy years, Fleming documents the willingness of many well-known ufologists to accept unconfirmed evidence and hearsay ("saucer logic") as truth in the face of consistent discreditation. Notably, readers are provided with several "basic principles of critical thinking" to evaluate such extraordinary claims, including the Sagan Standard, burden of proof, and Occam's razor. A variety of visuals, including declassified government documents, photographs, and original illustrations, are effectively incorporated throughout. Fleming concludes with a brief overview of current-day perspectives on UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), including the U.S. government's public acknowledgment of documented sightings. Back matter includes an author's note, bibliography, source notes, and an index.

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

(3) PS A young child introduces puppy Ollie, who lives in the child's head. When Ollie gets "happy-excited, it's fun." But sometimes Ollie gets too excited, which makes the child upset. Children will recognize that Ollie is a stand-in for big emotions: "If he gets too excited, scared, or upset, he can't listen to me. His FEELINGS control him." Gravel's uncluttered digital illustrations forgo background detail to focus on the two main characters. When Ollie becomes too revved up, the child helps Ollie manage his feelings: "I sit down and take a deep breath. Long, slow, and gentle." By book's end, readers and listeners will feel recharged, as well.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) PS Illustrated by Ella Bailey. "I've always known my monster. It's always been there. It knows ALL about me." A young child with short hair and brown skin talks about life with "my monster," a (not-scary-looking) large, round, horned yellow creature. The monster hides when the child attempts to get rid of it--and the longer it stays hidden, the more difficult and demanding it gets. "It even made me stay indoors when my friends came to play..." The monster effectively embodies anxiety in the uncluttered illustrations; the compassionate text keeps the focus on the protagonist, who models how to lessen anxiety's grip while accepting that "My monster is part of me."

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Exploring Our Community series. Five friends learn about mindfulness to help them cope with strong feelings--especially Pedro, who's anxious about moving. Over the course of a day together and a sleepover that night, the kids focus on nature in the park, use their sense of smell at a community garden, contend with negative thoughts during a rainstorm, mindfully eat dinner, perform a "body scan," and visualize positive outcomes. The text's light tone is carried over in Bob Graham-esque illustrations. The book concludes with a few "Mindful Games" and a brief glossary.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Learning About Emotions series. Three short chapters explore emotions every young child experiences. A scenario that might evoke the titled emotion leads to a brief explanation of why people might feel that way. The final chapter explores ways to master the emotion and to help others. Full-page staged photos portray kids demonstrating the featured emotion. There are seven other spring 2019 books in this formulaic but useful series. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Learning About Emotions titles: Angry, Happy, Sad, Disappointed, and Embarrassed.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Snap: Real-Life Ghost Stories series. In four engaging chapters (and after an eerie, atmospheric introduction) Peterson presents the story of the legendary La Llorona. The text touches on background, reported encounters, speculation about the weeping woman's existence, and "Ladies in White Around the World." "Fact" and "Skeptic's Note" sidebars along with haunting illustrations enhance the atmosphere. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marta Kissi. In this autobiographical account, sixth grader Tapper struggled with feelings of nervousness about speaking up in class and noticed many female classmates felt the same way. So she proposed a Girl Scout patch and pledge called "Raise Your Hand" to encourage girls everywhere to speak up. Kissi's bright, expressive illustrations bring additional warmth to this motivational tale of female empowerment.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA Illustrated by Libby VanderPloeg. "Your life is only ever happening right here, right now." Gates makes the case to tweens and teens that mindfulness is a way of life and the simplest path to health and happiness. Her chatty guide includes chapters on the practices of mindful breathing, yoga, and meditation, all with easy "try it" activities; "five-day mindfulness challenges" at the end should help readers translate these new skills into a lifestyle. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Have humans been abducted by extraterrestrials? What happens after death? These books present balanced discussions that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and illustrations. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Alien Abductions, Near-Death Experiences, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Have humans been abducted by extraterrestrials? What happens after death? These books present balanced discussions that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and illustrations. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Alien Abductions, Near-Death Experiences, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) 4-6 Enduring Mysteries series. Karst explores mysteries that linger prominently in our culture. Have humans been abducted by extraterrestrials? What happens after death? These books present balanced discussions that include modern-day scientific inquiry while still leaving room for kids to use their imaginations. The accessible texts are well punctuated with glossy photos and illustrations. Websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Enduring Mysteries titles: Alien Abductions, Near-Death Experiences, and Sea Monsters.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michelle Polizzi. This book describes a simple deep-breathing technique to help young readers "push out" sad, mad, or worried thoughts and "feel calm." The watercolor illustrations effectively visualize the "magic breath" by using light-colored swirls to show the happy thoughts and breath, and darker, blue-toned swirls for the sad thoughts and breath ("Remember that happy thought? Use it to push out your sad thought"). Useful for sharing in mindfulness-practicing families or classrooms.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 World Around Us series. Illustrated by Jane Heinrichs. Meant to foster discussion about upsetting news events, this book poses questions--such as "What causes a tragedy or disaster?"--and answers them in a child-appropriate manner. Purposeful but effective, the text defines tragedy and disaster and discusses those of natural, human, and technological causes; near book's end, Roberts briefly pontificates about finding meaning in tragedies. Serviceable illustrations and stock photographs appear throughout. Reading list.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey