(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Sònia Albert. Ella Josephine’s third book finds Ella once again helping her fellow residents in her apartment building. In three short stories, each made up of several chapters and accompanied by black-and-white illustrations, Ella helps make a sign for a new business; discovers a neighbor’s hidden creativity; and goes camping with neighbors at the top of Poppy Hill. The charmingly old-fashioned tales convey a sense of community and warmth that make for an inviting read.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) 1-3 In this graphic novel for primary readers, a dinosaur is trying to shut out nearby roars and write a poem. A frog tries to help, or perhaps to provide distraction, since the dino’s first draft rhymes “eat” with “fine and froggy meat.” Further attempts and creature encounters unfold over short chapters. Humor and action are both plentiful, and the frog is full of good advice, both literary (“Rhymes are nice, but phony poems aren’t”) and general (when a larger dinosaur appears: “Run!!...Hide!!...Flee!...Don’t write it! Do it!”). The sense throughout is that poetry can be about what matters to the poet in the moment, whether that means a limerick about a very immediate pursuit through the forest or a stanza of “poo-etry.” The collage illustrations are set against a paper bag–brown background and use speech bubbles written on what resembles notebook paper, with different colors for each character aiding new readers. Some complex vocabulary, especially dinosaur names, makes this a good choice for those gaining independence in reading, with rhyme and repetition to help them along. Poetic edification with a side of adrenaline rushes—though some of the dangers, much like poetry, may not be as scary as they seem.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Mika Song. "Henry had never practiced smiling. Maybe that was why he never looked like he thought he should in pictures. The idea made Henry not want to smile at all." In this third early chapter book (most recently Henry and the Something New, rev. 1/24), it's class picture day and Henry, who presents as being on the autism spectrum, is not happy about his shirt. The collar is too high, the cuffs are too tight, and "the buttons went on forever." And it's disconcerting that his classmates don't look like themselves, either. Henry remains an appealing character with relatable concerns (to readers neurodivergent or not); Classroom 10 is warm and supportive. As in the previous books, Song's breezy limited-palette illustrations are expressive and provide lots of opportunities for newly independent readers to pause. Before the photo is taken, Henry's tooth unexpectedly pops out (surprisingly quickly) and into some potting soil, causing a mild crisis and lots of digging through dirt. The conclusion is satisfying for all, and when Henry smiles for the camera, he means it.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(1) 1-3 Stella and Marigold series. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Big sister Stella and little sister Marigold make a welcome return to the page with their own brand of sibling affection. The humor, energy, and poignancy of the first book (Stella & Marigold, rev. 9/24) hinged on their frequent, and entirely plausible, misunderstandings of the adult world, and they are still at it. Here they get the idea that the optimum number of friends is twenty-five, and in nine episodes they work hard to amass that number. During this quest, one (or both) of the duo steals a neighbor's tchotchke, fakes a bloody injury, discovers the solace of duct tape, and runs away from home. The pleasure lies in the fresh particularity of the details in both text and pictures. Nothing is generic. When the girls goof around, they play "catch-the-stuffie-with-your-feet." Blackall's illustration of itchy dresses captures that misery perfectly. The stolen object is not just a mermaid candleholder but a weird, sharp-toothed mermaid chewing on a sailor. This specificity works to keep sentimentality at bay. In a final scene, a kindly upstairs neighbor gives a touching little analysis of what true friendship involves. The girls listen politely, but they don't actually buy it. Life is just way more complicated than any adult seems to realize. A firmly child-centered delight.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2025

(2) 1-3 This graphic-novel series opener is a collection of short stories about two creatures distinguished by the cabin and the tree, respectively, on the tops of their heads. In the first story, "HELLOS," Cabin Head and Tree Head run around greeting other similar beings, introducing us to a world of characters including Fountain Head, Mail Truck Head, and (sure to elicit giggles) Outhouse Head. Illustrations in soft watercolors with a typeface based on Campbell's hand lettering anchor the wacky concept. Other stories focus on Cabin Head painting portraits, Tree Head digging for treasure, and Cabin Head and Tree Head circumnavigating the Earth, walking backward to avoid having to say goodbye to each other. The humor is a mix of gentle and absurd. Humans live in the objects on the tops of the characters' heads, and children will enjoy noticing, for instance, the man sweeping the porch on Cabin Head and the child swinging in the tire swing on Tree Head. The stories themselves are classic buddy tales in the vein of Marshall's George and Martha or Ruzzier's Fox + Chick: low-stakes adventures between friends. It's a winning formula that rewards rereading.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2025

(1) 1-3 Tiny Bean's Big Adventures series. Meet hedgehogs Bean and Grandma in this pitch-perfect collection of eleven brief stories for early readers, ranging from two to eight pages long. An omniscient narrator introduces this duo's sweet and loving intergenerational relationship. Caregiver Grandma is always there to look after Bean, from fixing too-small blankets and sweaters to tucking her in every night "like a Bean burrito." When "Bean is in a mood, a dramatic moping mood, where nothing seems quite right and she wants to go away," Grandma gives her the space she needs: "Don't forget your hat. Off you go now. Toodle-oo!" Activities with Grandma include choosing a new houseplant (a cactus, of course) and helping with chores such as picking giant strawberries...and then eating them. Readers also see Bean at play: practicing her "BOOs" disguised as a ghost, swinging, and using her imagination. Recurring characters (Bean's stuffed piglet Clem, her cat friend Gus, the badger mail carrier, and rabbit florist Mr. Green) lend familiarity for new readers, while the straightforward text is the right mix of simple and slightly complex words. Graegin's first solo venture beyond picture books features cozy digital illustrations in an earthy palette that suits the natural setting of the critters' world. Lively and mixed page design accentuates Bean's playfulness. Bean and Grandma's heartwarming everyday adventures, complete with subtle and genuine humor, are ripe for repeat reads and further series entries.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) 1-3 "THE SHINDIG IS COMING! THE SHINDIG IS COMING!" Like Mouse's proclamation to the forest animals, this engaging chapter book is sure to grab readers' attention. The action takes place over three heavily illustrated and well-designed sections: "Hullabaloo: What Mouse Heard," "Bumfuzzle: What Bear Said," and "Shindig: What Opossum Missed." After Mouse's announcement, Raccoon calls a meeting to determine what exactly a shindig is. Porcupine, Deer, and Squirrel think "ALIENS," Opossum faints, chicken Stan doles out his famous honey cakes. Even Mouse isn't really sure -- she heard about it from a blue jay. Eventually, Bear, dictionary in hand, arrives to provide a definition: a shindig is a party with friends. Bear gives a speech (though "Bear's rambling talks were not a crowd favorite"), and Stan steps in with more honey cakes (it's hard to talk with a mouth full of cakes). Opossum faints again (four times in total) and ends up missing everything. Harper's entertaining narrative is enhanced by vibrant typography in eye-catching sizes and styles, onomatopoeia, and full-page folk art-style illustrations. This fast-paced animal story, with its lively images and text, can serve as a bridge for some newly independent readers to longer chapter books. A riotous romp that lends itself to oral storytelling mixed with amusing wordplay and infused with a folktale tone and style.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo. Higuera's amusing new chapter book series is narrated by the puckish cucuy (boogeyman) from her picture books (El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!, rev. 7/21, and sequel). Cucuy must terrify one child into behaving, and he is assigned to Ramon in Seattle (also familiar to readers of the picture books). However, Ramon is unperturbed by the cucuy's appearance. Instead, he is terrified of starting a new school the following day. After the creature wreaks havoc at home, Ramon must take him to school in hopes of avoiding more domestic disasters. Ramon's fears are eased when he makes a new friend. Cucuy realizes he is no longer needed and can return home -- but before he does, Ramon gives him his name, El Cucuy, and promises to misbehave to conjure him again. Perdomo's cheerful black, gray, and purple illustrations bring all the antics to life and help break up the text for independent readers. El Cucuy's limited understanding of the human world ("I lifted a white garment with holes and read the writing on the label: Fruit of the Loom. It had one opening for my head and two holes for my ears. A hat! I gasped in delight") provides plenty of humor, while the story's messages about the value of chosen families and the universal need for belonging come through loud and clear.

Reviewer: Yesica Hurd | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 In this comic for newly independent readers, Pumpkin and Beetle are vampire cats (not kittens, thank you very much), and they desperately want the latest Frightfuls comic book. But they don't have the $6.66 necessary to purchase it. With their ghost cat friend, Boo, they come up with several ways to raise the money. Unfortunately, no one wants to shop at their crabapple stand or buy their "well-done" crabapple muffins. A serendipitous encounter with bookstore owner Mrs. Owl, who's in need of crabapples for an apple-bobbing station, solves their dilemma. Ho primarily uses one- and two-syllable words to make her work accessible to young chapter-book readers, with occasional more challenging words (Hallowville, elementary). She effectively uses a mix of single-page illustrations, double-page spreads, and different-sized panels to keep the visual interest high. Fittingly, her digital illustrations frequently feature the colors orange and black. But there's nothing here that will give anyone a real fright; even the witches look friendly. Ho treats us to a few pages of the Frightfuls comic once the cats get their paws on a copy, and readers will likely enjoy this mildly spooky mystery. A recipe for "mew-gical muffins" is appended.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 In this reissue of a classic fable (rev. 12/69), a girl who has never heard of Christmas heads into a snowy forest to search for it. There she meets five animals who want to know, variously and aptly, how ­Christmas feels (the cat); smells (hound dog); looks (hawk); tastes (fox); and sounds (­mockingbird). When the questers come across an old green bottle, they decide that it “must be a Christmas” and disperse, disappointed. But the girl takes the bottle home, fills it with branches of red berries and green pine -- “and lo! It was Christmas!” Hyman’s lively prose reflects each animal’s preoccupations beautifully; her mostly monochromatic illustrations, with pops of color such as red for the girl’s stocking cap, are arresting and imbued with personality.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2025; December, 1969

(2) 1-3 In the latest installment of this enjoyable early chapter book series (Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories, rev. 5/23), an average Tuesday takes a few minor twists and turns for the titular best friends. In "The Nothing" -- the first of four brief, episodic chapters -- Bear visits Bird for their weekly cloud-watching expedition. Bird is under the weather; Bear outdoes himself trying to comfort her but finally lets her voice her own desire to rest, and the two share cozy, quiet moments doing nothing. Rejuvenated, Bird rallies for the remaining three stories, in which the duo faces additional low-stakes conflicts while traveling about their forested neighborhood. As usual, they watch their good intentions land slightly off-target; memorably, while attempting to fend off a rival best friend, Bird performs an original, unintentionally offensive song entitled "Oh, What a Smelly Bear." Jarvis approaches these misunderstandings with gentle humor; his resolutions never feel condescending or prescriptive. The loose-lined, textured, and occasionally fanciful art also helps maintain a playful tone. Bear and Bird's everyday exploits -- and their canny, child's-eye perspective on conflict resolution -- continue to be witty, tender, and surprising.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 1-3 With four new stories, Jarvis continues to give young readers the emotionally satisfying, highly readable tales characteristic of the series. In "The Test," Bird investigates her friend Bear to make sure that he is indeed who he claims to be, rather than his almost identical cousin. By the end, they have smoothed their friendship hiccup, while readers are invited to ponder a more philosophical question: how do you really know that your friend is themself? The two celebrate together in "The Day" even though each comes to the wrong conclusion about why the date is circled on the calendar. In "The Cave," when the ball they are playing with rolls into a creepy cave, they bravely enter, only to discover the rumors of stinky goo and talking mushrooms are untrue. "The Umbrella" features a magical (or is it?) conveyance. Jarvis's digital illustrations, with their soft edges and simple lines, perfectly match the gentle tone of the stories; even the entrance to the creepy cave is not too scary.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(1) 1-3 On the last day of spring vacation, Marisol and her best friend, Jada, decide that they will adopt "new and improved" personalities. To satisfy their plan, Marisol, usually quiet and reserved, vows to raise her hand five times on their first day back at school, but mean girl Evie Smythe makes fun of her, calling her Marisol "Brainey." Shy Marisol soon discovers an even bigger problem -- stage fright -- after her teacher announces a haiku-writing assignment to be shared in front of the class. Marisol's anxiety about performing triggers writer's block, increasing her apprehension. Kelly incorporates academic content -- such as the form of a haiku, the definition of a biography, and the number of facets in a dragonfly's eyes -- naturally into the narrative, allowing some readers to feel in-the-know and others the opportunity to encounter such information. Marisol perseveres with her writing and, following her mother's advice, memorizes her haiku, practices saying it at home, and takes deep breaths while reciting it. She also comes to a new understanding with her nemesis, Evie. With its uncluttered layout, generous illustrations, and honest portrayal of a sensitive young girl, this series entry has much to offer.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2025

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Adapted by Colleen AF Venable. Illustrated by Honie Beam. A misunderstanding about her new brother gets Junie in trouble. Her grandmother calling the boy the “cutest little money I’ve ever seen” convinces Junie that her mother has given birth to an actual primate. She tells her kindergarten classmates and begins to accept “gifts” for the opportunity to see the baby. Eventually, she ends up in the principal’s office and everything is sorted out. Venable’s graphic-novel adaptation is humorous, and Beam’s colorful digital illustrations effectively capture Junie’s expressiveness.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(3) 1-3 Stepping Stone series. Adapted by Colleen AF Venable. Illustrated by Honie Beam. Colors by Kiwi Byrd. Junie is excited to start kindergarten but terrified of riding the school bus. After a bad bus experience the first morning, she decides to hide rather than ride the bus home. She has fun exploring the nearly empty school oblivious to the panic she has caused. A call to 911 when she desperately needs to find a restroom leads to the story’s resolution. Venable captures the humor of the original, and the colorful digital illustrations bring Junie to life.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton

(2) 1-3 Earl & Worm series. In the first of three episodic chapters in this series debut, Worm is irritated by her new neighbor, Earl, a bird. “Why is he up so early? And why is he smiling like that?” Throughout the interactions that follow, language and design are pitched to children almost ready to leap into longer chapter books: multiple short sentences per page, everyday words, ample repetition, and a readable typeface. The art is a friendly and sophisticated blend of Roy Lichtenstein and Richard Scarry with pastel shades of blue, green, orange, and yellow. Pizzoli generates humor with straightforward sentences that make bold statements (“It was not sweet. It was bitter. So was Worm”) and emphasize Earl’s obliviousness (“I love to talk. I can talk for both of us. You can just listen”). Words appear in different contexts to keep repetition from feeling overly tedious. The words sugar, sweet, and lemon all appear in the first and third stories, for instance, but in the first story they’re around Earl making lemonade, and in the third story, around Worm trying to write a poem. Like Willems’s Elephant and Piggie and Lobel’s Frog and Toad series, this provides solid reading practice in a package that kids and families will read for the love of story.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(3) 1-3 Earl & Worm series. As in the first two books, three interconnected episodic stories are pitched perfectly to newly independent readers. Worm heads out to wish bird Earl a happy birthday, but snow and ice--and Earl’s sleeping in--frustrate her efforts. Earl gets up eventually; once Worm wakes up from her nap (she wore herself out shoveling, deicing, and waiting), she and Earl take selfies with Earl’s present. Finally, Worm works herself up worrying about Earl’s candle-blowing-out secret wish (“Does Earl want...a new best friend?”). The expressive cartoon illustrations convey emotion and add to the humor of the friendly text.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Peter Brown. Jasper Rabbit, protagonist of the picture book Creepy Carrots! and its sequels (most recently Creepy Crayon!, rev. 9/22), serves as the Rod Serling-like narrator of this early-chapter-book series opener. "Creepy things lie on the following pages...You may possibly find yourself peeing your pants." Duly warned, readers meet Charlie Marmot, who is scheduled to have his tonsils removed and plans to keep them in a jar for show-and-tell. But when the time comes for the procedure, the tonsils are already missing...and then it gets weirder. The tonsils are sentient, they have their own lines of dialogue, and they're out for revenge. Sophisticated vocabulary and turns of phrase ("regardless of the cause, there are no tonsils currently residing in Charlie's throat") make this title, full of both horror and humor, a good choice for confidently independent readers or for reading aloud together in ominous tones. Mixed-media illustrations, some of them chillingly stark, in a pitch-perfect palette of black-and-white punctuated with tonsil pink, add to the cinematic feel. Hand to readers demanding scary books -- if they're willing to swallow quite the premise. Needs new series title: Jasper Rabbit's Creepy Tales!

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. Lone Wolf (Lone Wolf: Gets a Pet and Lone Wolf: Goes to School, both rev. 3/25) is back with two new misadventures. In the first, Wolf, whose energy is Oscar the Grouch meets Wile E. Coyote, wants to return a library book without running into the noisy kids at storytime. In the second, he goes on vacation hoping to evade social interaction. As in past installments, Wolf manifests everything he hopes to avoid, and his limited vocabulary ("Grrrr") leaves him helpless to communicate effectively. Fans of the first two series outings will appreciate the appearance of recurring characters such as the eager girl and the jolly hiker toting his goldfish in a plastic bag, but each book's dry, off-kilter situational humor stands on its own merits. Steele's watercolor and pencil illustrations have a classic cartoon appeal. Spreads establish setting, while close-ups and spot illustrations focus on character and action. A sequence of illustrations in which Wolf tries to avoid a "snotty little boy" whose mucus subsequently befouls the library's book return chute is LOL funny, as is the look of horror on Wolf's face when the driver of a nearly empty bus proposes a singalong. These transitional readers will appeal to kids who like their humor with a heavy dose of irony.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by K-Fai Steele. Lone Wolf (Lone Wolf: Gets a Pet and Lone Wolf: Goes to School, both rev. 3/25) is back with two new misadventures. In the first, Wolf, whose energy is Oscar the Grouch meets Wile E. Coyote, wants to return a library book without running into the noisy kids at storytime. In the second, he goes on vacation hoping to evade social interaction. As in past installments, Wolf manifests everything he hopes to avoid, and his limited vocabulary ("Grrrr") leaves him helpless to communicate effectively. Fans of the first two series outings will appreciate the appearance of recurring characters such as the eager girl and the jolly hiker toting his goldfish in a plastic bag, but each book's dry, off-kilter situational humor stands on its own merits. Steele's watercolor and pencil illustrations have a classic cartoon appeal. Spreads establish setting, while close-ups and spot illustrations focus on character and action. A sequence of illustrations in which Wolf tries to avoid a "snotty little boy" whose mucus subsequently befouls the library's book return chute is LOL funny, as is the look of horror on Wolf's face when the driver of a nearly empty bus proposes a singalong. These transitional readers will appeal to kids who like their humor with a heavy dose of irony.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025