(2) PS Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. "We're going on a pumpkin hunt / Going to find a big one...I'm not scared. / Are you? / Not me." A group of farm animals in Halloween costumes sets off in search of a pumpkin. The pastel-toned palette of the ink-and-watercolor illustrations indicates that this "shiver-in-your-socks night" isn't meant to be too scary; even the night sky is just a deep lavender--and the grinning pumpkin the animals ultimately find is the height of the thrills and chills. A preschool-friendly intro to Halloween, with plenty of opportunities for sound effects. (For a slightly spookier take on the bear-hunt rhyme, see We're Going on a Goon Hunt, reviewed at left.)

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(4) YA Overweight Hayley feels out of place in body-conscious Santa Monica, California; a super-healthy mom and a gorgeous best friend don't help. She's thrilled when she gets to go to Italy for a summer, knowing the trip will change her life--which it does, of course. Hayley's a relatable, flawed teenager whose wry narration mostly makes up for the cheesy love story.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Plucky Scene magazine assistant Susanna (Susanna Sees Stars) scopes for a career-making celebrity scoop at the Academy Awards. Misadventures ensue until she finally gets some recognition. Susanna's endless optimism grows annoying, and the book's ending only paves the way for another sequel. Still, readers might appreciate this frothy look behind the scenes at Hollywood's biggest night.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Susanna begins her internship at exclusive Scene magazine expecting to start a glamorous celebrity journalism career. When she discovers she's only an errand girl for a boss-from-hell, a determined Susanna must figure out how to shine. Though the Devil Wears Prada concept is hardly original, the plot does have entertaining moments (e.g., a fashion closet disaster for the size twelve protagonist).

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Seeking advice on love, Ruthie enlists the help of her mother's estranged sister, a glamorous advice columnist, and unwittingly reunites the family. Ruthie's dilemma--falling in love with her best guy friend--may resonate with readers and her overprotective mother adds humor, but the family secret is a letdown and the resolution is hollow.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) YA Ninth-grade Libby is saddled with an alcoholic father and a junk-food-junkie mother, both of whom make her life miserable. She's convinced that one serious kiss will help change her life for the better. Despite the lighthearted title and jacket cover, this sometimes uneven novel focuses less on the kiss and more on Libby's dysfunctional family.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor