(4) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Lind. Internet sensation Marcel the Shell--the adorably voiced shell with one eyeball and red shoes--describes his journey upon being flicked off a blanket. Much of Marcel's narration, abetted by photorealistic illustrations, plays like a stand-up act ("I don't read the newspaper because it turns my shoes black"). The book succeeds as something but not quite as a picture book.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Lind. From YouTube hit to children's book: Marcel the Shell humorously describes his Borrowers-esque life (e.g., he jumps into a sock drawer to dry himself off). Eschewing stills, this spin-off book uses realistic paintings that retain the hipster charm that helped make the videos so popular. Fans will miss Slate's quirky voicing of Marcel, but they can hear her narrate the book online.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander