(4) 4-6 Far Out Fables series. Illustrated by Alex Lopez. Each brief, accessible paneled comic retells a fable with a sci-fi twist: a bored boy in Transylvania pranks villagers about a vampire attacking (until it does), a time portal drops a T. rex egg at a modern farmhouse, etc. The unremarkable revamps are improved by thorough back matter, which notes changes to source materials and poses "visual questions" to help navigate graphic narratives. Glos. Review covers these Far Out Fables titles: The Boy Who Cried Vampire, The Lion and the Mouse and the Invaders from Zurg, The Robo-Battle of Mega Tortoise vs. Hazard Hare, and The Ugly Dino Hatchling.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) K-3 Sports Illustrated Kids: Starting Line Readers series. Illustrated by Àlex López. These cheery sports-themed easy readers star girl soccer player Mia and boy baseball player Jackson, two smiley kids on not-very-competitive sports teams. Cartoony illustrations and bland story lines may not stand up to repeat readings, but the volumes' few words (eighty-one in Score, eighty-three in Buzz) and simple vocabulary encourage success. Glos. Review covers these Sports Illustrated Kids: Starting Line Readers titles: Baseball Buzz and Soccer Score.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) 4-6 Far Out Fairy Tales series. Illustrated by Alex Lopez. Each brief, accessible comic retells a fairy tale with a sci-fi/fantasy twist: Jak and her robot friend Cow ride an elevator into space, zombies Hansel and Gretel try to eat the witch's brains, etc. The unremarkable revamps and panel illustrations are improved by thorough back matter, which notes changes to the source material and poses "visual questions" to help readers navigate graphic narratives. Glos. Review covers the following Far Out Fairy Tales titles: Jak and the Magic Nano-Beans, Hansel & Gretel & Zombies, Sleeping Beauty, Magic Master, and Goldilocks and the Three Vampires.

Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian