Reviews
I Remember Beirut
“Abirached’s prose and artwork convey, with grace and humor, the way her family’s life during the war shifted from mundane to ominous and back again…. Abirached shares (and readers feel) a loss that cannot be named.” —Publisher Weekly View →
Sometimes You Barf
“[Carlson] writes with empathy, reassurance, and a ’them’s the breaks, kid’ brand of humor as she follows a girl’s bout with the flu…. and her matter-of-fact writing and visual demonstrations that everything from aardvarks to leprechauns throw up, too, View →
Bug on a Bike
“Monroe’s (Cookie, the Walker) cumulative verse reveals a penchant for nonsense and non sequitur, while her wispy cartoons have a manic energy that matches the text’s quirkiness and showcases amusing transportation-related details…. This boisterous outing View →
Perfectly Good White Boy
“Mesrobian… excels at conveying the awkwardness and wonder of sex…. [She] deftly conveys just how much drama there is in the everyday, especially for a 17-year-old trying to figure out not just what’s next, but what’s happening right now.” —starred,… View →
Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis
“[M]akes the most of its source material on two levels, both as true crime and as social commentary.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Bubbe's Belated Bat Mitzvah
“Pinson makes an assured authorial debut with a much-needed story about an increasingly common Jewish life cycle ritual.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
Make Something of It
“Seventeen-year-old aspiring fashion designer Shelby turns the glare of attention into a positive when she takes a stand against domestic violence.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Out of the Tunnel
“With the kickoff of the Red Zone series… Jones shows that the cult of blind jock worship is still alive and well, but it’s also being challenged by independent-minded student athletes.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Beetle Boy
“Willey (Four Secrets) returns with a riveting story about being robbed of one’s childhood…. A potent story about the power that the past exerts on the present.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
Tabula Rasa
“[A] very entertaining game for thriller fans.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Dino-Boarding
“Just right for budding skate and surf bros.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Apple Days: A Rosh Hashanah Story
“Soffer understands how kids savor rituals: every step is significant, and anticipation is to be broadly shared.” — Publisher’s Weekly View →
Knockout Games
“Neri (Ghetto Cowboy) skillfully portrays the moral and emotional turmoil of a teen desperate for acceptance, and the repercussions of making hard decisions. Racial and social undercurrents further give this story an intense, thought-provoking edge.” —Publishers Weekly View →
My Zombie Hamster
“Think Shaun of the Dead for a middle-school crowd.” —Publishers Weekly View →
“[M]uch of the advice applies to life beyond college, too: ‘People make the most colossal mistakes when they don’t trust their gut.’”—Publishers Weekly View →
The Patchwork Torah
“Surprisingly inventive and genuinely uplifting, this story beautifully and subtly ties together two key Jewish precepts: l’dor v’dor (generation to generation) and tikkum olam (repair the world).” — Publisher’s Weekly View →
Elan, Son of Two Peoples
“Hyde (Feivel’s Flying Horses) uses spare but heartfelt prose to show how Elan’s family bridges, but never blurs, their two cultures. Prevost’s (Trouble Talk) watercolor and collage artwork combines beautifully subtle craftsmanship (the first rendering of the Acoma mesa View →
Pranks and Attacks!: Book 1
“Ryser’s style and pacing are polished and professional. The setting and architecture are generically Asian and merrily anachronistic.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Water Can Be . . .
“[A] contemplative and thought-provoking ode to the forms water takes and the functions it serves, both practical and whimsical.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
Ziggy's Big Idea
“It’s solid storytelling, and Joni’s earth-toned drawings are a pleasing mix of flattened perspectives, dimensionality, and texture.” — Publisher’s Weekly View →
My Amazing Dinosaur: Book 2
“Collaborators Bannister… and Grimaldi excel at spinning silly and sincere anecdotes in precise, almost sculptural contours that give the strips an inviting dimensionality.” —Publishers Weekly View →
The Littlest Levine
“Sunny cartooning from Keay (I Love You All Year Long) and Lanton’s (Lots of Latkes) light narrative touch make this story of diligence, identity (both familial and religious), and intergenerational love stand out.” — Publisher’s Weekly View →
Seder in the Desert
" . . . armchair travelers should enjoy taking in the photos of the magnificent red rock formations (one of the famous arches plays a recurring role in the story) and seeing how modern-day Jews come together for a day of hiking, dancing, prayer, and – of course –… View →