Reviews
I Love You, Too!
“Foreman’s bold watercolors have a comforting, homespun resonance” —Publishers Weekly View →
Upside Down Babies
“Willis and Reynolds conclude with a punchline that will tickle any readers who already think of their younger siblings as being part ape.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Netta and Her Plant
“Gellman’s (Jeremy’s Dreidel) gentle, serious prose conveys profound respect for Netta’s unwavering stewardship as well as her changing emotional states. Ugliano (Benjamin and the Silver Goblet) is very much in sync, with quietly reassuring scenes of modern Jewish View →
The Other Way Around
“Debut author Kaufman does a great job of depicting young people who have opted out of conventional middle-class values.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Mumbet's Declaration of Independence
“Delinois’s thick layers of paint and vibrant palette infuse even the story’s upsetting moments with hopefulness, and Mumbet herself glows with determination and integrity.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
Missing Monkey!
“Billy is an entertaining narrator, and the book’s many gags and sweetly absurd resolutions to the outlandish problems that arise will have beginning readers eager for more chaotic misadventures from these well-meaning Crooks.” —Publishers Weekly View →
The Scar Boys
“Harry’s trajectory loosely mirrors Vlahos’s time as the guitarist for a touring punk/pop band, so details like how to cut a record, land a gig at the now-defunct club CBGB…or rework a tour when the van breaks down strongly… View →
Hey, Charleston!: The True Story of the Jenkins Orphanage Band
“Rockwell (Truck Stop) keeps the story focused and lively, with just enough social and emotional framing (Reverend Jenkins ‘was always looking for a way to turn bad into good’ is a recurring refrain) to add resonance. Bootman’s (Love Twelve Miles Long) sepia tones View →
Esther's Hanukkah Disaster
“In this adorable and brightly illustrated Hanukkah story from Sutton (Don’t Call Me Sidney) and Rowland (Little Nelly’s Big Book), Esther the gorilla joyfully sets out to the Jungle Store to get everything she needs to give Hanukkah presents to her friends. She happily chooses the View →
A Bag of Marbles: The Graphic Novel
“[M]arvelously conceived and executed….Not to be missed.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
Dino-Wrestling
“As usual, Gott offers dynamic, vivid interpretations of each showdown.” —Publishers Weekly View →
“Jonathan’s perspective in hindsight offers a nuanced view of temptation in the face of moral obligations.”—Publishers Weekly View →
“Friedman (the Mallory series) makes April believably melodramatic, self-absorbed, and insecure, yet keeps her fully sympathetic as she faces the confusion of growing up, changing relationships, and figuring out what truly matters.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Sex & Violence
“Mesrobian takes aim at big topics….By focusing on Evan, Mesrobian talks about hookup culture in a way that is character-based, not agenda-driven, and showcases a teenager who grows and changes without becoming unrecognizable or saintly.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
Don't Sneeze at the Wedding
“Anna has a tickly nose, and the adults are all in tizzy: she’s the flower girl for her Aunt Rachel, and what if she sneezes while the bride and groom are having their big moment under the chuppah? Everybody has a tip to keep the ‘Ah-choos’ in check—family members,… View →
Leaping at Shadows
“Atwood uses a light touch to create pleasant characters and a suspenseful premise, never letting the sinister notes weigh too heavily on the proceedings.” —Publishers Weekly View →
A Summer of Sundays
“®eaders’ affection for Sunday won’t waver as this independent protagonist finds a way to balance her desire to be noticed with a growing maturity.” —Publishers Weekly View →
“[P]acked with incident and complex connections between a range of characters. Hays is especially strong at depicting the network of people, old and young, who help Grover and his family move through their grief and, along the way, save his beloved forest.” —starred,… View →
“Readers who enjoy battles of wits will savor Vanden Heede’s dark comedy.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Don't Spill the Milk!
“The rhythmic text and gouache folk art capture the vibrancy of life on the banks of the Niger River.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Fourth Down and Inches: Concussions and Football's Make-or-Break Moment
“The book builds a damning case against playing high-risk-of-concussion sports, though the narrative doesn’t preach….[T]horoughly researched and of-the-moment.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
“Timmers never skimps, painting with devoted attention every automotive detail and gleam in every chicken’s eye, and providing a plausible cause for every new accident.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →