Reviews
The Freak Observer
“A strong narrative voice and a wave of tragedies define this character-driven first novel. . . . The bold cover photo of a human heart suggests the dark and sometimes graphic nature of the story. Those readers drawn inside will be won by the vivid characterization and fresh… View →
Frozen Secrets: Antarctica Revealed
“This is another well-documented book from Sally M. Walker! This beautifully illustrated book documents the work of Earth and life scientists as they discover the history and future of the frozen continent.” —NSTA View →
Tally Cat Keeps Track
“Trudy Harris’s rhyming verses have a kind of jazzy beat that fits with the alley cats. Andrew N. Harris’s illustrations anthropomorphize his subjects, clothing them and giving them eyebrows and human-like eyes—both of which get a lot of use, especially when it comes to View →
A Hubbub: Book 2
“There are some amusing twists here—’Every fight you avoid is one you win,’ homilizes Ginger’s strict and orderly badger dad, just before helping the young folk set up a paint trap to drive off the feline interlopers—and Tharlet’s delicately detailed panels… View →
Stephenie Meyer: Dreaming of Twilight
“The Lifeline Biographies series, which is produced with access to USA Today‘s archives, does a fantastic job of creating biographies that are both informative and eye-catching. Moreover, their subjects are of substantial interest to… View →
Score!: The Action and Artistry of Hockey's Magnificent Moment
“Following the same formula they’ve honed in Long Ball (2006), Swish (2009), Touchdown (2009), and Goal! (2010), Stewart and Kennedy take readers on a chatty, photo-studded tour of the art of scoring in the rink. . . . Hockey is creeping up View →
Engineer Ari and the Rosh Hashanah Ride
There are a number of books about the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, but very few are set in Israel. This story is based on the trip of the first train from Jerusalem to Jaffa in 1897, shortening the time between the coast and the city from three days to three hours. Cohen turns this… View →
Sneaky Sheep
“Monroe’s pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations are entertaining: kids will enjoy following Rocky and Blossom’s antics both in and out of panels. And who knew that sheep eyes, simply circles and dots, could say so much? Even though they can’t be trusted to stay View →
Sneaky Sheep
“Rocky and Blossom’s wide googly eyes exude mischievousness, especially compared to the wedged snout of the vicious wolf who chases them to a cliff’s edge in the story’s climax. Both the text and artwork celebrate disobedience, and those looking for a cautionary… View →
The Absolute Value of -1
“Each of the three teenagers has a turn at first-person narration, revisiting the same scenario from different perspectives. Brezenoff nicely differentiates their voices and personalities, even while their narratives are bound together by the frustrations, self-doubt (and hatred),… View →
Zishe, a poor Polish Jew and a blacksmith’s son, displayed unusual strength from the time he was three years old. Able to lift heavy weights, bend steel bars and break metal chains, Zishe was soon recruited by a variety of circuses to perform throughout Europe and later the United States View →
Sneaky Sheep
“The silly antics will tickle young readers, who will want to visit with these daring sheep again and again. Fun for all.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Sadie's Sukkah Breakfast
“Lively, colorful illustrations depict these independently capable preschoolers performing tasks with active joy, care and assurance, deftly matching the unadorned, sprightly text.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Talia and the Rude Vegetables
“A little girl’s misunderstanding, the harvesting of some root vegetables and a recipe for stew merge for an amusing Jewish New Year story.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Freak Observer
“Loa is strong, but overburdened and isolated; laced with bleak humor, her deadened, searching narration carries this dark and highly promising first novel.” —Publishers Weekly View →
“No one is going to rule the world after reading Vordak’s farcical directives, but readers will have a grand time turning pages to see what outlandish thing he’ll say or suggest next, while perfecting their own villainous laughs.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
That's Not Funny!
“Willis’s text is nicely streamlined for maximum slapstick effect and much abetted by the clever compositions of Reynolds’s illustrations. His brightly colored animals look soft and cuddly, like stuffed toys, but they move like classic Looney Tunes characters. Sure to… View →
Elmer and the Hippos
“With its vibrant, eye-catching colors and engaging goings-on, this book is a visual delight.” —School Library Journal View →
“Alley’s pen-and-ink drawings with soft watercolors capture the animals and their human characteristics in full-page illustrations, making the stories a delightful experience.” —School Library Journal View →
What Can You Do with Money?: Earning, Spending, and Saving
“Larson’s books will help ease younger readers into the world of economics.” —School Library Journal View →
A-B-A-B-A—a Book of Pattern Play
“As in earlier volumes in the series, Gable’s whimsical feline characters appear throughout, demonstrating patterns, such as boy-girl-boy-girl in a very long line for ice cream.” —School Library Journal View →
I Want My Light On!
“The pictures are clear, bold and exaggerated to great humorous effect.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Vacation's Over!: Return of the Dinosaurs
“With the cover illustration of a T-rex arriving at the airport sporting a Hawaiian print shirt and a Mickey Mouse–type hat, this won’t spend much time on the shelf.” —Booklist View →
I Want My Light On!
“Readers familiar with the series will recognize the eccentric and memorable characters. Clear, expressive watercolors add humor to the simple text, and the Little Princess formula still works well at cleverly addressing common early childhood issues.” —School… View →