Reviews
Detective Gordon: A Case in Any Case
“[U]nderstatedly hilarious . . .”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Pointe, Claw
“Keyser insightfully explores the myriad ways young women are caged and preyed upon in our society; her protagonists first subvert and then shatter these roles. . . . [W]ill leave readers unsettled long after the final page is turned.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story
“[A] sensitively crafted account . . . [Yasui’s] tragic tale is full of terror and despair, but hope and peace also loom large . . . . [T]his is a significant addition to the available material.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
A Hanukkah with Mazel
“A hamish, warm, old-fashioned Hanukkah story.”—The Horn Book View →
Hanukkah Delight!
“In lines with simple meter that all rhyme with the second word in the title, this board book runs through the high points of Hanukkah (‘Dreidels spinning through the night / Chocolate gelt—come take a bite’) during a friendly eighth-night gathering at View →
Detective Gordon: A Complicated Case
“Text and illustrations alike are full of humor and affection, making for a thoughtful but light-handed exploration of the topic. . . . Loose black line drawings with washes of warm color portray the friends, their cozy home, and the forest community they serve and… View →
Don't Call Me Grandma
“Nelson seems at first to be offering a character study, but it becomes something more when . . . [an] intergenerational exchange prompts a sort of laying on of hands. . . . Zunon’s illustrations . . . create a stage for the queenly central character.”—The Horn Book View →
The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore
“Studded with Michaux’s aphorisms . . . the book successfully conveys the vibrancy of the bookstore and its habitués. . . . R. Gregory Christie . . . is here allowed full pages drenched with expressionistic color to convey the spirit of the place, time, and… View →
The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition
“This is a good book to share with children after seeing a performance of The Nutcracker.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game
“Coy’s succinct narrative is well paced, compelling, and multilayered. . . . A fascinating story, with appeal far beyond sports and history fans.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Hanukkah Is Coming!
“the ‘Hanukkah is coming’ refrain, coupled with simple, child-friendly rhymes, is reassuring, and effectively builds anticipation for the Festival of Lights.” — Horn Book Magazine View →
Either the Beginning or the End of the World
“This story is about a search for emotional and cultural identity and, equally, about the effects of war and trauma . . . but, as the fitting title suggests, what appears to be an ending (of a life, of a relationship) could, from another perspective, be the start of something… View →
When I Am Happiest
“The genius of these books lies in the simple but original kid details that keep the focus firmly on the young characters. . . . An affecting early chapter book with a hopeful—if not yet altogether happy—ending.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Prairie Fire
“In this sequel to the alternate-universe contemporary fantasy The Story of Owen….it is Siobhan’s transformation into a star in her own right that will stay with readers.”―The Horn Book Magazine View →
BirdCatDog
“[An] innovative wordless picture book told entirely through cartoon panels.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia
“This handsome presentation of grassroots environmental activism is certain to inspire young readers.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
“In an often funny, sometimes painful, and sharply observed graphic memoir, comics artist and self-described tomboy Prince views her formative years through the lens of gender—or rather, society’s rigid rules for gender conformity.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Knockout Games
“[T]his is Neri’s most powerful novel to date.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
My Heart is Laughing
“Salty and sweet, this is umami for the emerging reader.” —starred, The Horn Book Magazine View →
Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole
“A warm seasonal collection notable for its clever, gently comical visual details.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
Latke, the Lucky Dog
“Told in Latke’s voice, the story highlights the holiday’s traditions as well as the love between the dog and his new family. Cheerful textured illustrations capture all of Latke’s mischief.” —starred, The Horn Book Magazine View →
I Remember Beirut
“[T]he author revisits that era in a loosely connected series of sobering vignettes and impressions, each beginning with the phrase ‘I remember’…. In one particularly striking spread, Abirached envisions the family’s many relocations as the squares of a… View →
Beetle Boy
“Willey crafts a delicate psychological landscape through carefully timed flashbacks, showing how injuries (and small kindnesses) from the past inform future relationships. Relentlessly honest, and also hopeful.” —The Horn Book Magazine View →
“The brief text and droll ink and watercolor illustrations… [work] together brilliantly to bring out the considerable situational humor. Quirkier and much smaller in scope than classics such as Remy Charlip’s Fortunately and Margery Cuyler’s That’s Good!… View →