(2) K-3 Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat. Barton explores glitter, a source of fascination (and frustration), diving into the science, history, and entrepreneurship that created the material we know today. He doesn't shy away from the drawbacks, from everyday irritations to the serious environmental impact of microplastics to the exploitation of child labor in the mining industry. But he also explores the joys of glitter, including why people have always been attracted to things that shine and sparkle. From the early days of using mica and beetle shells to create something shiny to new innovations intended to make glitter more ecologically friendly, Prabhat's colorful, layered, collage-style digital illustrations capture its messy allure. Many spreads are flecked with small shapes, evoking glitter's ubiquitous quality. Whether they love the stuff or loathe it, readers will find something here to pique their curiosity. Back matter includes an author's note on Barton's research process, an illustrator's note, sources, and suggestions for further reading.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Horne. Ostensibly walking readers though writing a book about his dog, Barton introduces elementary-age readers to nonfiction publishing. From research to writing to minute steps in a book's life cycle, an impressive amount of information is cleverly cloaked in entertaining meta storytelling. Horne's slapstick illustrations work in perfect tandem throughout; occasional vignettes use flow-chart arrows as the would-be "book" moves from agent to editor and on. Even "people whose names don't...appear on the cover" (typesetters! proofreaders!) get a shout-out--all without a dull moment.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Nicole Xu. Barton provides a sensitive and sober examination of the Oklahoma City bombing. "One April morning in 1995...there was a man with a big truck. He parked the truck in front of a big building in the middle of the city. He walked away. The bomb exploded. One hundred and sixty-eight people died." Three important themes emerge in the tragedy's aftermath: terrible, irreversible events will happen; people can help others work through their sadness; and hope can develop from despair. A damaged elm tree near the site endures, and as Oklahoma City victims continue to reach out to those affected by other tragedies, they distribute seedlings from this "Survivor Tree." The story does not end here; nor, as Barton indicates in plain, powerful language, will it ever end. Xu's art emphasizes the universality of the narrative, as she illustrates all individuals facelessly, allowing only their body language to reveal their feelings. Other tragedies will occur (dramatically and effectively represented in a shadowy black and gray double-page spread), but with the metaphor of the Survivor Tree's roots stretching out over many pages in the book, Barton promises that we will remember "the help so many needed..the help so many received [and]...the help so many provided." Appended with author and illustrator’s notes, brief biographies of individuals who were interviewed for the story, a bibliography of books about community strength, and internet resources.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) PS Illustrated by Shanda McCloskey. In Barton's Shark vs. Train (rev. 7/10), the rivals faced off against each other in a series of contests, and this companion book initially appears to follow the same playbook. The title and front cover tease an epic beast/machine showdown, but "it might surprise you that a fire truck and a dragon can in fact be good friends." So, sitting around a campfire, the dragon puts on a shadow puppet show to accompany the fire truck's scary story. And the pals bring "free-range potato salad" and "my famous firehouse beans" to a barbecue. Throughout, an audience of three kids has high hopes of seeing sparks fly and water blast; they're repeatedly left bemused and disappointed by the pair's camaraderie. Barton's speech-bubble text works exceptionally well with McCloskey's animated mixed-media illustrations, setting up our expectations before throwing us a curveball. The kids never say a word, but their actions and reactions are abundantly clear in the energetic art. "Wait. Do you think they'd be interested in that new thing we've been doing?" "Oh yeah! Where the two of us go head-to-head!" Finally! Or...not. A staring contest is not what the kids had in mind. But there's one last curveball in store, and it's definitely worth the wait. The visual humor will have listeners clamoring for re-matches, er, -readings.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ekua Holmes. This large book, with its lush, vivid mixed-media illustrations, makes an artistic statement as bold as groundbreaking African American congresswoman Jordan's own giant voice. Smart page-turns--often prompted by repeating the titular question--lead readers to think about, rather than simply learn about, Jordan's life. Barton’s overriding theme is that her big ideas--of justice, equality, and freedom--inspire others and will resonate for years to come. Reading list, timeline.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Troy Cummings. Clarence, the superheroic picture-book truck, returns in these charming early readers. Clarence makes short work of his farm chores by secretly transforming himself into a super vehicle (Farm); he teaches news chopper Stella when to use her outdoor and indoor voices (Traffic); and he babysits for energetic truck-tots (Zip). Cummings's signature chunk-tastic art is, yes, super. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Mighty Truck: On the Farm, Mighty Truck: The Traffic Tie-Up, and Mighty Truck: Zip and Beep.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Troy Cummings. Clarence, the superheroic picture-book truck, returns in these charming early readers. Clarence makes short work of his farm chores by secretly transforming himself into a super vehicle (Farm); he teaches news chopper Stella when to use her outdoor and indoor voices (Traffic); and he babysits for energetic truck-tots (Zip). Cummings's signature chunk-tastic art is, yes, super. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Mighty Truck: On the Farm, Mighty Truck: The Traffic Tie-Up, and Mighty Truck: Zip and Beep.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) K-3 I Can Read Book series. Illustrated by Troy Cummings. Clarence, the superheroic picture-book truck, returns in these charming early readers. Clarence makes short work of his farm chores by secretly transforming himself into a super vehicle (Farm); he teaches news chopper Stella when to use her outdoor and indoor voices (Traffic); and he babysits for energetic truck-tots (Zip). Cummings's signature chunk-tastic art is, yes, super. Review covers these I Can Read Book titles: Mighty Truck: On the Farm, Mighty Truck: The Traffic Tie-Up, and Mighty Truck: Zip and Beep.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) PS Illustrated by Troy Cummings. Rusty truck Clarence is also the heroic Mighty Truck, unbeknownst to his best friend, cement mixer Bruno. When a crisis occurs at Muddymania, Clarence saves the day (with Bruno's help), revealing his secret identity to his accepting friend. Though pacing and transitions are a bit choppy, young truck and superhero fans should still be entertained. Occasional speech bubbles and the digital illustrations add cartoon flair.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Victo Ngai. Barton recounts how design patterns camouflaged British and American ships to confuse German U-boat submarines during World War I. Royal Navy lieutenant-commander Norman Wilkinson proposed that a dazzlingly painted vessel would prevent attackers from determining the ship's speed and direction. Ngai's mixed-media illustrations artfully capture some of the thousands of ships painted by men and women civilian workers during the era. Reading list, timeline.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ashley Spires. Henry refuses to stop reading a fantastic book when the school bell rings. Despite a daily buildup of increasingly blaring bells, Henry sticks to his choice. A silly tall tale of improbably escalating destruction ensues as Henry's decision causes imbalances in the school. Spires's cartoons enhance the merriment.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) PS Illustrated by Troy Cummings. After he stops at a car wash to get clean, truck Clarence is transformed into Mighty Truck and performs acts of superpowered heroism. This book will thrill the truck- and superhero-besotted; what's more, with its secret-identity twist--Clarence's boss doesn't recognize him as Mighty Truck--it's ripe for a sequel. Cummings infuses his sleek, chunky digital illustrations with an improbable amount of heart.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Colin Jack. A spiffily dressed and villainous-looking hawk sees a rabbit below his perch and flies down to grab him, "beak poised, to scream in victory." The rabbit hides behind a giant carrot, and the hawk screams--as he discovers the carrot and not the bunny in his talons. The jokey story falls flat, but the art and text are both amusing.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Louis Thomas. The sight of a music store's eighty-eight instruments has the effect of sugar on a child. But his parents are allowing him to select only one. How's a kid to choose? Barton's galloping rhymed text is a song unto itself that crescendos with the "plink!" of a piano, which wins the day. Thomas's loose-handed, jittery illustrations foreground the boy's attempts to play the many instruments.

Reviewer: Nell Beram | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Don Tate. Barton follows African American inventor Johnson, from his childhood tinkering through winning first place at a 1968 science fair, attending Tuskegee Institute, engineering for NASA, and developing a super-blast water gun. Barton describes Johnson's ups and downs before he finally sold his Super Soaker to a toy company, but the straightforward text has a generally upbeat, you-can-do-it attitude. Clear digital illustrations with time-period-appropriate details help situate readers.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Cathy Gendron. Barton's folksy text introduces three Utah brothers, all dancers, who eventually teamed up at the San Francisco Ballet to present the first U.S. production of The Nutcracker, on Christmas Eve 1944. Gendron's art effectively reproduces traditional ballet poses and makes the most of the large trim size. Good for sharing with children after seeing a performance of The Nutcracker.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2015

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Don Tate. Reconstruction-era Mississippi is the setting of former slave Lynch's story, during which time he witnessed many ways in which slaves' happy freedom "soon turned sour." Lynch saw racialized violence, used cunning to gain an education, and became an advocate for equal rights as a U.S. Congressman. A dignified biography illustrated with much emotion. Back matter encourages further exploration. Reading list, timeline.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) YA Illustrated by Paul Hoppe. Barton profiles ten people throughout history who have used false identities to their advantage. For some it's a life or death situation (e.g., Solomon Perel escaping Nazis); for others it's a tool to pull cons or fulfill a dream (e.g., Keron Thomas driving the subway). Short "What Happened Next?" epilogues follow each story. The second-person narration gives the text a sometimes confusing Choose-Your-Own-Adventure-ish feel. Bib.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. If a shark is pitted against a train, which would win? The answer depends on the contest: the train's belch is louder, but he's no match for the shark when jumping off the high dive. Barton's deadpan text--sparked with dialogue balloons that give the characters both personality and one-liners--is matched by Lichtenheld's spot-on visual humor.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2010

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Tony Persiani. Barton chronicles the invention and development of fluorescent paint by a pair of industrious brothers in the 1930s. Persiani's gray wash illustrations progressively give way to Day-Glo hues, first as spot color then decorating entire spreads, to vibrant effect. Barton's appended author's note tells more about the Switzer family and describes how he pieced together their story.

Reviewer: David Elzey