(3) 4-6 Magnificent Mya Tibbs series. Illustrated by Eda Kaban. Mya has competing priorities: spending quality time with her mom before the birth of a baby sibling, studying so she beats her rival at a school quiz competition, and making the best-tasting chili in Bluebonnet's annual cook-off. Mya's personality is big as ever; folksy language, fast-paced drama, and gently offered lessons on family and friendship make this second installment about the African American cowgirl a winner.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Morrison. After portraying some famous fight scenes, this biography flashes back to show the childhood incident that pushed Cassius Clay into the boxing ring: a stolen bicycle. As Cassius trains and builds agility and strength, he also builds a reputation as a winner. Morrison's oil paintings are full of drama and movement. Back matter highlights later facets of the champion's life. Reading list, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) YA A compelling narrative provides numerous examples of racial profiling and social injustices in the U.S.; examples of religious intolerance and discriminatory stances on immigrants are also discussed. The design is engaging: photos, data visualizations, and call-out boxes highlighting personal anecdotes and ripped-from-the-headlines stories break up the main text. Though the book's topics are sprawling, they're important and clearly conveyed. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) YA Chicago teen Nikki's mother died of a drug overdose and her father has kicked her out. Lured by her "boyfriend" (a child pornographer) to southern California, she finds a new family among other homeless youth. While investigating the disappearance of a friend at the hands of the violent pornographers, she takes brave actions to survive. This unflinching thriller shows the gritty underbelly of Los Angeles preceding the 1992 riots.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 1-3 Bird and Squirrel (Bird & Squirrel on the Edge!, et al.) are finally home, but something's awry: a giant beaver dam has siphoned all the water! When the forest is accidentally set ablaze at a party, the heroes take quick action (though some hungry rats don't make it easy). The drama unfurls in well-delineated full-color panels in the slapstick duo's latest graphic novel.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. With inspiring quotes integrated throughout, this dense picture-book biography, which spans JFK's life but centers on civil rights progress, urges young readers to speak out against injustice. Corey acknowledges Kennedy's imperfect handling of complex issues; Christie's stylized paintings include striking scenes of contemporaneous unrest. An author's note and bios (with portraits) of other icons from the era are appended. Reading list, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Ben Costa. Minstrel skeleton Rickety Stitch and his loyal sidekick, an animated sack named Gelatinous Goo, embark on a quest in faraway lands populated with ogres, gnomes, and other friends and foes. The irreverent graphic-novel comedy blends music and fantasy into a contemplation of the skeleton's former life, clues to which arrive in black-and-white dream sequences; otherwise the art is brazenly vibrant as the farcical quest advances.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 4-6 The ship Henrietta Marie transported enslaved Africans from 1698 until its sinking in 1700. The African American author traces the ship's path from port to port; visits Key West, Florida, where its remains were found; and reflects on ways his own identity is interlaced with the history he's uncovered. Vivid narrative details and color photos make the story memorable. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 4-6 Twin princesses travel through enchanted forests to reach a sacred place, and their trusty winged lion helps them navigate through the treetops. As they encounter abandoned villages and adversaries, they realize their ritual journey--and its destination--are not what they thought. The pair's funny banter makes the imaginative story memorable.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 1-3 Hotel Strange series. Illustrated by Katherine Ferrier. The woodland creatures of Hotel Strange are settling in for the winter...until ghosts take away their friend Mr. Snarf. A hot-air balloon trip over the clouds and into the Land of Ghosts ensues. Fourth in the French-import series, the imaginative, quirky story is told through colorful comic panels. A recipe is included.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Lily wears a cat-shaped mask in myriad social situations. It's a sort of safety blanket: the mask helps Lily hide when she's nervous or instantly gain attention when she wants to be seen. The perceptive story is furthered by watercolors showing the emotions behind Lily's attachment to the mask as well as the compassion of the adults (and other kids) who understand these feelings.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jennifer L. Meyer. Industrious African American Cleo (Cleo Edison Oliver, Playground Millionaire) is sure her new invention--special hairclips--will get attention from her businesswoman idol's "kidpreneurs" website. But while marketing her new idea, Cleo, who's adopted, struggles with wanting to unite with her birth parents. The true-to-life, at times humorous story mines complex identity issues (adoption, abandonment, race) nagging at the relatable protagonist.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 4-6 Secret Hero Society series. Illustrated by Dustin Nguyen. Young Clark Kent and friends Diana and Bruce head to summer camp, but the place is eerie, and the disappearance of several campers causes concern. Plus, their gadgets keep getting confiscated, and the camp staff is acting increasingly weird. Comic panels mix with Clark's journal entries and other page designs (camp fliers, incident reports, etc.) to chronicle the future heroes' second engaging mystery.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) K-3 Encounter series. Illustrated by Ebony Glenn. In nineteenth-century Ohio, a lantern in the window of abolitionist John Rankin's home provided a sign to enslaved blacks that the Underground Railroad--and freedom--were nearby. Digital illustrations in dark hues are sometimes slick and vary in quality as backdrops for the detailed historical narrative, which integrates (sourced) direct quotes. An afterword touches on the Civil War and Rankin's legacy. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Set in 1950s Charleston, the book offers an African American–centric revamp of the classic fairy tale. Ma Sally's son is a bachelor whose future wife won't be chosen in a typical courtship; instead, single ladies must cook black-eyed peas that meet the matriarch's approval. In a welcome twist, the winner, Princess, is refreshingly strong-willed. Folksy mixed-media illustrations set the old-fashioned scene. Recipe included.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Photographs by Stanley Tretick. This book pulls back the curtain on the 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech, using iconic documentary images by photojournalist Tretick to show MLK, other civil rights leaders, and ordinary citizens on the historic day from a new, you-are-there angle. Candids, panoramas, negatives, and portraits are among the photograph types that help tell the story alongside the well-written text. Websites.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) 1-3 Molly Mac series. The spunky African American protagonist finds herself in awkward situations at elementary school. Molly is (perhaps overly) concerned new girl Tori is a snack- and friend-thief (Bandit); Molly loses her lucky pencil at the unluckiest time: before the school-wide art show (Lucky). Tidy spot illustrations show the dramas unfold in these run-of-the-mill school stories. Discussion questions and writing prompts are included. Glos. Review covers these Molly Mac titles: The Best Friend Bandit and Lucky Break.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(4) 1-3 Molly Mac series. The spunky African American protagonist finds herself in awkward situations at elementary school. Molly is (perhaps overly) concerned new girl Tori is a snack- and friend-thief (Bandit); Molly loses her lucky pencil at the unluckiest time: before the school-wide art show (Lucky). Tidy spot illustrations show the dramas unfold in these run-of-the-mill school stories. Discussion questions and writing prompts are included. Glos. Review covers these Molly Mac titles: The Best Friend Bandit and Lucky Break.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 An energetic brown-skinned boy, Jameson, only likes to wear his green pants ("he could do anything" in them). When he's asked to be in his cousin's wedding, he struggles with the prospect of wearing a black tuxedo. Individualistic Jameson's realistically childlike decision-making adds suspense to the family-centric story, and pencil and watercolor illustrations lend extra dimension with their telling details and intricate pattern work.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Jupiter's aunt adopted a child from Ethiopia, but when Aunt Amy receives a cancer diagnosis, Edom, seven, is sent to live with Jupiter's family of wandering folk-music buskers. The family--with Edom and sans Jupiter's absentee dad--finally settles down in Portland, Oregon, where they garden and forage. Themes of familial bonds and belonging pervade this bighearted story about a unique family.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey