(4) 4-6 Micah's grandpa Ephraim regales him with stories of the amazing Circus Mirandus. But now that Ephraim is dying and unimaginative Aunt Gertrudis is taking over Micah's care, it seems that the Circus might actually be real. Beasley's first novel succeeds in tone, suspense, and inventiveness of the magical setting, but her invented world feels more convincing than her real one.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(4) 4-6 Suzy starts seventh grade traumatized by the accidental drowning of her former best friend, Franny, and by her parents' separation. However, she finds solace in researching the jellyfish she persuades herself caused Franny's death. Promising in voice, although overburdened by issues (including selective mutism), this is an original and affecting take on the preteen-turmoil novel.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay

(2) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Lizzie is a smart, scientifically-minded girl, out of place in a San Francisco finishing school in 1900. Applying the scientific method to rumors of the bubonic plague in Chinatown, Lizzie faces the power of the media and racist political schemes as she attempts to rescue her Chinese housekeeper from quarantine. Appealing, convincing characters and a detail-rich setting keep the light mystery afloat.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(1) YA Seneca Village was founded in 1825 by free African Americans; by 1857 it had been razed for construction of Central Park. In forty-one poems, Nelson imagines the reflections of its inhabitants. Poems appear on right-hand pages and are prefaced by brief, scene-setting text on the left. Nelson's natural, musical lines (mostly in iambic pentameter) lend themselves to multiple readings.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2015

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno. In 1778 Paris, Franz Anton Mesmer convinced many they were cured of ailments through "animal magnetism." Benjamin Franklin, Antoine Lavoisier, and others debunked Mesmer's procedure through their invention of the "blind" test and discovery of the placebo effect. Aside from the misdirection of giving Franklin all the glory, Rockliff's text is engaging and lively and pairs beautifully with Bruno's dramatic, bold illustrations. Bib.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2015

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova. A boy is mesmerized by a story about three princesses trapped under a witch's spell until they save a life through a special harmonica. This story within a story is prelude to three more. Ryan's storytelling prowess and vivid voice lead readers through a hefty tome illuminated by layers of history, adventure, and the seemingly magical but ultimately very human spirit of music.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(2) 4-6 Black-and-white drawings tell of a storm, a shipwreck, and a rescue in a theater; years pass and a dynasty is born of sons of sons who love the stage. In a second story, told in text and encapsulating the first, Joseph runs away to his uncle's London house, where Uncle Albert seems to serve as caretaker for ghosts. Selznick's masterful story-inside-a-story unfolds an emotional narrative.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2015

(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler. Cody thinks summer vacation is all the better when her day camp is canceled. Enter babysitter Payton, along with new friend Spencer, his cat, and his feisty grandma GG. Cody's lively voice and keen observational skills build an involving story line out of the seeming simplicity of a vacation spent at home. Stylish spot illustrations suggest a diverse cast in this suburban setting.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(2) K-3 Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Applegate introduces picture-book readers to the true story that inspired her Newbery-winning The One and Only Ivan. In poetic prose she describes gorilla Ivan's early life in Africa; his dramatic capture; his time on display in a shopping mall; and his transition to the Atlanta Zoo. Karas's mixed-media illustrations--in his warm and unaffected style--are at once straightforward and provocative.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014

(2) 4-6 When Gabriel adopts an orphaned raven, Paladin, he discovers the secret powers that connect them. He and new friend Abby start to unpack the riddles that haunt his past, involving Gabriel's uncle Corax and the subterranean city Aviolopis where evil half-dead ravens rule. The world-building and narrative tension are solid, fairly fresh, and rich, forgiving the obvious plot and slightly cardboard characters.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(2) YA This story set at an English boarding school during the Vietnam War is told from alternating viewpoints. Each classmate reveals to the reader what he or she is hiding from the others. Jocelyn makes each character distinctly believable--differently flawed yet sympathetic. There's a satisfying arc of discovery for each individual--some of whom keep their secrets, others who let them go.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(1) YA An imprisoned man tells his story, Scheherazade-like, in letters to the tsar. He begins with Elena, a young girl in the impoverished Russian countryside, who meets privileged Ekaterina. Their lives collide and intertwine. Maguire savors every inch of his elaborate narrative, introducing tropes from Russian folktales and giving his characters plenty of play, especially the hardboiled Baba Yaga, who seems to exist outside of time.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2014

(4) 4-6 When her whistle-blowing father is framed for murder by his corrupt employer, Margaret explores her family's forbidden secret power of time travel to set things right. A parallel story set in 1938 exposes Victory Fuel's history. The time-travel element and character development feel incidental to the environmental (hydro-fracking) and social-justice (exploited workers) messages, but the compelling-enough narrative and suspense may engage high-volume readers.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. Doctor Elizabeth Blackwell's early life is outlined in trim conversational prose in this lively picture-book treatment. A choice handful of biographical elements are arranged artfully to develop Blackwell's character within the expectations and challenges of her time. Priceman's gouache illustrations lend a perfect framework of energy and pacing to the text and draw upon its provocative and often humorous tone. Bib.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013

(4) 4-6 In an alternate-reality England, a temporary door to the faery world has led to war, and the industrial revolution has hampered the stranded and oppressed faeries' magic. Bachmann skillfully sets tone and scene and has a great sense of rhythm and pace, but the plot is pretty plainly developed. Still, powerhouse fantasy readers will find sustenance here; the cliffhanger shocker suggests a sequel.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(2) 4-6 Cally's fifth grade classroom enrolls in a hospice-benefiting "sponsored silence"--and she keeps the silence. New neighbor Sam, blind and mostly deaf, and a dog named Homeless that appears with her dead mother's ghost help Cally say what she needs to, with or without words. Lean's rewarding first novel stands out for its clean, evocative prose and genuine characters.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012

(2) 4-6 Stella's great-aunt Louise tends vacation cottages on Cape Cod. When her mother takes off (again), Stella ends up there, as does foster kid Angel. After Louise dies unexpectedly, the girls bury the body in the backyard and take over managing the cottages. Stella and Angel are equally annoying and endearing, and readers will cheer them on to the fully predictable and satisfying ending.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2012

(3) 4-6 Jack goes to stay with his aunt and uncle in Iowa. How do people in this place he's never been seem to know him? Barnhill's novel explores issues of magic, good and evil, and family with an effective sense of visual setting and brisk pacing. The story ends in a narratively satisfying place while leaving some intrigue, suggesting a sequel.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay

(2) K-3 Actual Times series. Brown turns his earthy palette and voice to the California Gold Rush. His unique tone is both larger-than-life and precisely detailed, and the treatment suits his subject. Well-composed watercolors convey action and emotion, giving just enough detail and variety. Combining pathos and humor, the book communicates much with an engaging and brief text, making it a first-choice introduction to the subject. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Antonio Castro L.. Hayes's latest collection of bilingual folktales drawn from the Hispanic New Mexico oral tradition provides refreshing depth and humor. Brief source notes expand on the history of each of the ten tales and add social/historical context. Clean, unencumbered prose draws attention to the structure and rhythm of the stories, which are best read aloud. Amusing illustrations face the start of each entry.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2012