Welcome to the 2022 edition of Fanfare, the Horn Book’s choices of the best books for children and teens published in the last year. This year’s list features more titles than usual (“Not to fifty[one]!” yells editor emeritus Roger Sutton in a Princess Bride voice), and it encompasses a wonderfully eclectic group from a variety of publishers.*

There’s fiction, historical fiction, and sci-fi/fantasy for all ages. Graphic novels, science, poetry, and picture-book biographies. Titles that are straightforward in genre and format and those that are trickier to classify.

We recognize veteran book creators, including Newbery (Kwame Alexander, Kevin Henkes, Erin Entrada Kelly, Meg Medina) and Caldecott (Sophie Blackall, Jason Chin, Matthew Cordell, Michaela Goade, Jon Klassen) Medalists. There are some exciting Fanfare debuts (Buffy Sainte-Marie, Tommie Smith). Some people appear more than once (Mac Barnett, Erin Entrada Kelly). There are more Jasons than usual (three). And for all of you many dog-lovers: “Don’t worry.”

Help us “blow the horn” on social media (@HornBook | @Facebook.com/TheHornBook | @thehornbook) and on hbook.com. Read more in the upcoming January/February 2023 issue of The Horn Book Magazine, featuring breathtaking cover art by Jason Griffin—subscribe!

Elissa Gershowitz
Editor in Chief

*HarperCollins Union members (UAW Local 2110) continue to be on strike.

Read more by and about Fanfare authors and illustrators here

Picture Books

John’s Turn
written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Kate Berube; Candlewick
(Primary)

In this sensitive story about grappling with stage fright, John anxiously contemplates his performance for the school’s “Sharing Gifts” assembly. Suspense builds as John suits up in his ballet leotard: how will his classmates react? Once he begins dancing, the illustrations show him absorbed in his joy; his classmates — and readers — become as enraptured as he is. Review 3/22.

Farmhouse
written and illustrated by Sophie Blackall; Little, Brown
(Primary)

A real-life farmhouse provides the inspiration for this imagined story of twelve siblings growing up on the farm. Blackall’s one long sentence, with the cadence of a chant, propels readers through her mixed-media illustrations: vibrantly layered, tactile compositions featuring gorgeous landscapes à la Virginia Lee Burton and fascinating dollhouse-esque interior cross-sections. Review 9/22.

Together We Ride
written by Valerie Bolling, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita; Chronicle
(Preschool)

Bolling’s brief and inventive rhyming text perfectly conveys the action and emotions of a young Black girl’s inaugural bike ride. After her inevitable first fall, Dad is there to help: “Hug-cried / Tears dried / Decide…” Will she get back on? Winsome textured illustrations in a cheery palette extend the appealing story. Review 5/22.

I’m Not Small
written and illustrated by Nina Crews; Greenwillow*
(Preschool)

A child greets the day, eager to go play outside. But once out the door, the youngster feels — and looks, in the subtly collaged illustration — very small. Subsequent encounters with diminutive creatures, captured with dynamically changing visual perspective, remind the child that big and small are relative and that each has its own merits. Review 3/22.

Berry Song
written and illustrated by Michaela Goade; Little, Brown
(Primary)

A Tlingit grandmother teaches her granddaughter “how to live on the land.” As they pick berries in the forest, they sing to the flora, the fauna, and the ancestors; the berries’ names are an evolving refrain. Goade’s (We Are Water Protectors, rev. 7/20) lush, brightly colored art richly portrays the landscape and the warm familial connections. Review 7/22.

H Is for Harlem
written by Dinah Johnson, illustrated by April Harrison; Ottaviano/Little, Brown
(Primary)

Equal parts alphabet book, travelogue, and love letter, this impressive volume celebrates one of the most important artistic, cultural, and intellectual incubators of Black culture in the United States. Every inviting spread is alive in color, detail, and respect for the subject matter — past, present, and future. What a splendid way to experience the alphabet! Review 7/22.

The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky
written and illustrated by Jihyun Kim; Floris
(Primary)

This cinematic wordless book follows the adventures of a city child visiting the country — exploring a forest path, diving into a pond, gazing at stars. Expressive facial expressions and body language tell viewers all we need to know about the child’s inner life, while the tranquility of the landscape speaks for itself. Review 5/22.

A Day for Sandcastles
written by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Qin Leng; Candlewick
(Preschool, Primary)

In this joyful wordless picture book, three children spend the day building and rebuilding ever-more-elaborate sandcastles. Sunny watercolors; delicate, wispy ink lines; and a mix of panoramic double-page spreads and paneled pages capture all the details, big and small, of a happy and satisfying beach day. Review 5/22.

A Spoonful of Frogs
written by Casey Lyall, illustrated by Vera Brosgol; Greenwillow*
(Primary)

An apron-clad witch hosting a TV cooking show demonstrates her recipe for Frog Soup. Unfortunately for her, but hilariously for readers, the “spoonful of frogs” repeatedly evade the stew, stirring up trouble. Lyall’s spare text uses ear-pleasing, catch-phrase-worthy repetition and variation while Brosgol’s retro-chic, increasingly frazzled digital illustrations are a chef’s-kiss of comic timing. Review 9/22.

Madani’s Best Game
written by Fran Pintadera, illustrated by Raquel Catalina, translated from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel; Eerdmans
(Primary)

Soccer phenom Madani, whose seamstress mother works long hours, is saving up for…well, his teammates think it’s for a pair of cleats so he no longer has to play barefoot. But it turns out to be for something much more important. With motion-filled illustrations, it’s a beautiful book about family, love, friendship, immigrant life — and of course the beautiful game. Review 9/22.

Still This Love Goes On
written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, illustrated by Julie Flett; Greystone Kids
(Preschool, Primary)

Sainte-Marie’s (Cree First Nation) song about wintertime on the Cree reserve has been gorgeously reinterpreted in Flett’s (Cree-Métis) signature style. Nature-evoking colors; simple, sweeping lines; and expansive compositions suggest movement into limitless space and time: “Still this love goes on and on.” Review 11/22.

Hot Dog
written and illustrated by Doug Salati; Knopf
(Preschool, Primary)

A low-slung pup and owner flee the sweltering city for an idyllic beach day. Restored, they return home, now able to appreciate its charms. An impressionistic free-verse text is expertly matched by illustrations that use claustrophobic vertical panels and hot reds and oranges for the city while expansive horizontal panels and cool blues and greens convey the relief of the island escape. Review 11/22.

Every Dog in the Neighborhood
written by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Matthew Cordell; Porter/Holiday
(Primary)

Louis echoes his grandma’s civic-mindedness (she’s working to establish a dog park when City Hall won’t) by proving to her via his door-to-door canvassing that their neighborhood could use one more dog. Stead leaves plenty of room in his lively text for Cordell’s humorous loose-lined pastel illustrations to add layers to this already nuanced tale. Review 5/22.

Don’t Worry, Murray
written and illustrated by David Ezra Stein; Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins*
(Preschool)

In a series of humorous vignettes, a small, timid dog is encouraged to overcome his fears by his owner, the offstage narrator. Each time, Murray gives the proffered activity a go, only to experience a setback. Skillful repetition in text, page layout, and story sequence builds humor and characterization. Expressive mixed-media illustrations convey our protagonist’s winning and oh-so-relatable personality. Review 7/22.

The World Belonged to Us
written by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa; Paulsen/Penguin
(Primary)

Woodson brilliantly captures a feeling and a moment in this lyrical paean to unstructured play (simultaneously published in Spanish as El mundo era nuestro). “In Brooklyn / in the summer… / the minute / school ended, us kids were free as air.” Espinosa’s kinetic art captures a cadre of kids in perpetual motion — ­biking, jumping rope, playing stickball — and conveys unbridled joy and mutual respect and admiration. Review 7/22.

Read more by and about Fanfare authors and illustrators here

Fiction

The Door of No Return
written by Kwame Alexander; Little, Brown
(Middle School)

In this verse novel set in an Asante Kingdom village in 1860 Ghana, readers follow the highly engaging day-to-day life of protagonist Kofi Offin. A tragic series of events transforms the story into a searing chronicle of human terror. Themes of conflict within and between cultures, hate and love, despair and hope are deeply embedded in this gripping tale. Review 9/22.

Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls
written by Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu; Candlewick
(Primary, Intermediate)

In three stand-alone chapters, Atinuke’s unforgettable storyteller’s voice brings to life a strong, loving matriarch; a family and supportive friends; and an irresistible returning heroine (Too Small Tola, rev. 3/21) who helps as she can with the needs of daily life in Lagos, Nigeria. Large type, plentiful white space, and energetic line drawings make for an approachable, rewarding read. Review 9/22.

Caprice
written by Coe Booth; Scholastic
(Middle School)

Rising eighth grader Caprice is torn between attending a private boarding school and staying with her beloved family and friends in Newark. Meanwhile, memories of childhood sexual assault begin to surface. Booth navigates the subject matter with honesty and sensitivity. At once heartbreaking and triumphant, this novel demonstrates that healing is possible even when terrible things happen. Review 11/22.

Isla to Island
written and illustrated by Alexis Castellanos; Atheneum
(Middle School)

Marisol leaves home as part of Operation Peter Pan in this mostly wordless historical graphic novel. Striking use of color — vibrant hues in Cuba, gray tones upon arrival in New York, and then color’s reappearance as she begins to feel joy again — results in a powerful portrayal of the disorienting experience of immigration. Review 3/22.

M Is for Monster
written and illustrated by Talia Dutton; Surely/Abrams ComicArts
(High School)

In this Frankenstein-inspired graphic novel, M pretends to be her former self (with coaching from her actual former self) to appease her scientist sister, who has revived her from the dead. Captivating storytelling follows M’s internal conflict and growth. Tri-color (black, white, and shades of green) art breathes (even more) life into the atmospheric setting and the intriguing secondary characters. Review 7/22.

Miss Quinces
written and illustrated by Kat Fajardo, color by Mariana Azzi; Graphix/Scholastic
(Intermediate, Middle School)

In this deftly paneled semiautobiographical graphic novel (simultaneously published in Spanish as Srta. Quinces), a family trip to Honduras is the perfect excuse to celebrate Suyapa’s quinceañera, a party she never asked for and would rather skip. Supported by her abuelita, she handles her conflicting feelings — and shows off her enviably individualistic style — imperfectly but with aplomb. Review 5/22.

The Summer of Bitter and Sweet
written by Jen Ferguson; Heartdrum/HarperCollins*
(High School)

Lou’s summer before college is spent working at her uncles’ ice-cream shack alongside her recently returned former friend. A racist altercation and threats from her white biological father keep her on edge; nevertheless, she gains strength and love from her Métis and asexual-spectrum identities. Ferguson’s (Michif/Métis and white) compelling novel handles complex topics with empathy and without melodrama. Review 5/22.

The Flamingo
written and illustrated by Guojing; Random House Studio/Random
(Primary)

While visiting her grandmother, a young girl learns of Lao Lao’s childhood rescue of a wild flamingo. The book is mostly wordless; Guojing’s expressive panel illustrations convey much of the story line along with heartfelt appreciations of nature and storytelling. There’s ample room for interpretation, but what’s never in question is the love between grandmother and ­granddaughter. Review 11/22.

Oh, Sal
written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes; Greenwillow*
(Primary)

“It is so hard to be me.” For four-year-old Sal, a new baby sibling, a visiting uncle, and a missing pair of treasured underpants are a lot to cope with. Henkes masterfully captures the mind and heart of a young child, writing (and drawing in black-and-white spot art) with gentle humor and affection in this standalone Miller family story (The Year of Billy Miller, rev. 9/13, and sequel). Review 9/22.

Surely Surely Marisol Rainey
written and illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly; Greenwillow*
(Primary, Intermediate)

At the top of Marisol’s (Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey, rev. 5/21) list of least favorite things: kickball. With the help of family and friends, she overcomes her fear (at least a little) of the sport’s “­spotlight.” Lively text and art convey Kelly’s deep understanding of kids’ innermost anxieties in this realistic and emotionally truthful story. Review 7/22.

Those Kids from Fawn Creek
written by Erin Entrada Kelly; Greenwillow*
(Middle School)

The social dynamics of small-town Fawn Creek’s seventh grade class are shaken up with the arrival of Orchid — beautiful, fascinating, and a bit off-kilter, because has she really lived in Paris and Thailand, as she claims? Even as the other students begin to question her story, Orchid acts as a catalyst for openness, honesty, and kindness. Kelly does a brilliant job with an ensemble cast. Review 3/22.

Freewater
written by Amina Luqman-Dawson; Patterson/Little, Brown
(Intermediate, Middle School)

This engrossing work of historical fiction centers on the Great Dismal Swamp, where fugitives from slavery have established a thriving community called Freewater. Homer, twelve, on the run with his younger sister, turns up in this utopian community; when he makes the hard choice to return to the plantation for his mother, several story strands converge for an explosive and cathartic conclusion. Review 5/22.

Merci Suárez Plays It Cool
written by Meg Medina; Candlewick
(Middle School)

Merci starts eighth grade in this final installment of the trilogy that began with Merci Suárez Changes Gears (rev. 9/18). She’s excited for soccer tryouts but is also balancing new, old, and changing friendships. At home with her loving Cuban American ­family, worries grow about her beloved grandfather, Lolo. Readers will relish the ­authenticity of Merci’s character and her ­refreshingly sincere responses to the world around her. Review 9/22.

An Arrow to the Moon
written by Emily X.R. Pan; Little, Brown
(High School)

Luna and Hunter keep crossing paths. As their feelings for each other deepen, they discover that they both have bizarre abilities; they also uncover secrets about their feuding families. Pan retells two stories — the Chinese legend of Houyi and Chang’e and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet — in lush prose, creating an enchanting tale of mystery, magic, and love. Review 5/22.

Black Bird, Blue Road
written by Sofiya Pasternack; Versify/HarperCollins*
(Middle School)

Ziva and her twin brother Pesah, who has leprosy, set off from the Jewish empire of Khazaria to Byzantium to find a cure for Pesah’s illness or fight the Angel of Death — or both. Pasternack writes with a lively storyteller’s cadence and keeps emotions front and center in this affecting, imaginative adventure filled with characters from Jewish folklore. Review 9/22.

Tumble
written by Celia C. Pérez; Kokila/Penguin
(Intermediate, Middle School)

Twelve-year-old Adela Ramírez is stunned to learn that her biological father — and his entire family — are famous luchadores. She is instantly welcomed into their world of colorful costumes, extreme wrestling moves, and ever-changing personae. Pérez captures the action, rigor, and theater associated with the sport, as well as a family lost, found, and making amends. Available in Spanish as Tumbos. Review 9/22.

Windswept
written by Margi Preus, illustrated by Armando Veve; Amulet/Abrams
(Intermediate, Middle School)

In this buoyant future-set fantasy, a ragtag band of children sets off to rescue their older siblings, who have been kidnapped and sold to mountain trolls. Along the way we are deftly reminded of the “Other Times” (i.e., now) of climate change, political corruption, and racial injustice. The tone here is pitch-perfect, capturing that particular fairy-tale flavor of the absurd mingling with the deeply serious. Review 9/22.

Man Made Monsters
written by Andrea L. Rogers, illustrated by Jeff Edwards; Levine Querido
(High School)

Cherokee writer Rogers distills two centuries of realistic intergenerational trauma into eighteen short horror stories linked by family connections. She writes about vampires, werewolves, and aliens, but the real horrors here are genocide, cultural annihilation, and ecological catastrophes. It may read like speculative fiction, but it feels like truth. Edwards’s (Cherokee) striking white-on-black art incorporates symbols from the Cherokee syllabary. Review 11/22.

Three Strike Summer
written by Skyler Schrempp; McElderry
(Intermediate)

Scrappy Gloria Mae Willard tells the story of her family’s eviction from their Oklahoma farm in the midst of the Dust Bowl and their new life in a California peach orchard, where the migrant workers have begun organizing. But Gloria only cares about making the secret baseball team she’s discovered. In this highly engaging, fresh, and heartfelt novel, Schrempp never wavers from Gloria’s authentically childlike point of view. Review 11/22.

Looking for True
written by Tricia Springstubb; Ferguson/Holiday
(Intermediate)

Two neatly constructed, parallel story lines come together as eleven-year-old protagonists Gladys and Jude both encounter a neglected dog named True. The writing is fresh, sharp, and genuine, and the setting — a town formerly prosperous but now economically depressed — is realistic and evocative. A supporting cast of flawed adults and hilarious preschoolers rounds out the picture. Review 11/22.

Berliners
written and illustrated by Vesper Stamper; Knopf
(Middle School, High School)

An engrossing look at the emerging new world order after WWII, told through the experiences of brothers growing up in the fledgling Soviet-controlled German Democratic Republic, in 1961 Berlin. After the overnight erection of a wall, the boys soon find themselves in different sectors and reassessing everything they’ve been taught to believe. An excellent, nuanced piece of historical fiction, with occasional grayscale illustrated spreads and a powerful message about the generational consequences of burying the past. Review 11/22.

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance
written by Lisa Yee; Random
(Intermediate, Middle School)

Spirited protagonist Maizy and her mother spend the summer in Last Chance, Minnesota, where her grandparents own a Chinese restaurant. Flashbacks to their family history juxtapose with the microaggressions and hate crimes still plaguing Last Chance. Yee explores always-relevant issues through compelling characters and enthralling adventures and prompts readers to consider what it means to be American. Review 1/22.

Read more by and about Fanfare authors and illustrators here

Folklore

The Three Billy Goats Gruff
retold by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen; Orchard/Scholastic
(Preschool, Primary)

This delectable rendition of the oft-retold folktale features droll illustrations, abundant humor, verbal delights, repetition, and rhyme (“Who seeks to reach the grassy ridge? / Who dares to walk across my bridge?”). By two masters of the deadpan, this engaging interpretation should be a read-aloud favorite. Review 1/23.

Read more by and about Fanfare authors and illustrators here

Poetry

Augusta Savage: The Shape of a Sculptor’s Life
written by Marilyn Nelson; Ottaviano/Little, Brown
(Middle School, High School)

Through her accomplished and powerful verse, Nelson introduces readers to Harlem Renaissance sculptor Augusta Savage. The poems create a picture not only of Savage’s life but also of the art she created, with several concrete poems taking on the shapes of her sculptures. A wonderful addition to young people’s literature on African American artists. Review 1/22.

Ain’t Burned All the Bright
written by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Jason Griffin; Dlouhy/Atheneum
(Middle School)

Reynolds’s introspective narrative poem about a young man’s life-changing quarantine at home with his family shares the stage with Griffin’s emotive collage-like illustrations. The first-person text (told in three parts, or “breaths”) and surrealistic images reveal an authentic-sounding narrator grappling with confusion and fear of the double pandemic (COVID-19; systemic racism) he is facing. A tour de force in format and content. Review 3/22.

Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual
written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison; Crown
(Primary, Intermediate)

This is a moving, informative walk through African American history — both its important eras and significant historical and contemporary Black heroes — via Weatherford’s expansion of the lyrics of a well-known Negro spiritual. Morrison’s distinctive, imagistic illustrations employ innovative perspectives and unusual visual compositions to encourage readers to make connections. Review 9/22.

Read more by and about Fanfare authors and illustrators here

Nonfiction

The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey
written and illustrated by Jason Chin; Porter/Holiday
(Primary, Intermediate)

Chin’s follow-up to Your Place in the Universe (rev. 11/20) is an equally stellar exploration of the tiniest components of matter — i.e., the “building blocks” of biology and physical science. Stunning watercolor and gouache illustrations, colorfully detailed and scientifically accurate, and a compelling text pull readers into observations from within the smallest possible spaces. Review 1/23.

Murder Among Friends: How Leopold and Loeb Tried to Commit the Perfect Crime
written by Candace Fleming; Schwartz/Random
(High School)

“Nineteen-year-old Nathan Leopold would kill a child today.” With this attention-grabbing first sentence, ­Fleming expertly entices readers into a page-turning account of the 1924 murder of a fourteen-year-old boy and the remorseless minds of his two amoral teenage killers. A psychological crime thriller, a suspenseful courtroom drama, and a timely, relevant examination of social issues. Review 3/22.

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
written by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington; Roaring Brook
(Primary, Intermediate)

Mamie Till-Mobley’s defiant act of ­bravery following the 1955 murder of her son helped ignite the civil rights movement. In this powerful picture-book biography, a lyrical free-verse narrative focuses on a mother’s resolve not to let her son be forgotten and on her crusade for social justice. Dramatic paper-cut art captures Till-Mobley’s courage and dignity. Review 9/22.

Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night
written and illustrated by Julia Kuo; Greystone Kids
(Primary)

In Kuo’s gorgeous exploration of bioluminescence, an adult and child encounter organisms that make their own light in the air, in the sea, and underground. The poetic main text, which encourages observation and wonder, is accompanied by short informational paragraphs about the featured organisms. The black-backgrounded illustrations creatively employ negative space and a limited palette to capture the subdued glow of bioluminescent life. Review 11/22.

Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women
written by Christine McDonnell, illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov; Candlewick
(Primary, Intermediate)

In 1974, Kip Tiernan established Rosie’s Place, the country’s first shelter for women, still in operation today. McDonnell’s informative text incorporates well-chosen quotes that demonstrate her subject’s iron-willed determination and deep empathy. Tentler-Krylov’s watercolor and digital illustrations, featuring soft colors and rounded edges, emit warmth and beautifully depict the healing power of human connection. Review 3/22.

A Seed Grows
written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis; Porter/Holiday
(Preschool, Primary)

Portis (Hey, Water!, rev. 3/19) details the life cycle of a sunflower in ten sequential steps perfectly pitched to a young audience. Left-hand pages feature a single phrase (“a seed falls / and settles into the soil”), with a bright, uncluttered illustration mirroring the action on the right. Clear, engaging, and beautiful — simply brilliant. Review 5/22.

Out of the Shadows: How Lotte Reiniger Made the First Animated Fairytale Movie
written and illustrated by Fiona Robinson; Abrams
(Primary, Intermediate)

Lyrical writing combines with fanciful scissor-cut, watercolor, and felt pen illustrations in this sophisticated exploration of Charlotte “Lotte” Reiniger’s life and work. Boldly colored washes pop against mostly black backgrounds and silhouettes, amplifying Reiniger’s early love of fairy tales, cinema, and Scherenschnitte that led her to create the first animated fairy-tale feature film. Review 3/22.

Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice
written by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile; Norton
(Middle School)

This inspiring graphic memoir provides context for the iconic 1968 photograph of two African American Olympian sprinters bowing their heads and ­raising their fists on the winners’ podium. Their climactic race acts as a narrative through line for Smith’s conversationally told and dynamically illustrated life story. Review 11/22.

A Land of Books: Dreams of Young Mexihcah Word Painters
written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh; Abrams
(Primary)

Tonatiuh, whose signature illustrations themselves draw from Mesoamerican codex pictographic aesthetics, here introduces the fascinating role that bookmaking played in ancient Mexihcah culture and cosmology and the skills and natural materials it required. Collective first-person narration makes clear connections to illustrate how Mesoamerica was an amoxtlalpan, or a “land of books.” Review 1/23.

How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps
written by Pamela S. Turner, illustrated by John Gurche; Charlesbridge
(Intermediate, Middle School)

“Evolution is a journey, not a destination.” The paths and branches of human evolution are thoroughly covered in this meticulously scientific, broadly entertaining, engagingly illustrated volume. Turner is a consummate storyteller: her steady pace through millions of years of the human evolutionary line is buoyed by an amused stance, joke-filled footnotes, and modern-day analogies. Review 3/22.

Read more by and about Fanfare authors and illustrators here