Joyce, William. Ollie’s Odyssey. illus. by William Joyce. 304p. ebook available. S. & S./Atheneum. Apr. 2016. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781442473553.

Gr 1-5 –Many children’s books have been written about the secret life of toys, but Joyce’s storytelling and original characters elevate this novel. Meet Billy and his favorite plush toy, Ollie, a bear/rabbit mash-up Billy’s mother made for him with a remnant from her own cherished girlhood doll. Billy and Ollie grow up together over the course of six years, sharing secrets, imaginary escapades, and observations about the baffling adult world. The friends’ bliss is threatened by the existence of an underground kingdom of abandoned toys who have never known the love of a child. The ruler of this kingdom is Zozo, a former carnival-game clown doll whose heartbreaking backstory is the stuff of tragic opera. Zozo’s anguish compels him to imprison any toy that’s been “favorited” by a child, and his minions—the darkly menacing yet comically maniacal Creeps—kidnap Ollie, setting up the novel’s conflict. Billy leaves home in search of his lost companion, leading to an epic battle between Zozo’s army and a team of charmingly odd heroes Ollie befriends, including a tin can, pet rock, and bottle opener. The third-person narration retains a storyteller’s wisdom as it shifts between Billy and Ollie’s naive perspectives; pacing is leisurely despite Zozo’s sinister presence being introduced fairly early in the plot. Joyce’s full-page illustrations in rich but muted tones capture deeply emotional moments and reinforce the novel’s nostalgic mood. VERDICT With all the feel of a modern classic, this is an odyssey readers of all ages will want to take again and again; a wonderful choice for read-alouds.–Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Rodríguez, Juan José. Guerrero del mar: Y el fabricante de tsunamis. tr. from English. illus. by Abraham Balcázar. 200p. (Antisocial). Ediciones B. Sept. 2015. pap. $22.95. ISBN 9786074807967.

Gr 3-5 –This Spanish-language action-driven work features an evil plot in which a mad scientist is using tsunami waves to attack cities and large vessels on the seas. It seems like an epidemic, wave after wave causing epic disasters, until the naval forces general, Joseph Troy, begins to look into what might be possibly controlling the waves. Joining forces with ecological warriors, Raymond Rainieri and Nadia Nussica intend to discover who is controlling the waves and why. The work has graphic novel–type illustrations at the beginning and end. The images are detailed and done in grayscale with pops of aqua blue, highlighting the book’s high seas adventure focus. There is a recurring graphic of Raymond Rainieri, who is a bit of a rogue, in a speedboat at the beginning of each new chapter. The page facing each new chapter includes a famous quote and helps set the tone for the action in that chapter. The writing is easy to read, and the action is swift, which is sure to captivate readers. VERDICT An illustrated chapter book that will appeal to Spanish-language reluctant readers.–Maricela Leon-Barrera, San Francisco Public Library