Lord, Cynthia. Marco Polo Brave Explorer. Stephanie Graegin, Illus. Fiction. Book Buddies Series; bk. 2. Candlewick, 03/2022. 68pp. $12.99. 978-1-5362-1355-3. HIGH ADDITIONAL. GRADES 2-4.
In this transitional chapter book, Marco is a mouse-shaped Christmas ornament that becomes a toy that can be checked out of the library. The character was first introduced in Ivy, Lost and Found (2021). In this installment, Marco is checked out by Seth (who is white) to go on a sleepover at Ben’s (who is Black), where Marco is grabbed by the cat. The digitally-created grayscale illustrations appear on every other page, making this a great choice for those stepping up from beginning readers to chapter books because the artwork helps readers guess at some of the vocabulary.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University, iSchool