Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet trio of stories highlight kindness, friendship.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
HORNBEAM ALL IN is three stories centering on a moose named Hornbeam. When his goose friend Eureka invites Hornbeam to a picnic, the only thing Hornbeam wants is potato salad—but things change a bit when they arrive. Next, Hornbeam and his friend Cuddy have a sleepover, but one of them doesn't get any sleep. In the last story, Hornbeam's friends help the reluctant moose learn to swim.
Is It Any Good?
Engaging illustrations and simple phrases make Cynthia Rylant's stories of a moose and his friends a great read-aloud and also a good pick for readers new to chapter books. Each of the three stories in Hornbeam All In is short and sweet, focusing on small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. The illustrations are a delight, with the animals' faces and movements capturing silliness on each page.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Cuddy could've reacted to the snoring in Hornbeam All In. What else could he have done to get some sleep and still be a kind friend?
What kind things do you and your friends do for each other?
What other books about friendship have fun and interesting characters?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Arthur Howard
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Friendship
- Character Strengths : Compassion
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Beach Lane Books
- Publication date : December 5, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 0 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate