By Zora Neale Hurston Adapted by Ibram X. Kendi Illustrated by Jazzmen Lee-Johnson 5 stars A fantastic historical text adapted for young readers. Barracoon tells the story of Kossola (Cudjo Lewis), one of the men who was brought to America on the last slave ship, Clotilda. The story follows Kossola’s life in Africa, his capture,…
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Narrated by Joshua Quinn 5 stars Jaw-droppingly good. The best of modern mythology retellings. Kwame just wants to have a normal summer. Instead his family is taking him to Ghana for his grandmother’s celebration of life. Still grieving the loss of his grandmother and having never felt Ghanaian enough at family events, Kwame is dreading…
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Illustrated by Sophie Bass 5 stars Absolutely stunning. Weaving together a Rapunzel narrative with the history of enslaved Africans using cornrow patterns to navigate their journey to freedom, Cooke creates a compelling, empowering, and magical tale. Wonderfully written with flowing narration. A lengthy text but certainly worth the read. I love how empowering the narrative…
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By Shane Jordan and Rick Hendrix Illustrated by Jieting Chen Back matter by Christy L. Olezeski, PhD. 4 stars A sweet, inclusive book encouraging readers to be true to themselves and support others. Beautiful, vibrant illustrations wonderfully capture themes of color, joy, and diversity. Includes some great backmatter on the importance of compassion, pride, empathy,…
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Illustrated by Kip Alizadeh 3 stars A lovely, affirming book about the power of pronouns in terms of gender expression. Includes different pronouns such as he, she, they, ze, hir, fae, and per. Loved the emphasis on pronouns being something your choose, that they can change over time, and that it’s okay if you don’t…
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Illustrated by Neetols 5 stars A heartfelt story that explores themes of grief, self-confidence, vulnerability, and friendship. A Spirit Flower gives you the chance to summon a ghost… for those who can afford it. Damian has saved up for a flower to summon the ghost of his mother. It should have been simple, but things…
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by Claudette Colvin and Phillip Hoose Illustrated by Bea Jackson 5 stars A fantastic book that tells the story of how Claudette Colvin took a stand against discriminatory rules. Told in first person, the book follows Colvin’s frustration at not having the same rights as others because of the color of her skin. One day,…
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Illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley 4 stars A sweet, gentle story of tradition, family, and ceremony. As Tatiana grows, her grandmother makes her different ribbon skirts to celebrate important events. Each skirt portrays meaning through the colors and symbols used. Sweet and lyrical. A touching story of quality time spent with grandparents, the accomplishments of women…
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by Ann Diament Koffsky Illustrated by Abigail Rajunov 4 stars A wonderful nonfiction picture book that tells the story of Estee Ackerman’s choice between celebrating Shabbat with her family and competing in the US National Table Tennis Championships. Nicely written. A great example of choosing what is right for you. I love how supportive Ackerman’s…
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by Cynthia Levinson Illustrated by Mirelle Ortega 4 stars A powerful fictionalized account that tells the story of Plyler v. Doe, which mandated free public school education for all US residents regardless of immigration status. This nonfiction picture book follows Alfredo Lopez who loves school where he can learn and see his friends. But one…
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