Illustrated by Ko Hyung-Ju 3 stars A semi-autobiographical tale set in 1983 during South Korea’s Fifth Republic. When book-loving Kim Hyun Sook starts college, she has big dreams of classes, learning, and campus life. But when she’s invited to join an unconventional book club, her whole world changes. She soon finds herself within a world…
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5 stars It took me way too long to start reading this but I am so glad I finally did. A hard-hitting and heartfelt book of family, human connection, grief, activism, and empowerment. Wonderfully written. This book evokes so many emotions: joy, sorrow, guilt, anger. There are so many difficult topics including death, police shootings,…
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by Kim Chi and Stephan Lee Illustrated by Utomaru 5 stars This was absolutely adorable. One of the best books I’ve read all year. I was pulled in by the beautiful and energetic cover and the story inside did not disappoint. The only place seventh grader Jae Han Kim feels he belongs is the Firkus…
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Adapted by Steven Scott & Justin Eisinger Illustrated by Harmony Becker 4 stars A great graphic autobiography that explores Takei’s acting career, education, political involvement, friendships, family, sexuality, and activism. Nicely written. This book takes on a lot of material and does not disappoint. A wonderful focus on activism and the joy of living as…
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Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler 3 stars A beautiful picture book detailing the life and activism of Wangari Maathai. Stunning artwork. Beautiful use of color. The natural aesthetic perfectly matches the themes of the text. Nicely written. It is quite a long picture book with some wordy pages, but it includes a great amount of…
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Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin 5 stars This hopeful picture book depicts the history of Earth Day, how its impact has spread, and how readers can get involved. The book discusses issues such as pollution and climate change, while maintaining a hopeful message of making positive change and doing what you can to make an impact….
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by Estela Juarez with Lissette Norman Illustrated by Teresa Martínez 5 stars A heartfelt story with a powerful message of hope, resilience, and using your voice to demand change. Estela lives happily with her family… until the government tells her mother she must return to the country she was born in. As part of coping…
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Illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler 3 stars I checked this out from the library because I love reading about Maathai’s work and activism. This book is an expansion of Sadler and Johnson’s picture book, Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World. This is the first of Lee & Low’s The Story Of series that I’ve…
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By Deidre Havrelock Illustrated by Aphelandra 4 stars A beautiful picture book that tells the story of Carol Powder, her music, and her activism. The book goes through Powder’s childhood singing with her family, her great-grandfather making her a drum of her own and teaching her its songs, creating her own drumming group, Chubby Cree,…
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by Franck Prévot Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty Translated by Dominique Clément 5 stars Originally published in French, this wonderful picture book biography celebrates the life of Wangari Maathai and her impact on the world. The book follows Maathai’s childhood in Kenya, her atypical education, founding the Green Belt Movement, and her activism to promote environmentalism,…
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