by Suma Subramaniam, Illustrated by Shreya Gupta 5 stars A stunning picture book following the life of M.S. Subbulakshmi. Subbulakshmi loves to sing and wants to share her magnificent voice with others, but girls are barred from singing at public performances in India. That doesn’t stop her. With the support of her mother, she keeps…
Read More
5 stars What a phenomenal read. Whether familiar with Mankiller’s work or not, this is a great starting point for young readers to learn more about her activism within the Cherokee Nation and beyond. Loved the emphasis on hard work, helping others, and persisting in following your dreams and achieving your goals. Even in its…
Read More
5 stars A powerful and inspiring picture book recounting Malala Yousafzai’s activism for education for all. The illustrations perfectly match the tone of the author’s words. They show the hardships in the environment but also the beauty of change and the power of people coming together. The story itself gives some of the basic details…
Read More
2 stars I went into this without realizing it has a Christian focus. That’s my bad for just looking at the title and cover, and not going any further before checking it out from the library. Note: I am not a Christian so this will be a biased review. Good for what it is: a…
Read More
5 stars Adapted from Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi‘s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You A fantastic adaptation of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You for a younger audience. This is such a great series to adapt for different age groups and the kids and teens version have both been amazing. One aspect that is especially fun about the…
Read More
3 stars Another good nonfiction read in the I Survived series. This one follows different animals in their quest for survival and the humans who helped them along the way. Great for those interested in learning about animals. It should be read with the knowledge that not all the stories are entirely happy. They each…
Read More
4 stars A great resource for those starting on their anti-racist journey. Though it’s targeted toward teens, it can be beneficial for adults as well. Jewell goes through the basic progression of 1) recognizing racism, one’s own identity (both socially constructed and the traits beyond that get to the heart of the individual), and one’s…
Read More
5 stars A fantastic non-history history book. Kendi and Reynolds join forces to create an informative, accessible, and empowering version of Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America for a younger audience. Kendi with excellent scholarship and research and Reynolds adapting that research into a format that will resonate with young readers….
Read More
5 stars A stunning book that celebrates black identity and culture. Lyrical and rhythmic, this picture book has wonderful layers that readers can build upon. References to black history, literature, and music are woven into the each line. Works wonderfully for entertainment, inspiration, and education. At the back of the book is additional information that…
Read More
3 stars A lovely picture book that goes beyond Aretha Franklin’s career as a singer and delves into her activism and faith. Abdurraqib’s text is lyrical with some lovely images created. He focuses not just on Franklin’s most well-known song, but how it inspired others to act and its continued effect in bringing people together…
Read More