Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees

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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Becoming a Ballerina: The Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrince

by Laura Obuobi Illustrated by Olivia Duchess 4 stars An absolutely stunning picture book biography of Michaela Mabinty DePrince. The story follows DePrince’s life from her time at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, her adoption and moving to the US, her passion for ballet growing up, and her success as a ballerina. It also explores…

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From Garden to Pickle by Penelope S. Nelson

2 stars A simple look at how pickles are made for early readers. Simple narration paired with bright stock photos provides an overview of how pickles are made. Doesn’t provide much detail beyond pick, scrub, add brine, seal, and wait. Short, simple sentences between 1 to 7 words long. I did enjoy the infographic at…

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My First Indoor Garden: Everything You Need to Know to Grow Little Houseplants

by Philippe Asseray Illustrated by Charlène Tong Translated by Grace McQuillan 4 stars A nice little intro to growing indoor plants. The book goes through the basics such as tools needed, best placement practices, watering techniques, fertilizing, and repotting. It provides information about a variety of houseplants including carnivorous plants, water lilies, cacti, mushrooms, and…

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Barefoot Skateboarders by Rina Singh

Illustrated by Sophie Casson 5 stars A fantastic story of how a village in Janwaar, India was transformed by a skate park. In Janwaar, there is a firm divide between the Adivasis and the Yadavs. But as children from both groups gather at the new skate park and make their own rules, that divide starts…

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The Girl Who Figured It Out: The Inspiring True Story of Wheelchair Athlete Minda Dentler Becoming an Ironman World Champion

by Minda Dentler Illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin 5 stars A fantastically told story of Dentler’s journey to becoming the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship. The book follows major events in Dentler’s life including her childhood in India, contracting polio, being adopted and living in America, pushing herself to do things…

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