Illustrated by Kadir Nelson 3.5 stars An engaging read with sweet themes of confidence and not being afraid to be different. Sassy dreams of dancing on stage, but she’s taller than all the other girls in her ballet class and none of the boys can lift her. She feels different because of her height, long…
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by Joanna McClintick Illustrated by Keisha Morris 4 stars A lovely story of food, reminiscing, and bringing people together. A child wonders how their chosen family’s Friendsgiving tradition got started, asking different members of the family. They all think they had a part in starting the tradition, but by the end they recognize that the…
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Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist 3.5 stars “Life is for us, and is shining. We have a right to sing.” An colorfully illustrated edition of Brooks’ poem, “A Little Girl’s Poem”, to celebrate her 100th birthday. A lovely poem wishing the best for all the children in the world. Promotes themes of acceptance, joy, love,…
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Illustrated by Sanjay Patel 4 stars A gorgeously illustrated story inspired by Hindu mythology. When Ganesha was young, he loved going out with his friend Mr. Mouse to collect sweets from the temples to snack on. But after breaking his tusk on a Super Jumbo Jawbreaker Laddoo, Ganesha becomes self-conscious. Until he meets Vyasa who…
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by Suzanne Slade Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera 4 stars A wonderful children’s biography of Gwendolyn Brooks and her lifelong love of poetry. The story spans from Brooks’ childhood to winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950. The book focuses on Brooks’ love of writing and her publishing career, as well as touching on…
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4 stars Mia doesn’t feel fully connected to her Jewish identity. She looks different than most of the kids at her Jewish day school (some of whom are quick to point it out) and she feels disconnected from her Muscogee identity. So she decides to visit her father in Oklahoma to learn more about Muscogee…
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by Christina Rice, Tee Franklin, Megan Brown, and Stephanie Williams Illustrated by Abby Bulmer, Yancey Labat, Natalie Haines, and Asia Simone 3 stars A fun collection of new stories featuring characters from Gen 4 and Gen 5. Nice variety in the stories including a story from Princess Cadance’s past, best friends going on an adventure…
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by Joy Harjo Art by Dana Tiger 5 stars A stunning edition of a powerful poem of grief and healing. It was nice having read this poem previously in An American Sunrise: Poems. Because I was already familiar with the poem, I could focus on its interplay with the artwork in this edition. The poem itself…
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Illustrated by Tara Anand 5 stars Fantastically written. Shreya loves painting. She feels special when her art teacher praises her work. Mr. Rao even asks Shreya to come to the art room for him to paint her. But then something happens. Shreya feels different. She doesn’t want to be praised anymore. She doesn’t want to…
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Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney 4 stars A beautifully written story, the first book of the Logan Family Saga showcases the bravery, creative problem solving, and resolve of the Logans. Cassie loves the forest on her family’s property. No matter what her brother says, she knows she hears the trees singing. But then the siblings witness…
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