Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap: NT is OK! by Clay Morton & Gail Morton

Illustrated by Alex Merry 5 stars A hilarious and sweet story. Told from the perspective of an autistic child, we learn about Johnny, who is neurotypical. Because of this, Johnny does things differently than the narrator. He doesn’t show up at the right time, he varies his routine, he speaks in idioms, and wants to…

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Shady Baby by Gabrielle Union-Wade and Dwyane Wade Jr.

Illustrated by Tara Nicole Whitaker 3 stars Join Shady Baby on her busy day, teaching others about sharing and taking turns, while leading by example with just the right amount of sass. Rhythm and rhyme combine to create engaging, rolling text. Adorable illustrations. They’re bright, colorful, and perfectly capture the shade. Nice themes of leadership,…

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Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now!

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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Stitches of Tradition (Gashkigwaaso Tradition) by Marcie Rendon

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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Ping-Pong Shabbat: The True Story of Champion Estee Ackerman

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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The Wild Ones by Megan Lacera & Jorge Lacera

Illustrated by Jorge Lacera 4 stars A short and sweet comics-style picture book. Absolutely adorable. Four friends are convinced there is a monster living in the forest near their shared apartment building, Wild Oaks. They just can’t decide which monster (and their favored snack). When their beloved apartment building is scheduled for demolition, they turn…

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Wild for Winnie by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie 3 stars On the fence about this one. I loved the ways that Winnie’s teacher recognizes Winnie’s needs and finds ways to involve the whole class in meeting those needs together. They all participate in fun activities and in the process connect with Winnie. However, the basis of the book relies…

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My Hair is My Friend by Myrce’tez Gowan-Perkins

Illustrated by Danielle Arrington 3.5 stars A sweet story about treating your hair with love and kindness. With the help of her older sister, a young girl learns how to care for her hair and treat it like a friend. The story goes through various steps of hair care, pointing out when the be gentle…

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Honk Honk, Beep Beep, Putter Putt! by Rukhsana Khan

Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat 3 stars A fun, engaging story of how different vehicles communicate told through rhythm, rhyme, and repetition. Ibraheem and his cat, Mitu, join Baba on his delivery trip through Pakistan. Along the way, they must navigate the busy streets, communicate with other vehicles, and make sure everyone stays safe while they…

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