Illustrated by Julia Kuo 4 stars Inspired by American folklore and the origin of the Bing cherry, Kuo and Blackburne create an original tall tale that tells a larger-than-life version of the story of Ah Bing. The book wonderfully encapsulates Asian-American identity and the blending of cultures. Includes themes of ingenuity, perseverance, community, discrimination, and…
Read More
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…
Read More
Illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov Narrated by Christopher Hampton 5 stars I’ll admit I put off reading this one because I didn’t think I’d ever like a Western. But oh my gosh, this book was so good. Will and his father set out from Texas to Oklahoma to stake their claim during the Land…
Read More
by Shelia P. Moses Illustrated by Gillian Flint 5 stars Follow the journey of Opal Lee from a young girl living in segregated Texas to a passionate volunteer and activist. The book provides information about Lee’s childhood, education, career, volunteerism, and her activism to make Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday. Nicely told. I really…
Read More
4 stars A powerful exploration of what it is to be a Black man in modern America. Through a letter to his son, Coates lays out the different worlds Black men inhabit and the never-ending assessment of risk as they navigate those worlds daily. Through an examination of history and reflections on his own personal…
Read More
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…
Read More
5 stars A powerful story depicting a child’s-eye view of racism is the 1930s. Narrated by Cassie, the book follows the Logan family as they fight for survival in Depression-era Mississippi. Join Cassie as she goes to school, helps with the household, and deals with her annoying siblings. But as Cassie gets older, there are…
Read More
4 stars A fascinating blend of science fiction and the supernatural paired with romance, music, found family, and questions of what makes a legacy. I really enjoyed the genre mixing. Donut-making aliens, deals with the Devil, and passion for music collide in such a unique way. Like the Béla Bartók piece that plays such a…
Read More
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,…
Read More
3 stars A nice collection of poetry. Includes topics of COVID-19, connection, history, racism, war, loneliness, politics, and grief. I enjoyed the different styles used and the various forms the poems take, from erasure poems to a screenplay, found poetry to concrete poems. The formatting is visually interesting, utilizing different page colors, shapes, and orientations…
Read More