Month: November 2021
ENOUGH! 20 Protesters Who Changed America
ENOUGH! 20 Protesters Who Changed America Written by Emilie Easton Illustrated by Ziyue Chen Reviewed by Jane Lyons This children’s book wonderfully illustrates historical and current protesters who have stood up to injustices in America. Emilie Easton’s inspiration for this story grew from her cousins who attended Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. […]
Your Name is a Song
Written by: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow Illustrated by: Luisa Uribe Reviewed by: Erin Healy Genre: Realistic Fiction Picture Book Did you know that all names are songs? That’s right. They each have their own unique flow, beat, and melody. Like many kids who have gone through school with names that cannot be found on gift store license […]
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border
Written by Mitali Perkins Illustrated by Sara Palacios Reviewed by Miles Hartfelder (2021-2022) “We haven’t seen my grandmother in five years. But today is La Posada Sin Fronteras, and we are taking a bus to the border to meet her.” Between Us and Abuela is a realistic fiction picture book. It is the story of […]
Honey, I Love
Written by Eloise Greenfield Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist Reviewed by Lindsey Smith Some picture books tackle huge topics. They can attempt to cover a political movement, a large-scale injustice, or tell a winding, elaborate story. Honey, I Love does just the opposite, and it does it very well. The poem, written by Eloise Greenfield […]
Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away
Written by Meg Medina Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez Reviewed by Mary Bishop In ‘Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away’, author and illustrator, Meg Medina and Sonia Sánchez, demonstrate how to beautifully translate childhood’s significant moments into story form. Daniela is our narrator and she tells the story of her last day with her “mejor amiga, […]
The Name Jar
Written and Illustrated by Yangsook Choi Reviewed by Ellen HurdBeing the new kid at school is a tough experience for most kids. It can be even harder for children who are from another country with a different language and culture. In the book The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, a girl named Unhei moves to […]
A Family is a Family is a Family
Written by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by QinLeng Reviewed by Lucie Wharton-Moeur Early Elementary Picturebook The word family is more than just a physical thing that people have, it is a feeling. This story tells the experience of a boy in school reflecting on his family. He starts off by worrying his family is not […]
Teddy’s Favorite Toy
Written by Christian Trimmer. Illustrations by Madeline Valentine. Review by Emily Richardson. Bren-Da, Warrior Queen of the Pacific is an etiquette icon, action hero, and fashionista extraordinaire all in one. In Teddy’s Favorite Toy, she is also Teddy’s most beloved and treasured toy. One day, when the doll goes missing, it falls to Teddy’s mom […]
Your Name is a Song
Written by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow & illustrated by Luisa Uribe Reviewed by Sofia Puorro When asked whether she was bothered by the constant and deliberate mispronunciation of her name, vice-president Kamala Harris responded that a name is the first gift children receive from their families. In Your Name is a Song, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow uses rhythm and […]