Ethan spots three stray kittens on his way to school one morning. He is immediately captivated by them and starts visiting them every day on his way home. Though his brother insists their dad would never let them get a cat, he helps Ethan learn more about stray cats and how they survive. The book also teaches about a local vet’s trap, neuter, return process to prevent more kittens from ending up on the streets.
Kids will immediately connect with Ethan’s obsession with the adorable strays and will be inspired by his quest to make sure they are okay. Hatem Aly’s illustrations will further enthrall kids as they see the kittens run, eat, and play. This is a great book for any animal lover.
written by Nina Laden and illustrated by Melissa Castrillon
A young girl and her small white dog set out on a trek and along the way are gently encouraged by Mother Nature to appreciate and nurture their world. This lovely book has a beautifully lyrical text accompanied by stunningly detailed artwork. The message is simple and the illustrations fit it so well. Us the book for Earth Day (or any day) and share it with children as a reminder to really look around and observe the breathtaking beauty of their natural world. Highly recommended
written by Jorge Argument and illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez
Gerónimo Pérez, aka “Bilingual”, embraces his effortless ability to switch back and forth between English and Spanish. He says “…I can change from English to Spanish, easy as pie, so smooth, so cool, so beautiful, suuuuper sweet.” This is his superpower and he uses it for good, as a superhero should. When his grandma or mother need help with translation of a doctor’s instructions or the bus driver’s announcement of a route, Bilingual is there to help. At school, this superhero acts as the intermediary between his English speaking teacher and Spanish speaking classmates, which helps everyone immensely. He is happy with his ability to speak, sing and dream in both languages. What a wonderful superpower to have!
Gerónimo, like many children of non-English speakers, is often called upon to translate for the adults around him. This is such a valuable ability and one that should be celebrated. Students like Gerónimo are often summoned and are willing to translate for their classmates and teachers, which is so appreciated (I speak from experience). This book celebrates this gift and superpower in a way that shows Gerónimo’s intuitive use of both languages at times when it is most needed. His pride in his “bilingual-ness” is well-deserved and all students with this ability should see this book and recognize those unique gifts.
Text is written in both English and Spanish with accompanying illustrations, vibrantly painted and filling the pages with exhilaration, while conveying the impact of the words. The parrots in each illustration appear to denote the English and Spanish parts of Gerónimo in a playful way and seem to remind us that they are part of his daily life. The text is accessible and lyrical. Younger readers will enjoy the story, which would be a great read-aloud or partner read for those students that don’t read both languages.
This book is a wonderful ode to bilingual speakers, especially children, and should be shared with kids whether they can speak two languages or not. To see this superpower exhibited in a story will empower bilingual speakers and give monolingual readers a peek into their lives. It’s a lovely book.
Sam is excited – her mom is taking her school clothes shopping at the mall with her two best friends, Sarah and Sydney. She starts the morning with her dad, singing and brushing her teeth and then saying four things that she likes about herself that day. Her mom joins in the fun and they end up downstairs where we meet Sam’s couch, Misty, names after famed African American ballerina, Misty Copeland. Sam often rests on Misty, because she has cerebral palsy and her legs get tired at times. Her other favorite seat is Laney, the jokester back seat of her mom’s car. She and her friends giggle and chat in the back seat as they head to the mall, where they try on some amazing school outfits, including Sam’s cute adaptive clothing. They take a break on a new bench called Maya and then are on their way back to Sam’s house and a final fashion show. Sam is really excited for school to start now!
Colorfully drawn illustrations enhance a story that embraces and celebrates differently abled children. Characters are diverse. Sam and her parents are Black, Sarah is Asian and Sydney is a red-haired white girl. This is a sweet story that normalizes differences. It’s a winner!
written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Fred Blunt
Frog can do many things – hop, shop, bop and chop. Pig can….flop. But, Frog suddenly flops and Pig takes over and hops, shops, mops, bops and pops. He pops a little too much popcorn and Frog jumps in to hop mop, and flop with him. They can do it all together!
Simple, repetitive sentences and engaging illustrations make this short reader a perfect book for a young student. There is an added word box in the front and questions in the back to increase depth of understanding. Put this in your library for kids that love “Elephant and Piggie”. They’ll thank you!
written by Charlotte Cheng and illustrated by Amber Red
GoGo, a stray dog, is resting near the bustling night market when his nose leads him to some delicious snacks. As he wanders through the crowds, he notices a little girl that looks sad and alone. He leads her through the market, sharing its vibrant scents and sights. Eventually, she breaks away from him to run into her parents’ arms, who tearfully hug her. GoGo thinks his friend is now gone. But, no! They call him over and he now has a family and a home!
This vibrantly illustrated book is a wonderful glimpse at the lively hustle and bustle of a night market. Text is spare and the illustrations serve to fill out the story beautifully. And, who doesn’t love a story where the girl and the dog become best friends forever?
written by Salima Alikhan; illustrated by Noor Sofi
Multicultural Day is coming and the teacher has assigned a project. Students will make something that tells the story of who they are. Kids begin cutting, pasting, drawing and planning. But, there is one student that is struggling. Does she highlight her mom’s German culture or her dad’s Indian heritage? What about her American roots? All are integral to who she is as a person. After much thought, the child displays items from all three cultures. She doesn’t have to be one or two cultures. She is all three, “telling the story of who she is”. And, guess what? Other students come forward to share their multicultural stories, too!
This important book will lead to some wonderful conversations about who we are – a marvelous combination of those that come before us! Proudly embracing our cultural heritage is told in simple language with beautifully rendered illustrations. In a day and age when we are even more a mix of so many vibrant cultures, this book is a winner. Share it with everyone!
Willow LOVES her magic. It is what makes her a witch and she uses it for absolutely everything. After using it at a soccer game and getting a ton of goals, her (mummy) teacher takes away her wand and tells her she’ll get it back at the end of the day. Willow is devastated! How can she function without her wand? Yet, she manages very well and understands that there is magic inside her in the form of her own abilities- she doesn’t have to use a wand for everything!
Bright illustrations and friendly looking monsters add to a simple story about valuing yourself without all the extra ‘stuff’. The message is sweet and, with discussion, is a good lesson for all.
Bug really wants his friend, Trilobite, to try his snack. But, Trilobite ONLY eats noodles. In the end, Trilobite is willing to take a nibble and eats the whole thing. Fortunately, she has LOTS of noodles to share.
This easy reader is written in the same way as “Elephant & Piggie” and uses speech bubbles to convey the story. Colors are bright and there is a lot of white space on the page. The characters’ emotions are clearly shown in their expressions and the book is simple enough for early readers. This book should fly off the shelves as another option for those kids that love Mo Willems’ books and easy graphic novels. Highly recommended.
written by Nicholas Solis; Illustrated by Luisa Uribe
Two cousins live on either side of the Mexico-U.S border and share what they love about their homes as well as their enjoyment of their cousin’s town. Each two page spread shares a unique aspect of their towns in both English and Spanish. They share about their houses, schools, markets, holidays and time together in both towns. This sweet story ends with the cousins and their families crossing the border, a bridge over a river, with guards on both sides and both kids expressing the wish that visits could be easier. They stand overlooking the river and share that both towns feel like home.
This story is great on many levels. The lovely illustrations, which offer details of life on both sides of the border, are perfect for some compare and contrast discussions. The English and Spanish is simple enough for language learners and read alouds. And, students will notice the joy that these two cousins experience no matter what town they are in together.
Animals move in many ways for a variety of reasons. Many use these “dances” as a courtship behavior while some animals spin and pirouette to warn of danger or to remove parasites. Whatever the reason, animals exhibit some amazing moves in this beautifully illustrated book.
Each page or two page spread has a large illustration of an animal (or pair) along with a short description of its “dance” and the possible reasons for such movement. There is a lot of information packed into those short paragraphs and they might pique the interest of would-be scientists, who will want to learn more about the featured creatures. Digital illustrations are colorful and dynamic. Text is not overwhelming and sometimes humorous. For example: the male praying mantis hopes that the female is well fed and won’t eat him after their courtship. This nonfiction book will certainly be popular in your library.
written by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller; illustrated by Keisha Morris
“It starts with a vision.” So begins an encouraging story of dreaming, building, failure, success and growth. Girls are sketching, gathering materials and creating. There are a few adults to help. But, the girls are the stars and the book shows that it can lead to bigger things, because “A girl can build anything. A girl can build everything.”
Short sentences with digital paper collage impart an empowering message to girls everywhere. Characters are diverse and the process of creating and building is realistically portrayed as something that takes work and, on occasion, failure to successfully complete. While it is a wonderful story for girls, this book is really for everyone. The process of creating is the same for all builders and the growth-mindset involved is necessary no matter who you are. Recommended.
written by Kari-Lynn Winters and illustrated by Kelly Collier
Donkey is a cat – or so he thinks. He acts like a cat. He cuddles the other kitties in the barn, he pounces and he perches. But, sometimes things don’t feel quite right. He doesn’t like cat food and climbing? That’s hard. One day, the farmer said something that made him question himself. She said “Donkey, you’re acting like a cat.” What? Is this true? He and his kitty friends start to wonder. Sadly, Donkey walks away to sleep under a tree by himself. Suddenly, he heard a kitten meow in distress and ran to the rescue, kicking at a fox and saving the day. Upon his return to the barn with the kitten, the other cats cheerfully welcome him back, whatever he is. He decides that he is happy with who he is – a don-kitty!
This book tells a story of friendship and being who you are. Speech bubbles and cartoon-like illustrations help us grasp the personalities of the characters. The story is humorous, sweet and a great kick off to everything from lessons on animal traits to self-acceptance. Given its many possibilities, this is a great book for your library. Highly recommended.
written by Michelle Sterling; illustrated by Dung Ho
Ren jumps out of bed, ready for a busy day in preparation for Lunar New Year. She wonders if she is old enough this year to help her family make the special foods or decorations for the festivities. She asks to join family members in their tasks – Baba with decorations, Mama and Uncle Jian with the dumplings and Auntie Weili with the noodles. It’s not going to happen this year, because she’s too small. But, things change when her brother, Charlie, enters the home. He patiently shows her how to make the traditional pineapple cakes, rolling, patting baking and sometimes, cleaning up a little mess. The cakes turn out beautifully and are part of a wonderful family Lunar New Year celebration. At the end, there is a recipe for those special pineapple cakes. Yum!
Bright cartoon-like illustrations accompany simple text in this wonderful book about an event that is culturally significant to many people around the world. An author’s note discusses the holiday and her connection to it, while the recipe at the end of the book is an invitation to join the festivities. Highly recommended for those libraries looking to increase their diverse literature selection.
written by Elana K. Arnold and illustrated by Giselle Potter
A child builds a masterpiece with some beautiful colored painted blocks and he does it all by himself. Or does he? This cumulative tale tells the story of the this boy’s masterpiece starting with the tree farmer, who plants a seedling many years before. An arborist cares for it and a woodcutter falls the mature tree. A woodworker carves blocks which are then painted by an artist. This artist packs them up and a driver delivers them to a toy store. The shopkeeper displays the blocks and they are purchased by a grandma, who brings them home to the child and he builds a masterpiece! Then it goes back to the beginning.
This story builds upon itself and is accompanied by watercolor and ink illustrations. Text is simple and repetitive. Students will jump in and “read along” as the story unfolds. While the story is cumulative, it also circles back to the beginning, which will be fun for the reader to follow.
Captain Cat and his friend, Pilot Matt, fly their spaceship to Mars. They meet some friendly aliens there and explore the surface of the planet. A storm comes up and they wait it out with their new friends and some yummy snacks. Unfortunately, the storm tips over their spaceship, which cracks it. Their alien friends save the day with some glue and tools. The intrepid astronauts take off and their new friends follow behind.
This book, part of the Ready to Read series, is a very accessible story, with simple text that rhymes that are not overwhelming for the beginning reader. Engaging illustrations make it even more fun. Add this to your collection for those newly minted readers in your school.
Rooster has just arrived in his new home to start his new job – waking the guests of the ZZZ Hotel. He awakens and gives his signature “OCKCAY AWAY OODLEDAY OODAY.” No one wakes up! He tries using a megaphone and just gets protests in a variety of languages before the other animals go back to sleep. Deciding he isn’t cut for this job, he prepares to leave. He doesn’t want to travel on an empty stomach, so he cooks breakfast. The smell of the wonderful food rouses the sleepy animals, who rush share this delicious fare and thank Rooster. He doesn’t understand their languages, but he has discovered a way to connect – by sharing! The story ends with an illustration containing Rooster’s new business, “OCKCAY AWAY OODLEDAY OODAY DINER”.
This boldly illustrated book is a fine addition to any library, telling a story of a newcomer who finds his passion in his new home and discovers a way to connect to others. A sweet, fun immigration story that students will enjoy. They might even want to try Rooster’s language – pig Latin!
A young student has a problem. His teacher, Mr. Lopez, assigns the task of writing an autobiography. First of all, what is that? His classmates get right to work. His best friend, Marcus, loves hats and Alia wants to write about vampires, because she thinks about them all the time.
He is stuck! But, his sister comes to the rescue, telling him about her autobiography and reassuring him when he makes mistakes (it’s ok, you can edit). In class, the writing continues, with brainstorming , lists and first proofs. The boy continues his writing journey with a title, cover and more editing. The story ends with an addition to his list of “Things I Want to Be” – an author.
This is a fantastic book for kickstarting the writing process for young students. Appropriate vocabulary and simple illustrations make it a quick read and great discussion starter. I appreciate that the young boy works through his frustration and learns as he goes along. We have all been in that same place in our own writing journey. His friend, Marcus, adapts his autobiography into a comic style piece, noting that “drawing is easier than writing for me”. What a great representation of the reality of writing for so many kids. And, we can infer that the teacher is accepting of this change, since Marcus proudly shows his work-in-progress to the young writer. Use this book to introduce some of the elements of the writing process as well as the concept of autobiographies. Highly Recommended
Kirby, the pug, is missing! As his owner searches the town for her errant puppy, the reader sees Kirby causing all kinds of problems in the streets. Each page is full of color and life and different breeds of dogs. Kirby’s owner notes each breed’s characteristic. For example, “Huskies are singers”. And, “Samoyeds just smile and smile”. Finally, we find Kirby at the end, somehow turning all these traffic jams into a street party, complete with red carpet and cake.
This is a fun romp of a story with lots of dogs. Pugs are the current stars of many popular picture books and this one will be equally popular with younger readers. Busy illustrations are engaging and fun. And, the author is pretty spot on with the breeds’ personalities. Recommended.
This is a book of fourteen affirmations for young students. Each double page spread has hand-lettered words on one side and an accompanying illustration on the other. Characters are diverse in ethnicity and ability and the illustrations are digitally rendered in bright colors, which is very engaging for the target audience.
Affirmations are split between those that help others and those that are more self reflective. Examples include “I will help those in need and ask for help when I need it”. This book will be very useful for discussion with young children about being the best they can be to themselves and others. And, as the story says “I will join with you to make this a better world for everyone”. Recommended
This is a story about the life of an emperor penguin chick, mostly told from inside the egg. The chick and father await mama’s return from feeding with the egg mostly tucked under the father’s belly on his feet. The chick describes what he hears and feels from inside the egg until near the end of the story when he “CRACK” comes out of his shell to greet his father and returning mother.
This simple story with its warmly colored illustrations gives some great details about the emperor penguin interwoven with the flow of the story. Young students will be learning without even realizing it. An author’s note expands on the information given in the story, which will certainly lead to further research for many interested young penguin enthusiasts. Recommended
Bill is on a rainbow hunt and as he begins his adventure, he is joined by three friends. Each adds something – butterfly net, candy and so forth. They travel in every direction yet don’t find the end of the rainbow or treasure. They do find something even better – a wonderful day with friends full of adventure (and a bonus white dog that they name Cheesecake, or is it Coconut?). The story ends with Bill setting out on another hunt, this time for Bigfoot and the story continues…
This wonderful story is all about the fun of being with friends and having an adventure outside. The goal, like the gold at the end of the rainbow, might not be achieved. But, it is the journey and its excitement that is the the memorable byproduct. Young readers will identify with the four friends as they turn here and there during their quest. And, they will certainly agree that the most fun part is is the hunt itself.
Text is appropriate for young readers and illustrations are simple and bright. Characters are diverse. Recommended.
In a major swerve away from your typical “princess” stories, Princess Susan is the heroine of the day. This young princess has very caring parents, who spend all the royal gold on sparkles and frilly dresses for her. Unfortunately, that means that their knights are woefully unprepared to fight the dragon that comes to town and destroys everything. All they have are hedgehogs, mops and other inadequate armaments. Princess Susan takes on a job as a scullery maid in the castle to earn gold for swords and stuff. But, there’s no gold to pay her, just lemons. So, she and her new friend, Eleanor (a real scullery maid), start a lemonade business. They get lots of gold, only to have the king and queen buy MORE frilly dresses and sparkles. Ever the problem-solver, Princess Susan takes Eleanor to take on the dragon themselves with some sparkles and a contract. All ends well, with the dragon joining their new business, providing dragon breath heat to a few thousand customers. Her parents are so thrilled that they get her some business cards.
Princess Susan is a spunky, bright royal, who doesn’t have a problem rolling up her frilly sleeves and getting to work. Her sidekicks, Eleanor and Max (her faithful pup) do a great job of keeping up with her and end up with their own business cards (so does the dragon). It’s nice to see a princess story where the princess saves the day. And, it’s even nicer to see her parents encourage her ingenuity and business acumen.
The story flows nicely and the accompanying illustrations are vibrant and move the story along. This book is a wonderful addition to school libraries, where young readers clamor for the newest “princess” books. It might just make them think outside the box just like Princess Susan did!
Kat Hats Incorporated is a special training facility where special cats learn to be “living hats” for specific purposes. These cats are rented out to mountain climbers, Arctic explorers and other extreme adventurers. It is owned by Matt Kats, his wife, Glamorella, and their children, Pocketmouse and Lambkin.
Their most prized cat is Thermal Herman 67/8ths, who is the warmest cat ever known (a good thing, since over 90% of the the body’s heat is lost through the head). In this story, it’s a good thing he wasn’t on an expedition, because he was sent on an emergency mission – to find and help Thirdbeard’s mother, Chickarina (the witch), who walked off licking a fruitsicle. He was worried that she might get a brain freeze. So, Thermal Herman 67/8ths hurried up the mountain, encountered his own adventures on the way and saved Chickarina in the knick of time by pretending to be a witch’s hat. She put him on and warmed up enough to save herself!
This very silly story is engaging, helped along by the outrageously colorful illustrations. Young readers will need to spend extra time on each page, because there is so much going on. Kat Hats is a goofy book and is sure to make kids wonder why the notion of Cat Hats hasn’t been invented yet.
A little red haired girl steps out of her house on Halloween, dressed as a cute little clown and walks into a story that begins with “10 Spooky Pumpkins”. She saunters through the pages of the story as the countdown ensues through nine black cats, eight screeching bats and so on. The story ends when the moon scares them all off and the girl goes safely home to bed.
Reminiscent of “Five Little Pumpkins” and “Five Little Monkeys” in cadence and rhyme, the story is somewhat more eerie with its darkly humorous illustrations. Yet, the cute little clown breezes through each two page spread, adding a bit of lightness.
The author adds an artist’s note at the end of the book with information and background. Black and white drawings surround the note, giving readers another look at the spooky characters within the story. This is a nice addition to fall books. Recommended.
