Illustrated by Courtney Lovett 3 stars A fun read overall. Honestly, the setup was a little weird to me. A journalist and a doctor drive around the country in their RV with their two young children and their dog helping out with various natural disasters. It seemed odd that Jaden and Leela would go along…
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Illustrated by Ebony Glenn 3 stars A cute, rhyming picture book following a young ballerina’s first recital. Gorgeous illustrations with lovely movement. I love that the dancers include both girls and boys with different skin tones and hair textures. At the back there is a glossary of the terms used in the book including different…
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by Jay Jay Patton with Kiara Valdez Illustrated by Markia Jenai 2.5 stars I was really excited to read this one, but it left me feeling a bit disappointed. A quick read that shares some important events in Patton’s childhood including her father getting out prison, moving to Florida, starting a new school, learning to…
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Illustrated by London Ladd 5 stars Stunning! A fantastic ode to hair and heritage. Through poetic text, the narrator connects hair to history, telling tales of iconic figures, sports, dance, and afternoons spent in the kitchen together. It connects family, culture, strength, and love. Beautifully written. I especially enjoyed all the creative wordplay. The artwork…
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Illustrated by Brianna McCarthy 4 stars A truly fantastical story of an expectant mother imagining the place where her unborn child waits and dreaming of their adventures together. The artwork is stunning. Beautiful colors and imaginative scenes. They pair perfectly with the otherworldly images of the lyrical text. While the themes of the story will…
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Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita 4 stars Another fantastic book from Doyon and Juanita. An absolutely gorgeous story that celebrates the value of different ways of thinking, neurodiversity, and challenging the status quo. This lyrical story follows a mother and child as they communicate and interact with each other throughout the day, spending time together and…
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Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita 5 stars Absolutely gorgeous. A beautiful celebration of heritage, family, nature, and the self. Told through accessible, poetic language, Doyon paints beautiful images of memories and little moments of celebration and joy, from watching a river to tasting a caramel apple, jumping in leaf piles to the marvel of a family…
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Illustrated by Natasha Nayo 3 stars It’s Kwame’s first year at Nkonyaa School, where children learn about their innate magic and how to use it with the help of magical calabashes. But when he arrives, his teachers can’t figure out the magic of his calabash. A fun adventure inspired by Akan beliefs and practices. Mensah…
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Illustrated by Geneva Bowers 5 stars A gorgeous, lush celebration of Black hair and self-confidence. Told through lyrical narration, a young girl shares some of her favorite hairstyles as she waits for her mother to reveal her latest creation. I loved the different facets expressed through different hair styles, from whimsical to majestic, mischievous to…
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by Coretta Scott King with the Reverend Dr. Barbara Reynolds Adapted by Julia Sooy Illustrated by Ekua Holmes 5 stars A powerful adaptation of King’s memoir in a format suitable for young readers. I love to see so many more books focusing on the life and work of Coretta Scott King. The book covers King’s…
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