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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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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4 stars After a summer spent studying for Chinese school, playing soccer, and bonding with her grandmother visiting from Taiwan, Měi Yīng is excited to start fifth grade. But then she becomes the target of new kid Sid’s racist jokes. Should she ignore him like everyone suggests or stand up to his ignorance? Great themes…
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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 Chloe Burgett 3 stars An adorable story of perseverance, ingenuity, and creative problem solving. One summer day Eva starts a lemonade stand with roaring success. But as the competition mounts, she isn’t sure she’s cut out for the business world. With a little encouragement from her brother, Eva comes up with a brand…
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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 Xanthe Bouma 3 stars Handling middle school is a whole lot easier when Jess can hang out with best friend, Olivia, and play D&D. But now Olivia wants to bring in more players to their campaign and Jess has no interest in making new friends. A nice story overall. Can easily be read…
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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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2 stars Cinnamon has a quiet life on her family’s spice farm. But when a hot demon shows up and reveals a sinister plot, Cin is forced on a quest to take down an evil witch, putting her in close proximity to said demon and making her life anything but quiet. Fun humor and all…
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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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