Illustrated by Kat Fajardo 5 stars Another wonderful volume in The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class series. The third book follows Poppy Song, who loves baking and spending time with her grandmother. Poppy can’t wait for her grandmother, Po Po, to be the Valued Visitor in Mrs. Z’s class. But when Po Po starts acting…
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by Franck Prévot Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty Translated by Dominique Clément 5 stars Originally published in French, this wonderful picture book biography celebrates the life of Wangari Maathai and her impact on the world. The book follows Maathai’s childhood in Kenya, her atypical education, founding the Green Belt Movement, and her activism to promote environmentalism,…
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Illustrated by Marta Altés 3.5 stars Another fun story featuring Oona, Lucy, and Horace. Things are going well for Oona the Underwear Fairy… until she has a run-in with some vengeful leprechauns. Now she must help Lucy stop the leprechauns’ mischief so Lucy can fulfill her duties as the Tooth Fairy. Nicely written. Great humor…
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3 stars A visually stunning story about shyness, confidence, and the power of friends helping each other. Timmy loves performing in their room, but once they get in front of other people their shyness takes over in the form of a giant lion that roars their confidence away. With the help of their new friend,…
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by Tonya Duncan Ellis Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed 5 stars A beautiful celebration and history of Emancipation Park. Told from the perspective of the park itself, the book follows the park’s founding in 1872, its vital role in the community especially during the time of Jim Crow laws, its years of disrepair, and its eventual…
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by Laura Obuobi Illustrated by Olivia Duchess 4 stars An absolutely stunning picture book biography of Michaela Mabinty DePrince. The story follows DePrince’s life from her time at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, her adoption and moving to the US, her passion for ballet growing up, and her success as a ballerina. It also explores…
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Illustrated by John Rocco 5 stars A sweet story about the magic of libraries and the joy of sharing books. Piper loves her books. She takes them everywhere she goes. But she does not like to share them. As her collection grows, so do the problems with carrying them all around with her. Until one…
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Illustrated by Matt Rockefeller 5 stars Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Told entirely as a palindrome, this lushly-illustrated fantasy tale follows a young boy grieving the loss of his mother. In his anger and grief, he sets out on an adventure to seek the answer to a crucial question, learning an important lesson along the way. A…
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4 stars A conversational book about how to be more inclusive and how our differences can bring us closer. Together Ashton Mota and Rebekah Bruesehoff discuss what inclusion means and different ways to be inclusive. While they emphasize their experiences as trans youth, they also use examples such as moving to a new place, coming…
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by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown Illustrated by Christine Almeda 4 stars A nice, upbeat chapter book about working together, helping others, and what it means to be awesome. When she learns her grandparents will have to move from their home, Sarai Gonzalez uses her skills in baking, dance, and problem-solving to help them. I…
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