3 stars Nice progression for fans of the I Survived series to nonfiction encounters. I initially grabbed this one because of the sharks attacks of 1916. It is the only true story featured in this collection that Tarshis has written a novel about. Others are tangentially related to books in the I Survived series (I…
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5 stars A heartfelt book recounting Omar Mohamed’s experiences growing up in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. The book goes through Mohamed’s daily life and long-term struggles including taking care of his brother, arguments with friends, trying to get an education in the camp, learning English, coping with food shortages, fighting for resettlement in…
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3 stars A picture book telling the story of Ivan, how a gorilla became a shopping center attraction and the public’s changing understanding of animals in captivity. The book goes through some of the main events of Ivan’s story, including some dark times. It touches on various aspects of human treatment of wild animals and…
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3 stars A lovely picture book that goes beyond Aretha Franklin’s career as a singer and delves into her activism and faith. Abdurraqib’s text is lyrical with some lovely images created. He focuses not just on Franklin’s most well-known song, but how it inspired others to act and its continued effect in bringing people together…
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3 stars Context-wise, I think it’s helpful to read the Epilogue before the actual book. When I first started reading, I was a bit confused on the format and it helped to understand what the book was and how it came about. This book is a compilation of Renee and Herta’s recountings originally told for…
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3 stars I’ll start by saying I’m not usually a huge fan of realistic, middle-grade graphic novels and did not initially realize this was a memoir. Overall, I thought the story was okay. There is plenty readers can relate to: parental divorce, fighting with siblings, new friendships, school drama, growing need for independence, friends moving…
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3 stars I have loved seeing the recent flood of materials about Ada Lovelace and was excited to find a picture book among them. Hers is a fascinating story. The combination of creativity and original thinking with an interest in math and science makes for some truly remarkable accomplishments. I really enjoy learning more about…
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4 stars A fascinating non-fiction picture book about the life and work of Margaret Lowman, aka “Canopy Meg”. The book gives an overview of her childhood, education, scientific discoveries, and conservation work all while providing interesting facts about the rainforest and animals/plants that live there and quotes from Canopy Meg herself. The illustrations are beautiful,…
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5 stars An absolutely fantastic read. Right from the start, the story begins with a powerful basis. One that is sadly relatable for many in America. When presented with an assignment to “trace your roots” and draw the flag of her ancestral land, the narrator is unable to do so. She goes to her grandmother…
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4 stars An adorably sweet, heartwarming book based on a true story. Told from Peter Mercurio’s point of view talking directly to Kevin, the book tells the story of how Kevin became Peter and Danny’s son. The book focuses on the positive aspects of finding and creating family, including the support system of those around…
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