Barefoot Skateboarders by Rina Singh

Illustrated by Sophie Casson 5 stars A fantastic story of how a village in Janwaar, India was transformed by a skate park. In Janwaar, there is a firm divide between the Adivasis and the Yadavs. But as children from both groups gather at the new skate park and make their own rules, that divide starts…

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Quiet Karima by Nidhi Chanani

3 stars “Without silence, there’s no music.” A sweet story celebrating sound and silence. Follow Karima as she goes about her day, taking in the sounds of the world. Though everyone calls her Quiet Karima, that is not all she is. Being quiet allows her to hear the music all around her and to create…

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Wildfire Rescue (Disaster Squad #1) by Rekha S. Rajan

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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The Girl Who Figured It Out: The Inspiring True Story of Wheelchair Athlete Minda Dentler Becoming an Ironman World Champion

by Minda Dentler Illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin 5 stars A fantastically told story of Dentler’s journey to becoming the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship. The book follows major events in Dentler’s life including her childhood in India, contracting polio, being adopted and living in America, pushing herself to do things…

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Cooler Than Lemonade by Harshita Jerath

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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Awe-samosas! by Marzieh Abbas

Illustrated by Bhagya Madanasinghe 5 stars Adorable, heartfelt, and delicious! Noor wants to have a samosa party with her friends, but keeps running into problems along the way. With reminders of her Dadijaan’s advice, she pushes through and puts her own unique spin on a family recipe. Such a sweet story. Great themes of perseverance,…

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Bhangra Baby by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal

Illustrated by Ani Bushry 4 stars A vibrant picture book told in catchy rhymes and an infectious beat. Bhangra Baby wants to join in the fun of the Punjabi folk dance. With the help of his family and friends, he learns the moves and spends the night dancing and celebrating. Bold, colorful illustrations. An adorable…

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I Love My Body Because by Shelly Anand and Nomi Ellenson

Illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina 5 stars A wonderfully sweet and empowering book, celebrating bodies and what they can do. The illustrations are beautiful. Loved the soft lines and diversity of characters. The artwork contains people with different skin tones, sizes, hair textures, and heights. There are characters that wear glasses, use wheelchairs, wear hijab,…

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Sejal Sinha Battles Superstorms (Sejal Sinha #1) by Maya Prasad

Illustrated by Abira Das 4 stars A fun adventure that nicely blends magic and science. Sejal loves science. With the help of some cardboard box magic, she’s always ready for adventure. When a big storm threatens the Diwali celebration, Sejal teams up with her cousin, Mira, her little brother, Abu, and her sidekick, Professor Cheetah,…

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