Tag: diversity

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon gives heroism wings

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon, by Sandra Nickel/Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro, (May 2025, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536235197

Ages 4-8

Seven, named because seven is considered a lucky name among pigeons, isn’t like the other pigeons. Most pigeons “arrive in twos”, but with Seven’s birth, there was only one. That alone set tongues a-wagging, but Seven is different in many other ways: he lets his sense guide him, leading him to craft nests of flower petals and being sidetracked by the delicious scents of a bustling French city. The other pigeons fret that he “he doesn’t nest. He doesn’t flock. And remember, there was only one”, but when the entire flock gets lost in a fog and starts to panic, it’s Seven and his wonderful sense of smell that guides him – and his flock – back to safety. A gentle story about navigating the world a little differently, Nickel’s storytelling is pairs wonderfully with Sicuro’s watercolor, goauche, and ink illustrations to tell a story that’s a feast for the senses. Pastel swirls entice Seven’s nose and transport readers to bustling city streets; expressive characters invoke pathos for Seven and will have readers cheering for him by the story’s close. I read this out loud to my storytime group last week and received a great response. An author’s note about pigeons makes up the back matter. Seven celebrates divergence and is an excellent purchase for social-emotional collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Ballet Brown: Because ballet is for everyone

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ballet Brown, by Bellen Woodard/Illustrated by Fanny Liem, (May 2025, Scholastic), $18.99, ISBN: 9781546134077

Ages 4-7

Crayon Activist Bellen Woodard loves ballet and how dance is “a conversation with the world”. As she gets older, she’s uncomfortable with the pink shoes, leotards, and pink or white tights – referred to as Ballet Pink – that she has to wear, or the bun she has to “pin and tuck and pull” her afro into. They don’t reflect her, and as she reads more about ballet, she learns that “Ballet Pink” was chosen to be an extension of the ballerina: the body and clothes, all one. But as new people discovered ballet, the rules were slow to change. Bellen and her mom decide that it’s time to make some changes of their own, even if the studio that Bellen enjoys is one of the things that need to change. A moving story of discovering what gives one power and creating healthy spaces, kids will love this first-person story about a girl who loves ballet so much that she made a place for herself where she – and other kids – felt safe and could embrace joy. Liem’s illustrations show a love of dance and are diverse, pairing nicely with Woodard’s narration. Woodard draws readers in with a real-talk look at the need for representation in ballet and the pushback to expect. Back matter includes photos of the author and author notes on Ballet Brown, Ballet Pink, and pointe shoes. An excellent addition to picture book collections, every kid who loves ballet books deserves to read this one. Download free activity and coloring sheets here!

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Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

Graphic Novels catchup!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I fell a bit behind from reviews between life and the fact that I have trouble turning anything down (it’s really hard to Read All the Books! no matter how much one wants to), but I am giving it a college try. So here’s a catchup of some graphic novels that are already out, but that you may not have been able to check out yet.

 

The Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem, by Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith/Illustrated by Molly Murakami, (March 2024, Candlewick Press), $22.99

Ages 8-12

A new middle grade series from middle grade powerhouses? Yes, please! Magoon and Smith take on social issues with a sensitivity and voice that middle graders will appreciate. Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn are cousins who move to Urbanopolis to live with their activist grandma. Riley isses her Muscogee cousins, and Maya misses her parents, but at school, they each join clubs and start getting into the swing of things just as their school culture is threatened. Using their talents, the two decide to join forces and go after the bad guy. Taking aim at money, power, and corruption, Magoon and Smith make their protagonists relatable and likable; they value family and community, and have rich diversity around them. An excellent pick for graphic novel collections, Blue Stars is the first in a new series. Visit The Blue Stars website for author information and tour dates and a free downloadable discussion guide.

The Blue Stars: Mission One has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.

Winx Club Vol. 1: Welcome to Magix, by Iginio Straffi (Created by) & Rainbow S.p.A., (Jan. 2024, Papercutz), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545811375

Ages 7-12

I have fond memories of Winx Club back in the early 00s; my older sons loved the show when it was on Nickelodeon! It was bright and cheery with a lot of action, and they were here for it, so seeing it some years later brought back some nice memories. That said, this book is an insta-hit with the kids at my library. They love anything magical girl, and this take on the Japanese magical girl subgenre is colorful, upbeat, and a lot of fun. Originally created by Italian animator Straffi, the show had some popularity with American audiences and is looking at a 2025 reboot, so it’s a good time to introduce readers to the series.

Volume 1: Welcome to Magix does not assume readers have any prior knowledge of the Winx universe, so you’re good. It’s the origin story, where Bloom, a fairy warrior, goes to Magix Fairy School , and meets a group of besties with superpowers of their own. They take on monsters and witches, and learn about themselves through their adventures and their developing friendships. The action is fast-paced and readers are going to gobble it up. If you’re looking for anime and manga-adjacent books for younger readers, consider Winx Club for your collections. Talk this up to your W.I.T.C.H. readers!

 

School for Extraterrestrial Girls ,Vol 2: Girls in Flight, by Jeremy Whitley/Illustrated by Jamie Noguchi, (Nov. 2023, Papercutz), $12.99, ISBN: 9781545806968

Ages 8-12

We finally have a sequel! Four years ago, Whitley and Noguchi released the first School for Extraterrestrial Girls and it was so good. I am so happy that a second volume is on shelves, because this is such a good story. When we last left Tara, Misako, Summer, Kat and friends, the school had been destroyed in the big final battle. Taking place immediately on the heels of Volume 1, Girls in Flight has the students moving to a new, hidden school where they will wait out their school’s reconstruction. The location: The School for Extraterrestrial Boys! The girls are staying in summer lake cabins while the boys stay in the castle where classes are held, and we get some romances in the story. We also get creepy Headmaster Stokes, who has a creepy obsession with Tara and her people. Whitley delves into burgeoning crushes, representation and diversity, and, naturally, a nefarious plot or two. The art is fantastic, with color and movement throughout. It’s another great story, and I hope school isn’t out of session for too long before we get a Volume 3. Give this to your fantasy readers; best for middle school, while some elementary kids will love the fantasy aspects.

 

Aya: Claws Come Out, by Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie, Translated by Edwige Dro, (Feb. 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $24.95, ISBN: 9781770467019

Ages 14+

This is a YA and New Adult graphic novel series set in the Ivory Coast; a slice-of-life look into the lives of a group of people living in middle-class Africa. Aya is a college student and new intern at Solibra, a beer company. She finds herself at odds with the head of human resources, while her friend, Moussa is desperate for his CEO father’s attention. Her friend Albert has to find a new place to live after being outed, and his ex, Inno, discovers that the life of an undocumented immigrant in France can be difficult. Didier just wants to take Aya out to dinner, but Aya doesn’t seem to have the time, and Bintou discovers soap opera stardom comes with drawbacks. Translated from French and set in the 1980s, Claws Come Out is an interesting look at life in Africa at the time, but without reading previous Aya books, readers may be lost. Pacing and panel placement can feel disjointed. Purchasing all 6 books may be an expense in this budget crunch, but if you are interested in testing the title, try one or two of the first books in the series and see how they do before purchasing others.

The Inventor: The Dangerous Discovery, by Lars Henrik Eriksen, (Jan. 2024, Papercutz), $12.99, ISBN: 9781545811481

Ages 7-12

You know I can’t go long without recommending a STEM/STEAM book. The Inventor is that book. This first volume introduces readers to Cobalt Cogg and his grandfather, Alfred. The two live on the island of Mata-Mata, and Cobalt wants to be an inventor just like Alfred. There’s a problem when Cobalt and his friend Linnea get into an accident with one of Alfred’s inventions, and Cobalt must find a way to recover and move past his grief with the help of his friends and family. Touching on themes of grief and loss, tinkering and Alpha-Energy, Eriksen creates a tale that is interesting and touching. The look and feel is Miyazaki-influenced, so consider booktalking this to any Miyzaki fans you may have.

Volume 2 is due out in September, so your readers won’t have to wait too long if you invest them in the series now!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

My Mother’s Tongues celebrates language and culture

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages by Uma Menon/Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, (Feb. 2024, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536222517

Ages 4-8

A young girl named Sumi loves that her mother speaks two languages, Malayalam and English. She has “two tongues” and can easily move between each language depending on who she’s speaking with: with Sumi, she speaks a combination of Malayalam and English; with the cashier at the store, English; with her grandmother, Malayalam. Sumi sees only one tongue in her mother’s mouth, but the two tongues are “woven together like fine cloth. The seams are invisible”. Sumi thinks of her mother’s childhood, her migration from India to America, and how her two tongues grew together. Her family tells her that languages are like muscles and that they need to be exercised to become stronger, and she thinks of all the languages she hears. The story is a lyrical celebration of langauge and diversity, with emphasis on embracing one’s own tongue while learning others, and how multilingualism can expand our world while bringing us together. Mixed media illustrations in vivid colors look like a woven quilt and weaving references throughout the storytelling reinforce the theme. An excellent addition to storytime collections.

My Mother’s Tongues has a starred review from School Library Journal.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day! Celebrate with Chocolate Milk, Por Favor!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Happy Multicultural Children’s Book Day! I love being part of this initiative and bringing you books from different cultures and cultural points of view. This year, I’ve got two great ones, starting with this book on empathy and kindness.

Chocolate Milk, Por Favor: Celebrating Diversity with Empathy, Maria Dismondy/Illustrated by Donna Farrell, (Sept. 2020, Cardinal Rule Press), $15.95, ISBN: 9781733035965

Ages 4-8

Johnny is a boy who is put off by a new kid in school. It’s Gabe’s first day in an American school, and he doesn’t speak English. He’s scared and alone, and cries as his mother tries soothing him with his favorite drink, chocolate milk. As Johnny goes through his school day he is put off by Gabe’s inability to communicate, but he’s also jealous: Gabe can do incredible soccer moves, and everyone else is so nice to him! Why are they helping this crybaby? It takes an act of kindness of Gabe’s part is an a-ha moment for Johnny: Gabe helps him figure out a complicated soccer move, and Johnny realizes Gabe must have felt a similar kind of frustration and stress by being in a new environment. Having reached understanding, Johnny finally becomes a friend to Gabe, bringing him chocolate milk, understanding that “to have a friend is first to be a friend”. Themes of diversity, empathy, and inclusivity run through the story and illustration, using chocolate milk as a centering point to communicate warmth, love, and comfort. Back matter includes a note on the true-life inspiration for the story and ways to help welcome English Language Learners. More important than ever, Chocolate Milk, Por Favor is a relatable story that drives home the importance of understanding. Download a free readers guide and coloring pages at Cardinal Press’s website.

 

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2024 (1/25/24) is in its 11th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.

Read Your World celebrates Multicultural Children’s Book Day and is honored to be Supported by these Medallion and Ruby Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)

🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight, Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Lerner Publishing Group, Children’s Book Council

🏅 Gold Sponsors:  Barefoot Books, Astra Books for Young Readers

🏅 Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, Lee and Low Books, Cardinal Rule Press

🏅 Bronze Sponsors: CK Malone, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Anita Crawford Clark, Star Bright Books, Blue Dot Kids Press, Brunella Costagliola, Red Fin, Fabled Films 

Ruby Sponsor: Crayola 

Poster Artist:  Rebecca Burgess 

Classroom Kit Poster: Barefoot Books 

MCBD 2024 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Gwen Jackson, Josh Funk, Eugenia Chu, Sivan Hong, Marta Magellan, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Angela H. Dale, Maritza M Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Charnaie Gordon,  Alva Sachs, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Lisa Chong, Diana Huang, Martha Seif Simpson, DARIA (WORLD MUSIC WITH DARIA) Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Gea Meijering, Stephanie M. Wildman, Tracey Kyle, Afsaneh Moradian, Kim C. Lee, Rochelle Melander, Beth Ruffin, Shifa Saltagi Safadi, Alina Chau, Michael Genhart, Sally J. Pla, Ajuan Mance, Kimberly Marcus, Lindsey Rowe Parker

MCBD 2024 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2023 is Honored to be Supported by our Partner Organizations! 

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

📌 FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

📌 Register for the MCBD Read Your World Virtual Party

Join us on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 9 pm EST celebrating more than 10 years of  Multicultural Children’s Book Day Read Your World Virtual Party! Register here. 

This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 25, 2024, at our virtual party!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Fried Rice & Marinara and VOOKS!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve been catching up on emails, and have been chatting with a publicist who sent me the cutest book link on an app called VOOKS. Have you heard of this? I swear, being away from day-to-day children’s librarianship, I feel so out of the loop (one of the reasons I still fight to keep working on my blog!). VOOKS is a storytime app with animated, read-along narration. It’s adorable! There is a subscription fee for the app, but you can also watch videos for free on their YouTube channel; that’s how I enjoyed Fried Rice & Marinara, a VOOK original story by NFL Network anchor Mike Yam.

Fried Rice & Marinara, by Mike Yam/Illustrated by Laura Dong, (Apr. 2023, VOOK Books),
ISBN: 9781737726951 ($17.99 for a hard copy available)

Inspired by Yam’s cultural heritage: growing up with a Chinese immigrant father from Hong Kong and an Italian mother, this rhyming story celebrates diversity and family. Young Mikey Yam’s fourth birthday is coming up, and he’s got a big choice to make: what kind of food should he have at his party? He loves all the delicious Italian foods on his mom’s side of the family, but there’s also such amazing Chinese food on his dad’s side! What’s it going to be: “Ravioli or Dumplings? Linguine or Lo Mein? All of these options were hurting his brain.” He asks his grandmothers, Bahboo and Nonna, but he’s still not arriving at an easy answer until the most delectable decision of all comes to him: why choose just one? The animation and rhyming narration is fun to listen to, and kids will love the expressive cartoon artwork. The story depicts a multicultural, multigenerational family and friends that come together to celebrate and cook together – Mikey’s friends help create the final dish – and celebrate Mikey’s party and everyone’s rich cultural differences.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Great and Small celebrates participation for all!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Great and Small, by Alison McLennan/Illustrated by Connah Brecon, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684645558

Ages 4-8

Tiny Eunice the Unicorn wants to enter the Great Unicorn Games and win a ribbon. She’s got all the heart and dedication in the world, but her skills fall a wee bit short. But that’s okay: her friends are there to help out and support her. When things don’t go the way she was hoping, that’s okay, too: the other unicorns and her friends work with Eunice to create the Great and Small Games, where everyone was welcome to compete “no matter how big or small, fast or slow”. Cheerful illustrations celebrate the inclusivity of the story by including a diverse group of animals, including and elephant wearing dark glasses and using a walking stick, and a teddy bear in a wheelchair; the banner promoting the Great and Small Games is translated into Braille. Front endpapers show Eunice and friends walking out from a dark, overcast forest; back endpapers show a bright sky and a group of competitors, all sporting ribbons. A cheerful story of equity and inclusivity and a good readaloud choice. Great and Small was originally published in Australia in 2022.

The Kitchen Table Classroom has fun printable unicorn headbands that would be a perfect craft accompaniment to this storytime!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY! We Are One

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Two friends deliver a stirring message to all in this story of community and friendship, unconditional acceptance and support.

 

We Are One, by Jackie Azúa Kramer/Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa & Niña Mata,
(May 2023, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542016940

Ages 4-7

 

Two girls – one, living with her mom in the city; the other, living with her fathers and brother by the beach – delight in preparing for a lantern festival in a story that celebrates friendship and kindness. One girl’s dog runs away during the festival, uniting the two new friends, and they spend the remaining time together, joining their families in a new friendship. A diverse and inclusive group of individuals bring Azúa Kramer’s words to life as people play, enjoy a day at the beach, and celebrate together. Figueroa and Mata’s digital artwork create soft and colorful characters and settings; her deep purple skies provide a rich backdrop for the street lights and festival lights, and her expressive faces have fun, individual touches, like a child wearing a shark hat as they enjoy a popsicle, or a dad wearing a hot dog costume on the boardwalk. The morning fun of a day at the beach and the park build up to a celebratory atmosphere at the festival, giving readers a sense of excitement that comes with meeting a new friend at a party. Azúa Kramer’s spare, easy-to-read verse helps readers visualize community: “If you’re a seashell, / I’m a wave. / Together we play. / If you’re harmony, / I’m a chorus. / Together we sing”. Rich endpapers feature a variety of lanterns across a purple field of night. A wonderful choice for storytimes and bedtimes.

 

Jackie Azúa Kramer is the author of many books, including The Boy and the Gorilla, illustrated by Cindy Derby; I Wish You Knew, illustrated by Magdalena Mora; and The Green Umbrella, illustrated by Maral Sassouni. Her books have been named a Best of the Best Book by the Chicago Public Library and to Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year list. Jackie lives with her family in New York. Visit her at www.jackieazuakramer.com.

Niña Mata has illustrated many children’s books, including New York Times bestsellers She’s Got This by Laurie Hernandez and I Promise by LeBron James, and the Ty’s Travels series by Kelly Starling Lyons, for which she became a Theodor Seuss Geisel Award honoree. Niña lives in New Jersey with her family. Find her online at www.ninamata.com.

Raissa Figueroa is the illustrator of a number of children’s books, including We Wait for the Sun by Katie McCabe and Dovey Roundtree, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; as well as the Oona series, written by Kelly DiPucchio; and Princess Unlimited by Jacob Sager Weinstein. She lives in California. You can visit her at www.rizzyfig.com.

One lucky winner will receive a copy of We Are One, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. and Canada). Enter the Rafflecopter contest here!

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tales from the TBR: Detectives, Nightmare Bugs, Fetching Cats, Cities, and Geraldine!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I know, it’s been a month. Crazy, right? It’s one of those moments when you just don’t realize how fast time goes until you realize… well, how fast time goes. But let’s jump right back in, since I’ve got a stack of books to talk about and some cool library programs to share. Let’s start with the books. Here’s a round-up.

The Upside Down Detective Agency, by Ellie Hattie/Illustrated by Brendan Kearney, (Aug. 2022, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684644148

Ages 4-8

Welcome to Super Sleuth HQ! Meet Stella and Stan, two crime-solving sloths who may look similar but who have different personalities that will help readers tell them apart. A famous race car driver gives them a big case, and they need help from the reader to solve it! With interactive prompts and visual clues throughout, this fun book combines an entertaining story with a seek-and-find activity to keep readers engaged and sharpening their observation and problem-solving skills. A variety of colorful landscapes take readers to a race car garage, a lavish mansion, and a race track; friendly anthropomorphic animals stand shoulder-to-shoulder with people, and the villain sports a monocle. Endpapers show Stella, Stan, and the key to the mystery. I’d love to see Stella and Stan solve mysteries in different locales!

There are some fun seek and find worksheets available through TeachersPayTeachers, for an extension activity. This springtime sheet from Casey Wiggins is great for younger readers; The Speech Owl has an 18-card set to create a fun inferencing game.

The Nightmare Bug, by Hillary Daecher/Illustrated by Angie Hohenadel, (Sept. 2022, Schiffer Kids), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764364310

Ages 4-8

A child learns to confront their nightmare in this rhyming story. Every time the child is in the middle of a wonderful dream, the Nightmare Bug shows up and ruins it! Mom lets her little one in on a secret: she used to have a Nightmare Bug, too, but she learned how to conquer it: with a hug. As the child goes back to sleep, they take two stuffed friends in for company and wait for the Bug to show up. Black backgrounds set the nighttime tone for the story, allowing bold, colorful artwork to pop off and emphasize surrealist dreamscapes; Hohenadel plays with negative space, letting the inky Nightmare Bug form as a planet or a wrapped piece of candy. Sharp-eyed readers will enjoy keeping an eye out for the bug; invite them to let you know when he’s near! Daecher tells a soothing bedtime story and teaches a valuable “hurt people hurt people” lesson by showing readers that the best way to defeat a fear is not only to confront it, but embrace it. A good choice for collections dealing with bedtime fears.

Want a good extension activity? Have construction paper around and invite kids to create their Nightmare Bugs. Use black construction paper and scissors for bigger kids, or colorful construction paper and crayons for littler creators. Try giving the kids some chalk and let them create surrealist, dreamlike creations.

 

Fetch Cat, Fetch!, by Charles Ghigna/Illustrated by Michelle Hazelwood Hyde, (Sept. 2022, Schiffer Kids), $14.99, ISBN: 9780764364600

Ages 4-7

Father Goose is at it again with this hilarious story about a little girl trying to teach her cat some new tricks… and the cat, who just wants to nap. Told in 3-word repetitive phrases: “Here, Cat. Here!”; “Speak, Cat. Speak!”, and “Dance, Cat. Dance!”, an adorable little girl attempts to get her cat to jump rope, climb a treehouse, take part in a tea party, and a number of other laugh-out-loud scenarios. Hazelwood Hyde’s illustration captures the spirit of the story, showing an enthusiastic child and a poker-faced cat determined to ignore her. Families with pets will likely see themselves in this story, especially when the little girl, tired from a day of playing with her reluctant companion, gives Cat the one command she expects him to follow, with amusing results. The girl’s dramatic body language communicates the frustration of a playmate who won’t join the game, and the cat’s determination to remain at rest will appeal not only to families with pets, but for every parent who’s wondered when their Kiddo’s battery will run down. An adorable story that makes for an amusing readaloud and a great choice for emerging readers to try on their own.

Visit Charles Ghigna’s website for more information about his books.

 

 

 

If You Were a City, by Kyo Maclear/Illustrated by Francesca Sanna, (Oct. 2022, Chronicle Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781452155197

Ages 3-6

A delightful celebration of cities and how they form – and are formed by – the people who live in them, this rhyming exploration invites readers to imagine what they would be like if they were a city. Colorful, vibrant illustrations show a variety of city settings with a diverse group of citizens at work and play, and each city has its own personality: “shiny, glassy, sleek and tall”; “wooden, squat, and nicely small”; a library shows a group of readers dreaming of cities that come from the mouth of a storyteller, and an explorer discovers Central American-looking pyramids in a “lost city”. The cities thrive with action, their societies interacting peacefully together. Verses prompt readers to consider the neighbors we share our space with, “leav[ing] them room for nest and lair”, a brown-skinned girl holding a fox safely in her outstretched hand as a monkey swings on her foot. As the story moves toward a close we see children creating their cities, using their own bodies to connect the pieces: arms connected to become a bridge; holding up a platform with buildings; covering a roof (maybe a library?) with a book. An uplifting, hopeful vision of who we can become. Endpapers feature a series of snowglobes with cities inside. An excellent storytime choice and a great STEAM storytime book: invite readers to create their own cities with blocks, construction paper, and soft toys.

 

Geraldine and the Rainbow Machine, by Sol Regwan/Illustrated by Denise Muzzio, (Nov. 2022, Schiffer Books), $16.99, ISBN; 9780764364396

Ages 4-8

One of my favorite tinkerers is back! In Geraldine’s fourth adventure, she works to create harmony among her classmates when a new friend arrives at school. Hamid arrives from Pakistan and Geraldine immediately befriends him, but not everyone is as kind or welcoming. Frustrated by insensitive playground antics, Geraldine tinkers up a rainbow machine to show her classmates that everyone has something interesting about them; and when you combine the colors of the rainbow, they all blend together. There are lovely moments of kindness here, from Geraldine gently relocating a spider family taking up residence in one of her bowls to her statement regarding the Rainbow Machine: “When you spin it really fast, the colors all blend together. I think it shows that our differences don’t matter”. The class, delighted at Geraldine’s hands-on device, enjoys their differences and their similarities, and celebrates their uniqueness. Endpapers display a rainbow coming from what looks like one of Geraldine’s journals, the Rainbow Machine sketch laid open for readers. Regwan manages to keep the STEM/STEAM theme of the Geraldine series while delivering heartfelt story about acceptance and friendship. A good book to consider for SEL collections.

Posted in Uncategorized

Who Are You? encourages discussion

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Who Are You?, by Smriti Halls/Illustrated by Ali Pye, (Aug. 2022, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684644704

Ages 3-6

A rhyming, inclusive story about families and diversity, Who Are You? is a story framed with questions that invite families to create a family chronicle: “Who’s in your family? / Who’s in your pack? / Who takes good care of you? / Who has your back?”. Asking questions about likes and dislikes, physical characteristics, immediate and extended family, and more, with further thought-provoking questions in each spread, Who Are You? is great for preschool and kindergarten classes and for family project reading. Colorful digital artwork illustrates an inclusive, diverse group of people, assuring that kids will see themselves and their families in this fun story.