Tag: family

Posted in picture books

Braided Roots: a foundation of family

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Braided Roots: The Interweaving of History, Family, and a Father’s Love, by Pasha Westbrook/Illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight, (Nov. 2025, Orchard Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781339015385

Ages 4-8

A girl’s father braids her hair, helping her get ready for school. His strong hands weave the strands of her hair with colorful ribbons as he tells her stories of her ancestors, the Freedmen who walked “that beaten-down dirt path from Mississippi to Oklahoma”, the Trail of Tears. Her braid is a link to generations of family and their strength. Past and present weave together in this lyrical tale inspired by the author’s childhood. Braided Roots is a story of resilience, of family, and of enduring love between a parent and child. Goodnight’s digital illustrations are filled with warmth and love; moving between images of past and present, she returns to a father’s hands and his daughter’s hair and pair beautifully with Westbrook’s emphasis on the braid’s tenacity: “Our hair is our history… It tells us who we are, where we come from”. An author’s note provides further context. An excellent choice for collections.

Posted in Uncategorized

The eternal dilemma: Put Your Shoes On by Polly Dunbar

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Put Your Shoes On, by Polly Dunbar, (June 2025, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536242973

Ages 3-6

Polly Dunbar brings an everyday occurrence to amusing life in Put Your Shoes On. Josh and his mom are getting ready to head out to Auntie Nelly’s birthday party, if he would just put his shoes on. Mom asks and asks, but Josh is off in a daydream inhabited by fun, childlike drawings. Mom is starting to get a little frustrated now, though, so Josh really needs to put those shoes on! Dunbar brings joy and humor to a very common scenario and includes a moment when Mom, as do most of us, have had enough; she also shows the best way for grownups to walk back the frustration and meet toddlers and littles where they are with love and understanding. An adorable caterpillar shows up on spreads to spark more visual interest. Pen, watercolor, marker, and crayon illustration adds a childlike playfulness to the pages. This one went over very well in the two storytimes where I’ve read it; my moms smiled and nodded knowingly to one another all the way through, and the kids cackled with glee. A good add for collections.

 

Posted in Uncategorized

A moving story of grandfathers and home: Dedushka

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dedushka: Memories of My Grandpa and Ukraine, by Katerina Spaeth, (Sept. 2025, Paw Prints Publishing), $19.99, ISBN: 9781223188973

Ages 6-8

Spaeth reminisces about her Ukranian childhood and her grandfather in this moving story. Growing up in 1990s Kharkiv, Ukraine, young Katerina does everything with her Dedushka: her grandfather. Recalled as a series of memories, young Spaeth and her grandfather spend their days together making art, waiting in line for groceries, and gardening. Dedushka teaches his granddaughter life lessons both joyful and bittersweet; he teaches her to hold her groceries close so no one can steal them, and he teaches her how to peel and eat a freshly cooked potato so that she won’t get burned. As Dedushka gets older and his eyesight worsens, Katerina reads signs and price tags for him. Sharing tea, the two “figured out how to run the entire country”; he read the newspaper to her, making up the voices as he went. Spaeth recalls the tenth anniversary of Ukranian independence, when Dedushka gifted her a red coral necklace, and she meditates on what she falls back on in Ukraine’s dark days: “There are times when the world feels dark and overcast, but thanks to the beautiful childhood Dedushka gave me, even the rainiest, windiest days are covered with his love”. Mixed media artwork has warmth and texture and includes touches of Ukranian culture, including stitchwork, sunflowers, and clothing references. Back matter includes recipes, an author’s note and photographs, and a glossary. A lovely addition to collections.

Posted in Uncategorized

Rainy Day for Tortas Fritas! Yum!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Rainy Day for Tortas Fritas, by Lau Moraiti, (Sept. 2025, Paw Prints Publishing), $21.99, ISBN: 9781223189147

Ages 5-8

It’s a rainy day in Uruguay, and that means one thing: it’s time for Dad to make his tortas! “Crispy and golden on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside”, tortas are a doughy treat that can be enjoyed with sugar, dulce de leche, or jam, and our narrator can’t wait for Dad to get in the kitchen. This fun family story is full of family, fun, and food: the perfect way to cheer up a dull and rainy day. Phonetic spelling under some words helps kids with pronunciation of new words like mate (mah-teh) and dulce de leche (dool-zeh deh leh-cheh). The chaos of waiting as the kids play a game and not-so-patiently await the tortas adds playfulness to the story, and the stretchy, colorful fonts make for a fun readaloud. A note from the author explains her father as the inspiration for the story and a tasty recipe for tortas fritas makes sure to suggest an adult’s help. A cute additional purchase for picture book collections.

 

Posted in picture books

A childhood memory brought to the page: Herring to Huckleberries

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

ɬagət̓ hiyt t̓oxʷʊm / Herring to Huckleberries, by ošil betty wilson/Illustrated by Prashant Miranda, (April 2025, Highwater Press), $21.95, ISBN: 9781774921180

Ages 6-8

Inspired by author ošil’s childhood as a member of the ɬaʔəmɩn (Tla’amin) Nation, Herring to Huckleberries is a bilingual picture book, written in the the ɬaʔəmɩn language and in English. Ošil’s favorite time of the year is spent with her grandparents on the southwest coast of British Columbia, harvesting foods from the sea and land. They fish, pick berries, dig for clams, and curl up together to fall asleep under the stars. ošil’s descriptions are vivid, so filled with an infectious joy, wonder and respect for the land. It’s a warm memory of time spent with family beautifully illustrated by Miranda, who uses deep natural colors to create the coastal setting. The characters are expressive and affectionate, portraying a loving family. A glossary and pronunciation guide, a map, author’s note, and list of traditional foods round out the back matter. Recommended for collections.

For more information about the ɬaʔəmɩn (Tla’amin) Nation, visit the Tla’amin Nation’s webpage and British Columbia’s Assembly of First Nations’ webpage.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Bubbeleh, you have to read Sweet Babe! by Robin Rosenthal!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sweet Babe! A Jewish Grandma Kvells, by Robin Rosenthal, (Feb. 2025, Tundra Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781774884324

Ages 2-5

This adorable book packs the excited punch of an over-the-moon Bubbe (that’s grandma, in Yiddish) into every page. Bubbe is so happy to be with her grandchild! The story gives a view into grandma time, as Bubbe plays with and exclaims over the wonder that is her adorable grandchild: she nibbles on fingers and toes, delights over cheeks, and marvels at the obvious brilliance that baby displays. Boldly outlined and colorful, with huge, easy to read fonts to communicate Bubbe’s euphoria on each page, this is a book that you’ll want to read again and again to any and every baby you see. Sweet Babe! is so relatable and so enjoyable that you’ll want to read it just to feel good. Need help navigating the Yiddish terms? There’s a glossary at the end. An absolute must-add to picture book and storytime collections.

 

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Touched by… a werewolf? Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Werewolf Hamlet, by Kerry Madden-Lunsford, (Feb. 2025, Charlesbridge Moves), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623544331

Ages 10-14

Okay, for anyone who sees the titles and thinks this is a fun send-up of Shakespeare set in middle school, I promise you that while you may be kind of right, you need to get ready for some tissues. Angus is our 10-year-old narrator, and he is going through some stuff. His parents are defaulting on their mortgage and behind on the bills; his little sister is worried that the Four Closers are coming to kick them out of their home. He’s struggling with school, and he’s worried about his 17-year-old brother, Liam, who’s acting like a werewolf: he’s staying out late, coming home stinky, and sometimes his eyes are bloodshot. Plus, he’s moody, snappish, and a little bit hairy. Angus also has a “legacy project” he has to do before he graduates, so he thinks up a new version of Hamlet: “Werewolf Hamlet” will be both a great legacy project and his chance to reach Liam. This is a touching story of addiction and family with relatable characters. Angus is immediately a likable character who loves classic Hollywood movies and imagines conversations between himself and luminaries like Charlie Chaplin and Lon Chaney Jr.; his late-night conversations with Liam show a kid struggling to stay connected to his brother, whom he clearly adores. Angus is a quirky character who sees things differently; he and his brother trade Shakespearean insults that will have readers chuckling. His classmates are entertaining and solidly support Angus’s narrative. Angus’s family is realistic, with flaws and strengths that readers will recognize. Cutaways from Angus’s narrative include snippets of Werewolf Hamlet, imaginary discussions with movie stars, and “Conversations with Liam in the Night” that shed light on the brothers’ relationship. A solid book that middle school and middle grade collections should keep front and center in fiction collections.

Werewolf Hamlet has a starred review from Booklist and was a featured Shelf Awareness pick. Find a Shakespearean insult generator, poster, reader’s group guide and more on Charlesbridge’s website.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Aisha’s Colors teach joy

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Aisha’s Colors, by Nabila Adani, (Sept. 2024, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536235401

Ages 3-7

A young girl living in Jakarta wishes her family would go on a vacation somewhere different, somewhere exciting, like her friends do. Her family takes the same trip every year: they drive to her Grandma’s village in the countryside. As her family sets out on their trip, Aisha thinks of the colors her friends have seen: the white snow her friend Jennie sees; the blue water and sky glimpsed by her frien Dimas. But as the trip progresses, Aisha discovers beautiful colors, too: the white of her favorite treat, for instance. As she sees the most beautiful sight of all – her grandmother – Aisha reflects on the colors her friends have seen, compares them with the colors she sees, and decides that “I’m going to stop worrying about what other people’s vacations are like”. Adani brings home the joy of seeing family, the beauty of what we have around us, and the importance of celebrating and appreciating what we have without worrying about what others have or do. Mixed media illustrations are bright and cheerful, depicting warm family relationships. Mom and Grandma wear hijabs and colorful tunics; Aisha is in overalls and a t-shirt. A cheerful story that readers will enjoy again and again.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s hard to share our favorites: Mauntie and Me

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mauntie and Me, by Rajani LaRocca/Illustrated by Nadia Alam, (Nov. 2024, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536229417

Ages 3-7

It can be really difficult to share our favorite family members: in Mauntie and Me, Priya is the youngest of her cousins and feels left behind when the family gathers on weekends. But it’s okay, because she has her mom’s youngest sister, who she calls Mauntie: short for My Auntie. Together, Priya and Mauntie play games, share riddles, and have the best time together, but a new cousin, Aditi, arrives on the scene. Only a year older than Priya, Aditi also loves spending time with Mauntie, which doesn’t sit right with Priya. When Priya gets upset, Mauntie gives her an important riddle to consider: “What grows when you share it?” As Priya mulls over the riddle, she also finds herself missing Aditi. The answer dawns on her – love – and she realizes that Mauntie doesn’t halve her attention or her love when Aditi’s around; she doubles it. LaRocca captures the emotion and stress of sharing a loved one’s time and brings Priya on a journey to understanding. She creates a gentle and loving story about familial relationships and the friendships we form within them. Alam’s digital and pencil illustrations captures warm and loving family relationships. The opening spread where Priya and Mauntie greet one another across a crowd of family speaks volumes.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

From generation to generation: Still There Was Bread

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Still There Was Bread, by Lisl H. Detlefesen/Illustrated by David Soman, (Oct. 2024, HarperCollins), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063216556

Ages 4-8

The warmth of a family kitchen comes through the pages in this intergenerational story of baking, family, and love. A young boy awaits his grandmother’s arrival, a big moment on the rise: he’s going to learn to make “Nana Rolls”: a special family bread that “Nana’s mama taught my mama when she was my age, and now Nana is going to teach me”. The two don their aprons and get to work and Nana relates stories of how different generations made the bread through the years; the boy reflects on the differences from then to now: his great-great grandmother had to collect eggs from the chicken coop, where he just has to go to the store; she had to mix the dough by hand, rather than with a mixer; she had to use a woodburning stove, where he just has to preheat an electric oven. Going deeper, the story of bread – and family – as sustenance links generations through the Depression, polio, and the Covid pandemic. The boy and his grandmother talk about breads across different cultures “for times they can be together and times they can’t”, like naan, challah, fry bread, and other breads. Soman’s pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations glow with warmth, the front endpapers showcasing different types of breads across a blue-and-white checked tablecloth pattern. Soman makes wonderful use of natural light to add depth. Back matter includes an author’s note and a recipe for her grandmother’s “Nana Rolls”, the inspiration for the story. A heart-filling story that works for storytime and any time.