English 2+ years Community Cooking Friendship Vincent Chen summary If you don’t like hot pot, I just don’t know if I can trust your tastebuds and #SorryNotSorry about that. In this simple story, an apartment building comes together (think old-school Stone Soup style) to make a communal meal. It is in a similar vein of…
Tag: friendship
Waking the Mountain
English 4-8 years Environmental Activism Social-Emotional Learning Magic Nature Sustainability Fantasy Marina Fonseca & Lisa Junius summary Waking the Mountain follows a magical land that used to be lush and green, but isn’t any longer. Ethereal illustrations show a journey across many broken lands, and some humanoid figures that want to restore the landscape. The…
Finding Junie Kim
English & Korean MG & Up Korean War Family History Korean-American Experience Racism Friendship Activism Own Voices SEL Immigration War Communism CW: Violent death of a pregnant woman Ellen Oh Cover Art: Alex Cho summary I’ll be real with you, I didn’t expect this book to rip my heart out in the way that it…
The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
english MG & Up Friendship Adventure Social-Emotional Learning Own Voices Nizrana Farook summary Chaya is our protagonist and Robin Hood-esque figure, stealing from the rich and distributing it to folks in her village who need to pay for medical care, food, or other emergency costs. When she can’t resist breaking into the palace for some…
Maxine and the Greatest Garden Ever
English 4-8 years STEM Community Friendship Social-Emotional Learning Gardening Problem-Solving Ruth Spiro & Holly Hatam Summary: Maxine and Leo are best friends (along with Milton the goldfish) and also complete opposites. Leo is gentle and creative, and Maxine is practical and mathematically minded. I love the way this story not only bucks gender stereotypes, but…
Julián at the Wedding
Written & Illustrated by: Jessica Love For Ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Sequels, Latinx Family, BIPOC Protagonists, Weddings, LGBTQ Relationships, Love, Friendship. Summary: Julián is back, this time in a wedding! Julián and his friend Marisol have important jobs in the ceremony, and have been given fancy outfits to go with it. Afterwards,…
Gustavo the Shy Ghost
Written & Illustrated by: Flavia Z. Drago For Ages: 3 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: Anxiety, Mexican Culture & Identity, Latinx, Day of the Dead, Friendship, Own Voices. Summary: Gustavo is a little ghost that yearns to make friends with the other monsters, but he’s too nervous. He tries unsuccessfully to work up…
Ways to Say I Love You
Written By: Marilyn Singer Illustrated by: Alette Straathof For Ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Nature, Relationships, LGBTQ, Love, Friendship, Animals. Summary: This is a ridiculously adorable book about how different creatures on earth show each other they care. In rhyming verse, readers learn all about how different animals show each other they’re interested….
Birdsong
Written & Illustrated by: Julie Flett For Ages: 3 years and up Language: English & some Cree Topics Covered: Indigenous Voices, Own Voices, Intergenerational Stories, Single-Parent Families, Moving, Nature, Seasonal Changes, Drawing. Summary: Katherena is a young Cree girl who moves with her mother from a little house by the sea into a little house…
Interview with Kwame Alexander: Becoming Muhammad Ali
Written By: Kwame Alexander & James Patterson Illustrated by: Dawud Anyabwile For Ages: MG, YA Language: English Topics Covered: History, Biography, Trailblazer, Activism, Growing Up, Boxing, Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali, Friendship, Self-Esteem, Confidence. Summary: Hi everyone! I am thrilled to be able to bring you a double whammy today of a recorded interview with powerhouse…