Written & Illustrated by: Juana Medina For Ages: 5 years and up Language: English & Spanish Topics Covered: Latinx Families, Own Voices, Colombia, Growing Up, Single Parent Families, Language Learning, Pets. Summary: I loved this book! Juana is such a fun character and her humorous narrative style felt like a quirky family member was telling…
Tag: growing up
Dress Coded
Written By: Carrie Firestone Cover Art by: Tyler Feder For Ages: YA Middle Grades & Up Language: English Topics Covered: Growing Up, Feminism, Podcasting, Activism, Body Shaming, Friendship, Addiction, Siblings, LGBTQ. Summary: Eighth grader Molly is sick of seeing her friends and other girls in her school fall victim to the dress code, which is…
The Every Body Book
Written By: Rachel E. Simon, LCSW Illustrated by: Noah Grigni For Ages: 8-12 years Language: English Topics Covered: LGBTQ, Sex, Bodies, Bodily Functions, Growing Up, Relationships, Families, Pregnancy. Summary: This book is really nothing short of revolutionary, especially for LGBTQ+ youth, who now have an inclusive book about puberty and development. The subtle shifts in…
The Tea Dragon Festival
Written & Illustrated by: Katie O’Neill For ages:4 years and up Language: English and ASL (American Sign Language) Topics Covered: Family, Fantasy, Friendship, Growing Up. Summary: This is the second story in the Tea Dragon Society books, but is actually a prequel to the first one. Longer than the first, it still took under an hour to completely finish…
A Black Woman Did That
Written By: Malaika Adero Illustrated by: Chanté Timothy For Ages: YA (Middle grades and up) Language: English Topics Covered: Black Culture & Identity, Historical Figures, Growing Up, Women in Leadership, Feminism, Racism. Summary: Before I get into heaping praise on this book, let me make clear that this book is about women but it’s for…
Martin McLean, Middle School Queen
Written By: Alyssa Zaczek Cover Art by: Risa Rodil For Ages: YA Middle Grades Language: English & some Spanish Topics Covered: LGBTQ, Family, Growing Up, Self-Confidence, STEM, Self-Expression, Friendship, Crushes, Latinx Families, Interracial Marriage, Single Parent Families. Summary: So when I said earlier in the summer that the best part of 2020 so far was…
Show Me a Sign
Written By: Ann Clare LeZotte For Ages: YA middle grades and up Language: English, verbal descriptions of Sign Language Topics Covered: Own Voices, Historical Fiction, Sign Language, Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL), Deaf Community, Eugenics, Indigenous Peoples, Enslavement, Racism. Summary: This book is fantastic. I was so excited to see that there was A) an…
Like the Moon Loves the Sky
Written By: Hena Khan Illustrated by: Saffa Khan For Ages: 3-6 years Language: English & Arabic Topics Covered: Muslim Families, Children, Love, Growing Up, Own Voices. Summary: This is a very sweet book in which a mother describes all that she wishes for her child to be. It reminds me of Sweetest Kulu in the…
A Girl Like You
Written By: Frank Murphy & Carla Murphy Illustrated by: Kayla Harren For Ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Feminism, Kindness, Self-Esteem, Empowerment, Growing Up, Friendship, Acceptance. Summary: Wow, where to start describing this book. It is beautiful, emotional, and powerful. Like it’s predecessor A Boy Like You it takes a turn for the unexpected…
Pet
Written by: Akwaeke Emezi Cover Art by: Shyama Golden For ages: YA (CW: child abuse. Mention of bruises and insinuation of pedophilia) Language: English, some French Creole. Topics Covered: Black Culture & Identity, BIPOC Narratives, Sci-Fi, LGBTQ Lives, Growing Up, Friendship, Social-Emotional Learning, Transgender Youth, Family, Art. Summary: This book is phenomenal. Jam is a teenage girl living in a town…