Written by: Zazi, Ziwalene & Zindzi Mandela Illustrated by: Sean Qualls For ages: 4-10 years Language: English Topics Covered: Historical Figures, History, Activism, Nelson Mandela, Apartheid, Social Change, Imprisonment, Black Culture & Identity, South Africa. Summary: I am shocked that I haven’t shared this book on Instagram yet, I assumed I shared it actual years ago. Well, today we remedy…
Tag: Independent Thought
A Voice for the Spirit Bears: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal
Written by: Carmen Oliver Illustrated by: Katy Dockrill For ages: 4 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: Environmental Activism, Historic Figure, Social-Emotional Growth, Shyness, Environmental Protection, Nature, Natural World. Summary: This story is based on David Simon Jackson, a person who organized for the safety and preservation of a rare type of black bear called the spirit bear. It follows David…
Freda and the Blue Beetle [released 4/15]
Written & Illustrated by: Sophie Gilmore For ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Friendship, Independent Thought, Courage, Freedom, Discovery, Wonder, Intuition, Bravery. Summary: This book is SO amazing. Freda is a free spirit that values discovery and adventure, much to the dismay of the other villagers who are often warning her about what could happen. One day she befriends a…
The Paper Bag Princess
Written by: Robert Munsch Illustrated by: Michael Martchenko For ages: 3 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: Freedom, Self-Confidence, Social-Emotional Learning, Feminism, Fractured Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Independent Thought, Stereotypes, Girls Outdoors,. Summary: “Ronald,” said Elizabeth, “your clothes are really pretty and your hair is very neat. You look like a real prince, but you are a bum.” This sick…
Reading Beauty
Written by: Deborah Underwood Illustrated by: Meg Hunt For ages: 3-6 years Language: English Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Literacy, Fairy Tale, Problem-Solving, Feminist, Independent Thought, Kindness, Family, Love, Pets, Space, Rhyming. Summary: This is the next book from the pair that brought you Interstellar Cinderella, which we loved very much! Both of us are so excited to get this one, we’ve been waiting…
Arthur and the Golden Rope [Feb 4 2020]
Written & Illustrated by: Joe Todd-Stanton For ages: 5-9 years Language: English Topics Covered: Adventure, Mythology, Natural World, Supernatural, Magic. Summary: This is one of the Brownstone’s Mythical Collection books, and we really like the way that it’s set up like a comic book. Arthur is a young boy with a penchant for strange objects and spends a lot of time in…
The Brave Cyclist: The True Story of a Holocaust Hero
Written by: Amalia Hoffman Illustrated by: Chiara Fedele For ages: 8-12 years old Language: English and some Italian Topics Covered: Judaism, WWII, Holocaust, Activism, Global Community, Historical Events, Historic Figure, Sports, Cycling. Summary: Gino Bartali was a small and sickly child, but he loved riding a bicycle more than anything else. He got a part-time job at a bike shop to learn…
Happy in our Skin
Written by: Fran Manushkin Illustrated by: Lauren Tobia For ages: 2-5 years Language: English Topics Covered: Global Community, Skin Tones, Science, Independent Thought, Identities, Friendship, Kindness. Summary: This is a really cute, short rhyming book that celebrates not only different skin colors but different families as well! Throughout the book the reader learns all about the wonderful things that skin does…
Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space
Written by: Dr. Dominic Walliman Illustrated by: Ben Newman For ages: 5 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: STEM Summary: This book is along the same lines as the other books in the series, scientific information given to us by our favorite feline scientist-Professor Astro Cat! This time he’s back to share knowledge about gravity, the potential of aliens, and…
Celestina the Astronaut Ballerina
Written by: Donald Jacobson Illustrated by: Graham Evans For ages: 3 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: STEM, Bullying, POC-Centric Narratives, Space, Growing Up, Independent Thought, Self-Esteem, Social-Emotional Learning. Summary: This rhyming story follows a young girl named Celestina, who dreams of being an astronaut despite everyone telling her to be a ballerina instead. Celestina is teased by her classmates and…