Reviews
The Colors of Israel
“The author/photographer has taken a close look at Israel and has focused on the many vibrant colors found in the cities, towns, beaches and just about everywhere. Each page is devoted to a particular color and features several beautiful photographs, with the name of the… View →
Sammy Spider's First Taste of Hanukkah: A Cookbook
“This book would be a great resource for parents who have children home on ‘winter break’ and has educational components, as well; it would be especially useful for number and counting activities. Families and classes will enjoy ‘digging into’ this… View →
Believe Your Eyes: Book 1
“[F]or younger readers, this confectionery graphic novel will give them both whimsy and the chance to consider about how they might be seen as their true selves.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Floodwaters and Flames: The 1913 Disaster in Dayton, Ohio
“Huey’s approach is nicely attuned to a middle-grades readership, with just enough featured participants to represent a range of experiences.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez
“This is an odd but satisfying little story with an endearing hero and perhaps even more endearing skunks. . . . Yardi deftly reins in some of the goofiness in exchange for dramatic tension and emotional heft.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
John F. Kennedy's Presidency
“Rowell diverges from too many children’s titles that lionize the youngest-ever POTUS to offer a finely balanced biographical overview. . . . Without disputing his mythic appeal, Rowell shows JFK’s human side.’”—Booklist View →
“While minimal speech bubbles help convey some action, much of the plot is to be discovered in the funny, detail-rich illustrations, which children will enjoy poring over again and again. . . . Older toddlers and preschoolers will relate to these not-so-sleepy pups and delight in… View →
Have You Seen Elephant?
“The mixed-media illustrations work masterfully to tell the story alongside the brief text. . . . The impressive use of light and shadow and incorporation of reds, oranges, and purples add a richness to the pages that will transfix children. . . . This amusingly absurd story paired View →
Shmulik Paints the Town
“Children will enjoy Ezra’s fearless approach to art, and art teachers may find it can serve as an inspirational classroom tool” — AJL Reviews View →
See No Color
“There’s not much written about . . . transracial domestic adoption . . . and Gibney’s exploration may ring a bell for readers with their own familial identity challenges.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
The Bath Monster
“[W]e are introduced to Boyd’s deliciously wicked Bath Monster. . . . Children will shiver and giggle as they relish repeated readings once they are privy to the final joke on Mom.”—School Library Journal View →
Have You Seen Elephant?
“A small child plays hide-and-seek with a surprisingly elusive (except to viewers) elephant. . . . Beyond the sheer absurdity, children will delight in details. . . . Younger audiences will be screaming ‘There it is!’ from the get-go.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews View →
Timber Creek Station
“It offers an exceptionally vivid picture of a fascinating world foreign to most American readers alongside issues mostly avoided in U.S. children’s fiction. . . . Immensely likable and utterly convincing, Danny will have readers hoping for the future just as hard as he is. . View →
Shalom Everybodeee!: Grover's Adventures in Israel
“The best way to experience this book is to find someone who does a really good Grover impression for a read-aloud. Grover has one of the most distinctive voices in the history of children’s television, and all Sesame Street fans will hear that voice in their heads as soon as View →
Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game
“It’s a great story. . . . [Use] for a readaloud on teams who challenged segregation.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Either the Beginning or the End of the World
“Give this to readers who enjoy sophisticated literary prose and a narrative where love is as strong and complex as the many forces that work against it.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
The Anatomy of Curiosity
“The Merry Sisters of Fate . . . return with another book of instruction and support for aspiring authors . . . [which] has broad applicability for realists and fantasists alike.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Ebola: Fears and Facts
“[A] story not just of medical crisis but of cultural conflicts and xenophobic mistrust as well. . . . While Newman’s unsensationalized account leaves room for hope, it refuses to whitewash grim news.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Sadie and Ori and the Blue Blanket
“The realistic depiction of a contemporary grandparent – she not only teaches the children to cook but also gets down on the floor to play and runs alongside their tricycles – as well as the sensitive treatment of aging, make this a recommended addition to school and… View →
Don't Call Me Grandma
“[A] tender story of an aging dragon of a diva and her great-grandchild. . . . Children will best appreciate this nostalgic journey when accompanied by a doting loved one.”—Kirkus Reviews View →
Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetery
“Huey, a New York state archaeologist, ably guides readers through the excavation . . . and the way comparative studies broaden our perspective on the rigors of slave life.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
The Nutcracker Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition
“This is a good book to share with children after seeing a performance of The Nutcracker.”—The Horn Book Magazine View →
Great Grandpa is Weird
“Bilovksy humorously addresses and lovingly explores the apprehension children may have when visiting their elderly relatives. . . . Filled with tender, teachable moments, this one’s also sure to tickle the funny bone.”—Kirkus Reviews View →