Reviews
Quiet as Mud
“A gently paced ode to the silent and soft-spoken. . . . Yolen has crafted an idyllic safe space for daydreamers, shrinking violets, and selectively mute little ones and a sweetly surreal alternative point of view for everyone else. . . . Mild-mannered mindfulness that leads by… View →
Rainbow: A First Book of Pride
“A welcome addition to rainbow bookshelves.”—Kirkus Reviews View →
Red Yellow Blue
“Fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld’s Friendshape (2015) or Michael Hall’s Perfect Square (2011) may find this title complementary . . . comes with a potentially useful note to adults on how to use the book to promote self-esteem and forgiveness.… View →
Remembering Ethan
“A family begins healing following a devastating loss . . . the child has real agency; Sarah effects change in the family dynamic that leads to cathartic healing. The delicate illustrations are expressive and effective. Useful psychologist’s tips in the backmatter guide… View →
My Wandering Dreaming Mind
“Whatever the writer’s capacity, time constraints, or creative mood, these pages offer a trove of ideas to spark inspiration, among them exercises and crafting activities such as list making, shape poems, hand-crafted haiku holders, dialogue practice, and journaling. A… View →
Not Every Princess
“The authors keep their messaging to a minimum; coupled with the emotion and humor in Docampo’s artwork, it goes a long way to helping the book feel like a book and not just a resource.”—Publisher’s Weekly View →
Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used in Hurtful Ways
“Genhart clearly articulates how, when bullying occurs, it can be hard to know what to do. He encourages readers to avoid responding in kind, practice kindness (both to themselves and others), and talk to adults. It’s a solid resource for conflict meditation in clinical or… View →
Quiet as Mud
“A softly joyous picture book that traces the experience of preferring noiselessness . . . emphasizes the child’s sense of oneness with the world. . . . Combined, text and art radiate contentment.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Rainbow: A First Book of Pride
“A joyous tribute to LGBTQ families.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used in Hurtful Ways
“People of all ages can learn and grow from the message of this offering. A great addition to collections.”—School Library Journal View →
Peacock and Sketch
“Prabhat’s use of vibrant colors coupled with Peacock’s expressive poses amplify his proud handsomeness. Readers will note the similarities between Peacock and Mo Willems’s beloved Pigeon, while enjoying the illustrations and wisdom imparted. . . . A gorgeously illustrated… View →
Rainbow: A First Book of Pride
“A win for LBGTQIA+ families and libraries seeking to diversify their shelves.”—School Library Journal View →
Red Yellow Blue
“The deeper layers to the story will encourage emotional exploration and prompt discussion with older children. . . . Perfect for social and emotional learning, this picture book cleverly melds life lessons with an introduction to the primary colors.”—School Library… View →
Remembering Ethan
“Broaching a difficult but important topic, this heartbreaking story takes on a family’s loss in a delicate and relatable way. . . . [T]he work encourages communication and connection in desperate times. . . . This is an important work on mental health, for any collection aimed at… View →
Snitchy Witch
“No one likes a snitch . . . spooky school backdrop (books, spiders) and the rambunctious cast in pointed hats may help the lesson go down easier.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Sewing the Rainbow: A Story about Gilbert Baker
“A colorful tribute to Gilbert Baker . . . creating the rainbow flag after a conversation with Harvey Milk. The art is beautiful and bright, transitioning powerfully from a subdued Kansan landscape to a flamboyant Bay Area. . . . It’s clear this book has a lot of love for the View →
Snitchy Witch
“Explains the difference between tattling and telling: Snitching gets people in trouble; telling is for unsafe conditions, when someone’s hurt, or when you need help from a grown-up. . . . [T]ext for grown-ups follow the tale, explaining snitching versus telling, why kids… View →
Something Happened in Our Park: Standing Together after Gun Violence
“This simply stated story and the note to readers—chock-full of helpful prompts—could be useful to caregivers looking to help children through trauma. . . . [T]he authors clear up misconceptions by citing the disproportionate circumstances that lead to increases in community… View →
Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story about Racial Injustice
“Does an admirable job showing two families’ reactions to a police killing . . . important for library collections.”—School Library Journal View →
Quirky, Jerky, Extra Perky: More about Adjectives
“Cleary offers more examples of the descriptive words in this upbeat, energetically illustrated book. Beginning with a straightforward definition of the word adjective, Cleary takes off with a series of imaginative examples presented in rhythmic, rhyming verses.”… View →
Count Your Way through Iran
“Arabic-language numerals (and accompanying pronunciation guides) appear on each page, and the airy, stylized watercolors, including a map and an image of the Iranian flag, are instructive and cheerful. A good supplementary choice for the early elementary discussions about the… View →
Juneteenth
“This entry in the On My Own Holidays series offers a solid introduction to the holiday for independent readers. . . leaping, embracing figures convey the resilience and rejoicing of celebrants then and now.” —Booklist View →
Say It with Music: A Story about Irving Berlin
“A good concise biography accessible to many children.” —Booklist View →