Reviews
Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists
“Appropriately sunny illustrations feature figures of varying abilities, creeds, and skin tones making daisy chains with a caregiver, greeting neighbors, and playing outdoors in a work that’s likely to inspire many garden daydreams.”—Publishers Weekly View →
The Weight of Everything
“Through Sarah’s tentative steps toward healing, Mickelson (Where I Belong) attentively showcases the mending power of tenderness, patience, and love in this moving read. Ages 12–up. (May)“—Publishers Weekly View →
Rise to the Sky: How the World's Tallest Trees Grow Up
“Hirsch teaches basic plant biology through the example of the world’s “tallest living thing”—trees—in this awe-inspiring text. . . . Washed in earthy browns and vivid emerald greens, Posada’s expertly rendered cut paper collage provide texture that feels… View →
Rainbow Letters: A Book for Rainbow Babies
“[A] compassionate, cheerfully rhyming text.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Men of the 65th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War
“An important read about an often forgotten piece of U.S. military history that celebrates its subject by forefronting their bravery in overcoming obstacles both foreign and domestic.”—Publishers Weekly View →
The Bear and the Wildcat
“Elegant, understated spreads over scumbled black backdrops by Sakai divide the story, the first half dark with Bear’s misery, the second half dawning with light. Hirano’s fine translation renders Bear’s transition in simple, natural-sounding English, and… View →
The New God?, Book 1: Volume 1
“Tornager’s bombastic, vibrantly saturated art portrays flashy fight sequences with a potent mixture of intense suspense and ludicrous humor. Frenzied activity abounds in this action-packed series starter, with a solidly earned cliffhanger ending to entice readers into the… View →
Another Band's Treasure: A Story of Recycled Instruments
“Rough-hewn b&w illustrations and lean text convey a linear story that prioritizes a collective journey over individual character arcs. By rendering the recycled instruments in full color, Xie adds a welcome burst of verve while spotlighting the story’s unique… View →
The Love of the Moonlight
“. . . Buckner invites readers to view the moon as a model of peace, comfort, and love in this message-driven picture book.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Indigo and Ida
“In Capps’s endearing debut, biracial (white and Black) eighth grader Indigo Fitzgerald faces scrutiny and microaggressions from her peers during her campaign for class president. . . . Forthright conversations surrounding privilege between Indigo and her white mother further View →
Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself
“Without losing the source text’s emotional heft, Edinger and Younge’s visceral poems respectfully provide an effective entry point into the seminal work.”—starred, Publishers Weekly View →
The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent
With intensely emotional and honest prose, Jacobus (Romancing the Dark in the City of Light) conveys Del’s inner turmoil and longing for relief from the constant pain and fear of death she believes haunt her life. . . . supportive health coordinators and mentors help Del… View →
Kind Crocodile
“[A] a diverting reminder that kindness comes in all shapes and sizes—and sometimes requires community.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport
“Stelson employs a communal we to narrate this story of 669 primarily Jewish children of the Czech Kindertransport . . . Impressionistic acrylic, collage, and pencil art by Alko is embellished throughout with sparkling stars and round yellow orbs.”—Publishers Weekly View →
I'm Gonna Be a SMITH!, Book 1: Volume 1
“Galadima and Jones deliver an immersive reading experience complete with pulse-pounding action sequences and an amiable supporting cast led by a resilient protagonist. This tech-driven graphic novel series opener promises deeper lore and mysteries in subsequent… View →
Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day
“…[T]he layered illustrations—created using colored paper, hanji, and digital art—are eye-popping, dimensional, and delectable.”—Publishers Weekly View →
The Lady and the Octopus: How Jeanne Villepreux-Power Invented Aquariums and Revolutionized Marine Biology
“Highly detailed, conversational chapters feature archival material, scientific drawings, and full-color photos in a handsome layout, and numerous contextualizing sidebars cover topics ranging from the ethics of animal experimentation to the metric system.”—Publishers… View →
“The frightful chase converges at a bookshelf with flap-filled tomes that talk back, until at last the child displays some literary-inspired bravery, banishing the ‘collywobblers’ for an autonomy-based conclusion.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Notes from a Sickbed
“[A]lternates whip-smart humor with searing emotional honesty . . . a revelatory look into one person’s experience managing a chronic condition.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Not Done Yet: Shirley Chisholm's Fight for Change
“Brown’s narrative free verse and Crews’s heavily patterned digital vector art contemporize Chisholm’s ‘Let us move beyond hate’ message as just as relevant today.”—Publishers Weekly View →
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
“Smith smartly streamlines language while staying true to the narrative’s core concepts by adding brief sidebars that explain featured terminology, pose reflection questions, and highlight important passages, inviting collaborative discussion and acting as a call to… View →
Hanukkah in Little Havana
“Aguilera’s tropically hued illustrations exude the heady joys of a warm climate, holiday home cooking, and unconditional love.” —Publishers Weekly View →