# data[].attributes.body
This is the true story of an extraordinary little girl who helped shape our country when she became the first African-American to attend an all-white school in New Orleans. Review

# data[].attributes.body
The landscapes and lore of the desert are captured in this traditional Hispanic fable about a boastful rich man who is outsmarted by his poor neighbors. Review

# data[].attributes.body
After a band of bullies takes over Trevor's playground, he challenges them and wins thanks to the power of science. Review

# data[].attributes.body
Meet Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman to earn her international pilots license, in this biography perfect for early readers. Review

# data[].attributes.body
Readers are introduced to a young, brown-skinned, curly-haired protagonist on a visit to their White grandfather’s cottage, and Grandad tells stories about how he and Gramps, a man of color who is now deceased, met and fell in love while traveling. After encouraging Grandad to fix up the van, the two take it for a road trip to the beach.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Valerie Bolling ; illustrated by Maine Diaz ‧

Dancing is one of the most universal elements of cultures the world over.

In onomatopoeic, rhyming text, Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing. Read aloud, the zippy text will engage young children: "Tappity Tap / Fingers Snap," reads the rhyme on the double-page spread for flamenco; "Jiggity-Jig / Zig-zag-zig" describes Irish step dancing. The ballet pages stereotypically include only children in dresses or tutus, but one of these dancers wears hijab. Overall, children included are racially diverse and vary in gender presentation. Diaz's illustrations show her background in animated films; her active child dancers generally have the large-eyed sameness of cartoon characters. The endpapers, with shoes and musical instruments, could become a matching game with pages in the book. The dances depicted are described at the end, including kathak from India and kuku from Guinea, West Africa. Unfortunately, these explanations are quite rudimentary. Kathak dancers use their facial expressions extensively in addition to the "movements of their hands and their jingling feet," as described in the book. Although today kuku is danced at all types of celebrations in several countries, it was once done after fishing, an activity acknowledged in the illustrations but not mentioned in the explanatory text.

The snappy text will get toes tapping, but the information it carries is limited. (Informational picture book. 4-6)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Valerie Bolling ; illustrated by Maine Diaz ‧ Dancing is one of the most universal elements of cultures the world over. In onomatopoeic, rhyming text, Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing.

# data[].attributes.body
An exuberant ode to the virtues of kindness and inclusion that takes readers through a day in the lives of a diverse group of students who cross a literal bridge to school—and a metaphorical one toward a world of compassion and respect.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An exuberant ode to the virtues of kindness and inclusion.

Latham and Waters take readers through a day in the lives of a diverse group of students who cross a literal bridge to school-and a metaphorical one toward a world of compassion and respect. Upbeat, rhyming text urges readers to persevere, connect with others, stand up to bullies, and be respectful, complemented by digital, watercolorlike illustrations depicting kids being welcoming to their fellow students in art class, in gym, at lunchtime, and at storytime. The theme of rainbows and bridges can be found throughout. Brimming with colorful details, each page is a visual delight that reminds teachers, librarians, and caregivers of the need to model kindness and compassion to little learners. The backmatter includes a "Bridge Builder Pledge" with statements such as "I will be the one to reach out and say hello," and "I will keep an open mind." Uplifting and accessible, this one pairs well with The Day You Begin (2018) by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López, and Be a King (2018), by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by James E. Ransome. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A charming and welcome read bound to help cultivate a kinder next generation. (authors' note, activities, further reading) (Picture book. 4-9)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An exuberant ode to the virtues of kindness and inclusion. Latham and Waters take readers through a day in the lives of a diverse group of students who cross a literal bridge to school-and a metaphorical one toward a world of compassion and respect.

# data[].attributes.body
This expansive, straightforward framing of gender emphasizes curiosity, joy, and positive self-expression. Readers meet four children: Ruthie, a transgender girl with light brown skin; Xavier, Ruthie’s cisgender brother, who also has brown skin; Alex, a pale-skinned, round-bodied kid who is “both a boy and a girl”; and JJ, a brown-skinned child who uses a wheelchair and who is “neither a boy nor a girl.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE YOURSELF | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This expansive, straightforward framing of gender emphasizes curiosity, joy, and positive self-expression.

# data[].attributes.body
Baby Kevin, initially known as “Danny ACE Doe,” was found in the New York City’s 14th Street subway station, by one of his future fathers, Danny. Kevin’s other father, Pete serves as the narrator, explaining how the two men came to add the newborn to their family.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton ; illustrated by Carme Lemniscates ‧

In an inviting picture book, Chelsea and Hillary Clinton share personal revelations on how gardening with a grandmother, a mother, and children shapes and nurtures a love and respect for nature, beauty, and a general philosophy for life.

Grandma Dorothy, the former senator, secretary of state, and presidential candidate's mother, loved gardens, appreciating the multiple benefits they yielded for herself and her family. The Clinton women reminisce about their beloved forebear and all she taught them in a color-coded, alternating text, blue for Chelsea and green for Hillary. Via brief yet explicit remembrances, they share what they learned, observed, and most of all enjoyed in gardens with her. Each double-page spread culminates in a declarative statement set in italicized red text invoking Dorothy's wise words. Gardens can be many things: places for celebration, discovery and learning, vehicles for teaching responsibility in creating beauty, home to wildlife large and small, a place to share stories and develop memories. Though operating from very personal experience rooted in class privilege, the mother-daughter duo mostly succeeds in imparting a universally significant message: Whether visiting a public garden or working in the backyard, generations can cultivate a lasting bond. Lemniscates uses an appropriately floral palette to evoke the gardens explored by these three white women. A Spanish edition, Los jardines de la abuela, publishes simultaneously; Teresa Mlawer's translation is fluid and pleasing, in at least one case improving on the original.

Sage, soothing ideas for a busy, loud, sometimes-divisive world. (Picture book. 5-8)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton ; illustrated by Carme Lemniscates ‧ In an inviting picture book, Chelsea and Hillary Clinton share personal revelations on how gardening with a grandmother, a mother, and children shapes and nurtures a love and respect for nature, beauty, and a general philosophy for life.

# data[].attributes.body
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davis shows how she liked to talk and ask questions. When her mother told her that they were members of the Ho-Chunk nation, who call themselves “People of the Big Voice,” she knew she was on the right path. Deciding that government needed many different voices, she ran for Congress and won the election, becoming one of the first Native women in Congress.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Chris Barton ; illustrated by Don Tate ‧

An honestly told biography of an important politician whose name every American should know.

Published while the United States has its first African-American president, this story of John Roy Lynch, the first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, lays bare the long and arduous path black Americans have walked to obtain equality. The title's first three words-"The Amazing Age"-emphasize how many more freedoms African-Americans had during Reconstruction than for decades afterward. Barton and Tate do not shy away from honest depictions of slavery, floggings, the Ku Klux Klan, Jim Crow laws, or the various means of intimidation that whites employed to prevent blacks from voting and living lives equal to those of whites. Like President Barack Obama, Lynch was of biracial descent; born to an enslaved mother and an Irish father, he did not know hard labor until his slave mistress asked him a question that he answered honestly. Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, Lynch had a long and varied career that points to his resilience and perseverance. Tate's bright watercolor illustrations often belie the harshness of what takes place within them; though this sometimes creates a visual conflict, it may also make the book more palatable for young readers unaware of the violence African-Americans have suffered than fully graphic images would. A historical note, timeline, author's and illustrator's notes, bibliography and map are appended.

A picture book worth reading about a historical figure worth remembering. (Picture book biography. 7-10)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Chris Barton ; illustrated by Don Tate ‧ An honestly told biography of an important politician whose name every American should know. Published while the United States has its first African-American president, this story of John Roy Lynch, the first African-American speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, lays bare the long and arduous path black Americans have walked to obtain equality.

# data[].attributes.body
Purple is a “magic color,” and “purple people” are the sort who ask questions, laugh wholeheartedly, work hard, freely voice feelings and opinions, help those who might “lose” their own voices in the face of unkindness, and, in sum, can “JUST BE (the real) YOU.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧

Gerald the elephant learns a truth familiar to every preschooler-heck, every human: "Waiting is not easy!"

When Piggie cartwheels up to Gerald announcing that she has a surprise for him, Gerald is less than pleased to learn that the "surprise is a surprise." Gerald pumps Piggie for information (it's big, it's pretty, and they can share it), but Piggie holds fast on this basic principle: Gerald will have to wait. Gerald lets out an almighty "GROAN!" Variations on this basic exchange occur throughout the day; Gerald pleads, Piggie insists they must wait; Gerald groans. As the day turns to twilight (signaled by the backgrounds that darken from mauve to gray to charcoal), Gerald gets grumpy. "WE HAVE WASTED THE WHOLE DAY!...And for WHAT!?" Piggie then gestures up to the Milky Way, which an awed Gerald acknowledges "was worth the wait." Willems relies even more than usual on the slightest of changes in posture, layout and typography, as two waiting figures can't help but be pretty static. At one point, Piggie assumes the lotus position, infuriating Gerald. Most amusingly, Gerald's elephantine groans assume weighty physicality in spread-filling speech bubbles that knock Piggie to the ground. And the spectacular, photo-collaged images of the Milky Way that dwarf the two friends makes it clear that it was indeed worth the wait.

A lesson that never grows old, enacted with verve by two favorite friends . (Early reader. 6-8)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
THE WORLD NEEDS MORE PURPLE PEOPLE | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ Gerald the elephant learns a truth familiar to every preschooler-heck, every human: "Waiting is not easy!" When Piggie cartwheels up to Gerald announcing that she has a surprise for him, Gerald is less than pleased to learn that the "surprise is a surprise."

# data[].attributes.body
A blind child introduces readers to their city en route to a violin recital. Accompanied by their dad, they step out, white cane in hand. In simple, declarative sentences dotted with vivid adjectives and verbs, they narrate the many ways their city “speaks.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧

A confused squirrel overreacts to the falling autumn leaves.

Relaxing on a tree branch, Squirrel admires the red, gold, and orange leaves. Suddenly Squirrel screams, "One of my leaves is...MISSING!" Searching for the leaf, Squirrel tells Bird, "Someone stole my leaf!" Spying Mouse sailing in a leaf boat, Squirrel asks if Mouse stole the leaf. Mouse calmly replies in the negative. Bird reminds Squirrel it's "perfectly normal to lose a leaf or two at this time of year." Next morning Squirrel panics again, shrieking, "MORE LEAVES HAVE BEEN STOLEN!" Noticing Woodpecker arranging colorful leaves, Squirrel queries, "Are those my leaves?" Woodpecker tells Squirrel, "No." Again, Bird assures Squirrel that no one's taking the leaves and that the same thing happened last year, then encourages Squirrel to relax. Too wired to relax despite some yoga and a bath, the next day Squirrel cries "DISASTER" at the sight of bare branches. Frantic now, Squirrel becomes suspicious upon discovering Bird decorating with multicolored leaves. Is Bird the culprit? In response, Bird shows Squirrel the real Leaf Thief: the wind. Squirrel's wildly dramatic, misguided, and hyperpossessive reaction to a routine seasonal event becomes a rib-tickling farce through clever use of varying type sizes and weights emphasizing his absurd verbal pronouncements as well as exaggerated, comic facial expressions and body language. Bold colors, arresting perspectives, and intense close-ups enhance Squirrel's histrionics. Endnotes explain the science behind the phenomenon.

A hilarious autumnal comedy of errors. (Picture book. 4-7)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Alice Hemming ; illustrated by Nicola Slater ‧ A confused squirrel overreacts to the falling autumn leaves. Relaxing on a tree branch, Squirrel admires the red, gold, and orange leaves. Suddenly Squirrel screams, "One of my leaves is...MISSING!" Searching for the leaf, Squirrel tells Bird, "Someone stole my leaf!"

# data[].attributes.body
Biography and autobiography mixed in this account of Loving v. Virginia. Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter fell in love in 1958. But in Virginia, miscegenation was illegal and punishable by imprisonment. They traveled to D.C., to marry legally, but when they returned, the local police arrested them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins ‧

Echoing the meter of "Mary Had a Little Lamb," Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.

Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she's found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird's perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins' accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species-woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren-as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.

A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author's note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins ‧ Echoing the meter of "Mary Had a Little Lamb," Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create. Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird.

# data[].attributes.body
Whether you have two mums, two dads, one parent, or one of each, there's one thing that makes a family a family... and that's love.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Love Makes a Family is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Sophie Beer. It cursory depicts the wide range of families and what they may typically do on a daily basis. As today is Family Day (17 February), I thought it would be apropos to read this book.

The text is simplistic, straightforward, and informative. This minimally worded and each page starts with the phrase: "Love is..." and then describes an action that families would do together. The illustrations are vibrant and dep...more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Love Makes a Family is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Sophie Beer. It cursory depicts the wide range of families and what they may typically do on a daily basis. As today is Family Day (17 February), I thought it would be apropos to read this book.

# data[].attributes.body
A young girl admires her older sister’s “first-day hijab” and this sensitive representation of family relationships that provide a loving coat of armor against the world’s difficulties is memorable and inspiring.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A young girl admires her older sister's "first-day hijab" in this team effort by hijabi Olympian Muhammad ( Proud, 2018) and YA novelist Ali ( Love From A to Z, 2019).

Mama takes Asiyah and Faizah to the hijab shop so that Asiyah can pick out her "first-day hijab." Mama likes pink, but Asiyah picks out "the brightest blue." Faizah has a new backpack and light-up shoes for the first day of school, but when Asiyah walks out in her blue hijab, "It's the most beautiful first day of school ever. / I'm walking with a princess." Once they arrive at school, the reactions of other children alternate with spreads depicting Faizah's thoughts about Asiyah's hijab, which are paired with Mama's words. A girl whispers, asking Faizah about the hijab. But "Asiyah's hijab isn't a whisper"; according to Mama, "It means being strong." These spreads show Aly's close-up illustrations of a smiling Asiyah, with her blue hijab extending into an image of "the sky on a sunny day" or "the ocean waving to the sky." Faizah triumphs over the misunderstandings and bullying she witnesses, her pride in her sister still intact. This sensitive representation of family relationships that provide a loving coat of armor against the world's difficulties is memorable and inspiring. Bullies are depicted as faceless shadows, emphasizing the importance of discounting what they say. Faizah's family is black; the other schoolchildren are multiracial.

Triumphant and true. (Picture book. 4-10)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A young girl admires her older sister's "first-day hijab" in this team effort by hijabi Olympian Muhammad ( Proud, 2018) and YA novelist Ali ( Love From A to Z, 2019). Mama takes Asiyah and Faizah to the hijab shop so that Asiyah can pick out her "first-day hijab."

# data[].attributes.body
A black girl’s simple observation propels her into activism. As the book begins, she notices that her family’s skin tone differs from that of her classmates, and when they ask for the "skin colored" crayon, meaning peach, she devises a unique way of bringing everyone’s attention to that fact.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Mark Siegel ‧

This follow-up to How To Read a Story (2005) shows a child going through the steps of creating a story, from choosing an idea through sharing with friends.

A young black child lies in a grassy field writing in a journal, working on "Step 1 / Search for an Idea- / a shiny one." During a walk to the library, various ideas float in colorful thought bubbles, with exclamation points: "playing soccer! / dogs!" Inside the library, less-distinct ideas, expressed as shapes and pictures, with question marks, float about as the writer collects ideas to choose from. The young writer must then choose a setting, a main character, and a problem for that protagonist. Plotting, writing with detail, and revising are described in child-friendly terms and shown visually, in the form of lists and notes on faux pieces of paper. Finally, the writer sits in the same field, in a new season, sharing the story with friends. The illustrations feature the child's writing and drawing as well as images of imagined events from the book in progress bursting off the page. The child's main character is an adventurous mermaid who looks just like the child, complete with afro-puff pigtails, representing an affirming message about writing oneself into the world. The child's family, depicted as black, moves in the background of the setting, which is also populated by a multiracial cast.

A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist. (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Mark Siegel ‧ This follow-up to How To Read a Story (2005) shows a child going through the steps of creating a story, from choosing an idea through sharing with friends. A young black child lies in a grassy field writing in a journal, working on "Step 1 / Search for an Idea- / a shiny one."

# data[].attributes.body
With a twinkle from her magical, sparkling curls, Princess Truly can go anywhere in the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Off I Go! (Princess Truly #2) - Bookelicious

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Princess Truly is on a great adventure! With a twinkle from her magical, sparkling curls, she can go anywhere in the world. Whether exploring with her little brother Ty, or her sidekick pug Sir Noodles, she uses her bravery and curiosity to dream BIG. Travel with Truly to swim with penguins in the S…

# data[].attributes.body
Sitting on his stoop near the end of a tidy block of row houses, Max seizes on a couple of sticks that blow from a tree and begins tapping: on his own thighs; on the bottom of Grandpa's window-washing bucket; on a hatbox his mother brings home, bottles, a garbage can.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Reese Witherspoon ; illustrated by Xindi Yan ‧

Actor and author Witherspoon makes her picture-book debut.

Betty, a light-skinned, bespectacled child with blond pigtails, was born busy. Constantly in motion, Betty builds big block towers, cartwheels around the house (underfoot, of course), and plays with the family's "fantabulous" dog, Frank, who is stinky and dirty. That leads to a big, busy, bright idea that, predictably, caroms toward calamity yet drags along enough hilarity to be entertaining. With a little help from best friend Mae (light-skinned with dark hair), the catastrophe turns into a lucrative dog-washing business. Busy Betty is once again ready to rush off to the next big thing. Yan uses vivid, pastel colors for a spread of a group of diverse kids bringing their dogs to be washed, helping out, and having fun, while the grown-ups are muted and relegated to the background. Extreme angles in several of the illustrations effectively convey a sense of perpetual motion and heighten the story's tension, drawing readers in. An especially effective, glitter-strewn spread portrays Frank looming large and seemingly running off the page while Betty looks on, stricken at the ensuing mess. Though it's a familiar and easily resolved story, Witherspoon's rollicking text never holds back, replete with amusing phrases such as "sweet cinnamon biscuits," "bouncing biscuits," and "busted biscuits." As Betty says, "Being busy is a great way to be." Young readers are sure to agree. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An entertaining, if light, addition to the growing shelf of celebrity-authored picture books. (Picture book. 4-7)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sitting on his stoop near the end of a tidy block of row houses, Max seizes on a couple of sticks that blow from a tree and begins tapping: on his own thighs; on the bottom of Grandpa's window-washing bucket; on a hatbox his mother brings home, bottles, a garbage can.

# data[].attributes.body
Lily Brown loves her mama, daddy, and baby brother and the world they live in, but nothing compares to her passion for painting, an act that makes her world start to change.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Reese Witherspoon ; illustrated by Xindi Yan ‧

Actor and author Witherspoon makes her picture-book debut.

Betty, a light-skinned, bespectacled child with blond pigtails, was born busy. Constantly in motion, Betty builds big block towers, cartwheels around the house (underfoot, of course), and plays with the family's "fantabulous" dog, Frank, who is stinky and dirty. That leads to a big, busy, bright idea that, predictably, caroms toward calamity yet drags along enough hilarity to be entertaining. With a little help from best friend Mae (light-skinned with dark hair), the catastrophe turns into a lucrative dog-washing business. Busy Betty is once again ready to rush off to the next big thing. Yan uses vivid, pastel colors for a spread of a group of diverse kids bringing their dogs to be washed, helping out, and having fun, while the grown-ups are muted and relegated to the background. Extreme angles in several of the illustrations effectively convey a sense of perpetual motion and heighten the story's tension, drawing readers in. An especially effective, glitter-strewn spread portrays Frank looming large and seemingly running off the page while Betty looks on, stricken at the ensuing mess. Though it's a familiar and easily resolved story, Witherspoon's rollicking text never holds back, replete with amusing phrases such as "sweet cinnamon biscuits," "bouncing biscuits," and "busted biscuits." As Betty says, "Being busy is a great way to be." Young readers are sure to agree. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An entertaining, if light, addition to the growing shelf of celebrity-authored picture books. (Picture book. 4-7)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lewis's dynamic brush combines two art styles to show the interaction between a girl's real life and her imaginative life inside her paintings. Lily Brown "loves her mama, daddy, and baby brother and the world they live in," but nothing compares to her passion for painting, an act that "makes her world start to change."

# data[].attributes.body
Based on her experience of leaving Mexico for the United States, Morales’ latest offers an immigrant’s tale steeped in hope, dreams, and love.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Based on her experience of leaving Mexico for the United States, Morales' latest offers an immigrant's tale steeped in hope, dreams, and love.

This story begins with a union between mother and son, with arms outstretched in the midst of a new beginning. Soon after, mother and son step on a bridge, expansive "like the universe," to cross to the other side, to become immigrants. An ethereal city appears, enfolded in fog. The brown-skinned woman and her child walk through this strange new land, unwilling to speak, unaccustomed to "words unlike those of our ancestors." But soon their journey takes them to the most marvelous of places: the library. In a series of stunning double-page spreads, Morales fully captures the sheer bliss of discovery as their imaginations take flight. The vibrant, surreal mixed-media artwork, including Mexican fabric, metal sheets, "the comal where I grill my quesadillas," childhood drawings, and leaves and plants, represents a spectacular culmination of the author's work thus far. Presented in both English and Spanish editions (the latter in Teresa Mlawer's translation), equal in evocative language, the text moves with purpose. No word is unnecessary, each a deliberate steppingstone onto the next. Details in the art provide cultural markers specific to the U.S., but the story ultimately belongs to one immigrant mother and her son. Thanks to books and stories (some of her favorites are appended), the pair find their voices as "soñadores of the world."

A resplendent masterpiece. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Based on her experience of leaving Mexico for the United States, Morales' latest offers an immigrant's tale steeped in hope, dreams, and love. This story begins with a union between mother and son, with arms outstretched in the midst of a new beginning.

# data[].attributes.body
Little luchador Niño battles out-of-this-world opponents one by one until he finally meets his match.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NIÑO WRESTLES THE WORLD | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Little luchador Niño battles out-of-this-world opponents one by one until he finally meets his match.

# data[].attributes.headline
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

# data[].attributes.subject
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

# data[].attributes.body
Krull and Morales introduce a long-neglected figure from recent history to a new audience in an informative, eye-catching manner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by James Patterson & Kwame Alexander ; illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile ‧

Two bestselling authors imagine the boyhood of the man who became the legendary boxing icon Muhammad Ali.

Cassius was a spirited child growing up in segregated Louisville, Kentucky. He had a loving home with his parents and younger brother, Rudy. Granddaddy Herman also was an important figure, imparting life lessons. His parents wanted him to succeed in school, but Cassius had difficulty reading and found more pleasure in playing and exploring outdoors. Early on, he and Rudy knew the restrictions of being African American, for example, encountering "Whites Only" signs at parks, but the brothers dreamed of fame like that enjoyed by Black boxer Joe Louis. Popular Cassius was especially close to Lucius "Lucky" Wakely; despite their academic differences, their deep connection remained after Lucky received a scholarship to a Catholic school. When Cassius wandered into the Columbia Boxing Gym, it seemed to be destiny, and he developed into a successful youth boxer. Told in two voices, with prose for the voice of Lucky and free verse for Cassius, the narrative provides readers with a multidimensional view of the early life of and influences on an important figure in sports and social change. Lucky's observations give context while Cassius' poetry encapsulates his drive, energy, and gift with words. Combined with dynamic illustrations by Anyabwile, the book captures the historical and social environment that produced Muhammad Ali.

A stellar collaboration that introduces an important and intriguing individual to today's readers. (bibliography) (Biographical novel. 8-12)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Cesar Chavez, like his heroes Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, believed in non-violent change. He fought ceaselessly for the rights of migrant farm workers to have a decent living conditions and a living wage.

# data[].attributes.body
After a young girl's father is deported, she shares with her peers how much this loss has impacted every part of her life, in turn encouraging other students to open up about struggles of their own.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A father’s forced absence is keenly felt by a Latinx child.

# data[].attributes.body
In this slurp-worthy picture book, Mei loves to watch Grandpa Tu create noodles spun out of dough, magic and plenty of heart.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In this slurp-worthy picture book, Mei loves to watch Grandpa Tu create noodles spun out of dough, magic and plenty of heart.

The emperor's birthday approaches, and Mei's village buzzes with preparations. Grandpa Tu, a master noodle maker, enchants Mei with show-stopping dexterity, as he slaps, kneads and stretches plain dough into wondrous noodles. Mei asks if he can make jump ropes or kite strings from noodles. He answers with poetic wit-"Simple as a sunflower seed" and "Easy as a sea breeze"-and works through the night with abandon. When it's time for the emperor's long-life noodles, a birthday tradition, to be made, the villagers are surprised to learn Grandpa Tu isn't making them. Instead, he says it's time for Mei to learn the art of magic noodle making herself. This intergenerational relationship endears from the start, and readers will want not only a plate of noodles, but a grandpa like Tu. Thong plants a playful, repeated rhythm to describe his technique ("SLAP, knead and stretch "), which grows organically with Mei's discovery of her own talents. So's rich watercolor illustrations radiate affection between the two, especially when they stretch noodles in a cats-cradle-like fashion or across the gutter in a vigorous culinary workout. And animal-shaped noodles, in the forms of cats, roosters and a dragon, add whimsy and elegance.

Playing with your food has never been quite so enticing. (Picture book. 4-8)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this slurp-worthy picture book, Mei loves to watch Grandpa Tu create noodles spun out of dough, magic and plenty of heart. The emperor's birthday approaches, and Mei's village buzzes with preparations. Grandpa Tu, a master noodle maker, enchants Mei with show-stopping dexterity, as he slaps, kneads and stretches plain dough into wondrous noodles.

# data[].attributes.body
The power of art takes center stage in this cleverly titled story of a Thai-speaking grandfather connecting to his assimilated American grandson. Working through the silence that cultural divides create, the two begin a battle of imagination, wands and paintbrushes thrashing like swords.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DRAWN TOGETHER by Minh Lê , Dan Santat | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The power of art takes center stage in this cleverly titled story of a Thai-speaking grandfather connecting to his assimilated American grandson.

# data[].attributes.body
This spot-on depiction of Chinese American twins celebrates individuality through their many adventures.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Lulu Delacre ; illustrated by Lulu Delacre ‧

The fourth installment in Delacre's early-reader series centers on the rich musical traditions of Puerto Rico, once again featuring sibling tree frogs Rafi and Rosi Coquí.

Readers learn along with Rafi and Rosi as they explore bomba, plena, and salsa in three chapters. A glossary at the beginning sets readers up well to understand the Spanish vocabulary, including accurate phoneticization for non-Spanish speakers. The stories focus on Rafi and Rosi's relationship within a musical context. For example, in one chapter Rafi finds out that he attracts a larger audience playing his homemade güiro with Rosi's help even though he initially excluded her: "Big brothers only." Even when he makes mistakes, as the older brother, Rafi consoles Rosi when she is embarrassed or angry at him. In each instance, their shared joy for music and dance ultimately shines through any upsets-a valuable reflection of unity. Informational backmatter and author's sources are extensive. Undoubtedly these will help teachers, librarians, and parents to develop Puerto Rican cultural programs, curriculum, or home activities to extend young readers' learning. The inclusion of instructions to make one's own homemade güiro is a thoughtful addition. The Spanish translation, also by Delacre and published simultaneously, will require a more advanced reader than the English one to recognize and comprehend contractions ("pa'bajo-pa-pa'rriba") and relatively sophisticated vocabulary.

A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape. (Early reader. 7-9)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Newbery Honor author Lin makes a stunning entrée into the world of early readers. The first of six short stories introduces identical Chinese-American twins Ling and Ting, who always wear matching patterned dresses. The similarities soon end after the girls visit the barber.

# data[].attributes.body
A young immigrant seeks, and at last regains, a sense of self through her early exploration of the English language.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Renée Watson ; illustrated by Niña Mata ‧

Ryan Hart is navigating the fourth grade and all its challenges with determination.

Her mom named her Ryan because it means "king," and she wanted Ryan to feel powerful every time she heard her name; Ryan knows it means she is a leader. So when changes occur or disaster strikes, budding chef Ryan does her best to find the positive and "make sunshine." When her dad is laid off from the post office, the family must make adjustments that include moving into a smaller house, selling their car, and changing how they shop for groceries. But Ryan gets to stay at Vernon Elementary, and her mom still finds a way to get her the ingredients she needs to practice new recipes. Her older brother, Ray, can be bossy, but he finds little ways to support her, especially when she is down-as does the whole family. Each episodic chapter confronts Ryan with a situation; intermittently funny, frustrating, and touching, they should be familiar and accessible to readers, as when Ryan fumbles her Easter speech despite careful practice. Ryan, her family, and friends are Black, and Watson continues to bring visibility to both Portland, Oregon, generally and its Black community specifically, making another wonderful contribution that allows Black readers to see themselves and all readers to find a character they can love.

Move over Ramona Quimby, Portland has another neighbor you have to meet! (Fiction. 8-10)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An unhappy young immigrant seeks, and at last regains, a sense of self in this atmospheric, expressionistically illustrated episode. Instead of writing her own name on her papers at school, Yoon calls herself "Cat," then "Bird"-"I wanted to be BIRD. I wanted to fly, fly back to Korea"-and even, after a classmate's friendly culinary overture, "Cupcake."

# data[].attributes.body
New to America, a young immigrant girl finds acceptance through sharing her story with her new community and attempts to connect with her mother still living in her native Vietnam.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ut's sisters enter their new American school.

From The Asian Reporter, V14, #3 (January 13, 2004), page 16.

You can change your mind

Angel Child, Dragon Child

By Michele Maria Surat

Illustrated by Vo-Dinh Mai

Scholastic, 1983

Paperback, 35 pages, $4.99

By Josephine Bridges

"My sisters skipped through the stone gate two by two. Mother was not there to skip with me. Mother was far away in Vietnam." Nguyen Hoa, known at home as Ut, "a tender name for smallest daughter," narrates this story of the choices between cruelty and kindness that children must make again and again.

Hoa's classmate Raymond has "fire-colored hair." He goads Hoa about her clothes and her language, but Hoa keeps her anger to herself until the boy turns his unkindness on her sister. Ironically, it is Hoa's retaliation - when she behaves neither like a good angel child nor like a noble dragon child - that sets in motion the series of events that lead not only to tolerance, but to cooperation.

Michele Maria Surat's prose sings. Hoa's words remind us how much non-native speakers have enriched the English language. The clock "needles ticked slowly." What native speakers of English call a snowball is a "snowrock" to this child, who has never seen snow before. The principal's shoes "squeegeed" up and down the hall.

Vo-Dinh Mai's illustrations - which are largely unfinished early in the narrative but more and more complete as the narrative proceeds - are the perfect accompaniment to this vivid description of how we can change our minds. The drawing of Hoa and Raymond's collaboration on the story of Hoa's journey from Vietnam is the most astonishing example, but every illustration in Angel Child, Dragon Child is a small marvel.

This little book was published in 1983, but the story it tells will never grow old.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ut's sisters enter their new American school. From The Asian Reporter, V14, #3 (January 13, 2004), page 16. You can change your mind Angel Child, Dragon Child By Michele Maria Surat Illustrated by Vo-Dinh Mai Scholastic, 1983 Paperback, 35 pages, $4.99 By Josephine Bridges "My sisters skipped through the stone gate two by two.

# data[].attributes.body
When Mrs. Barrington rolls out a poster displaying all the U.S. presidents’ portraits, the observing and bold Grace Campbell asks, “Where are the GIRLS?”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When Mrs. Barrington rolls out a poster displaying all the U.S. presidents' portraits, the observing and bold Grace Campbell asks, "Where are the GIRLS?"

Learning from her teacher that a female head of state is yet to be, Grace decides she will become the first woman president-of her grade, that is. Running against her rival Thomas Cobb in Mr. Waller's class proves to be more challenging than anticipated. Through the process, Grace campaigns diligently, creates platforms and learns how the Electoral College operates. DiPucchio demonstrates the intricacies of the process with each boy and girl representing one of the states and their corresponding electoral votes. Creating a bit of fait-accompli drama, she has readers assume the favored will be "the best man for the job" Thomas Cobb, since all the boys hold a few more electoral votes than the girls. But true democracy prevails when the last state of Wyoming casts its three remaining votes for "the best person" and Grace is declared the winner. Pham's deeply toned opaque and textured paintings of a multicultural group of children bring out the various details of each phase of a campaign.

A timely, well-constructed explanation brought down to a level anyone can comprehend. (author's note) (Picture book. 7-10)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When Mrs. Barrington rolls out a poster displaying all the U.S. presidents' portraits, the observing and bold Grace Campbell asks, "Where are the GIRLS?" Learning from her teacher that a female head of state is yet to be, Grace decides she will become the first woman president-of her grade, that is.

# data[].attributes.body
The multiaward-winning Pinkneys’ requiem lovingly explains in a set of “docu-poems” the events surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, death, and legacy in this poetry collection.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The multiaward-winning Pinkneys' requiem lovingly explains in a set of "docu-poems" the events surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, particularly the Memphis sanitation workers' strikes that brought him to the city where he eventually died.

The author humanizes King through the love he has for his family and movement comrades (including an April 4, 1968, pillow fight with his brother, Andrew Young, and Ralph Abernathy) as well as the viral bug he suffers with as he gives his last, prescient, and momentous "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. The illustrator, blending influences of Marc Chagall and Norman Lewis, gives the story a loosely drawn, vibrantly warm, watercolor haze, which, with halos of yellows and oranges and even wings, give King and his family an almost beatific, if not saintly, glow, even in their sorrows. The character of Henny Penny, who is a blend of the fabled chicken and a wise black grandmother, provides the Greek-chorus narration in a device that is understandable if sometimes-distracting. Catholicism creates hagiographies to explain their martyrs' and other saints' deaths, whether history concurs with their feats for the faith or, in some cases, their very existences. Even as U.S. black communities wrestle with Dr. King's personal foibles, media-glossed images, and complex messages, here readers have a children's book in which adults may also find succor, if not inspiration, considering the current reverting-to-pre-Civil Rights administration.

Spiritually vital. (author's and illustrator's notes, history, timeline, bibliography) (Poetry. 8-adult)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The multiaward-winning Pinkneys' requiem lovingly explains in a set of "docu-poems" the events surrounding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, particularly the Memphis sanitation workers' strikes that brought him to the city where he eventually died.

# data[].attributes.body
Learn all about dreamers who changed history in this engaging and hopeful board book perfect for dreamers-in-training!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn all about dreamers who changed history in this engaging and hopeful board book perfect for dreamers-in-training!In this sixth book ...

# data[].attributes.body
Narrating King's life and accomplishments with a dignity and simplicity that is equally appropriate for young children or less accomplished older readers, the author concludes with a graceful summary of the reasons he is honored with a special day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARTIN LUTHER KING | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In a thoughtful note, Marzollo suggests that adults may wish to change the words ``shot and killed″ to ``died″ when sharing this book with preschoolers, but goes on to advise that ``if we handle the subject sensitively, we will find that children, like ourselves, can look at truth and cope with de…

# data[].attributes.body
A young girl with autism is faced with unexpected challenges while celebrating her birthday, but thankfully her mom teaches her coping strategies, such as cuddling with her service dog, which assure her that change is not necessarily a bad thing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SUNNY | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Laila is a planner—she has charts for everything.

# data[].attributes.body
A group of children planting a garden discuss and celebrate their various disabilities, stating that just like every plant grows in a different way every child does as well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Drawing on her experiences as a child with juvenile diabetes, the Supreme Court justice addresses kids’ curiosity about disability and illness.

# data[].attributes.body
Based on a true story, two male chinstrap penguins at New York City’s Central Park Zoo bond, build a nest and—thanks to a helping hand from an observant zookeeper—hatch and raise a penguin chick.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AND TANGO MAKES THREE by Justin Richardson , Peter Parnell , Henry Cole | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this true, straightforwardly (so to speak) delivered tale, two male chinstrap penguins at New York City's Central Park Zoo bond, build a nest and-thanks to a helping hand from an observant zookeeper-hatch and raise a penguin chick.

# data[].attributes.body
Whether with blocks and trucks or dolls and dress-up, there are many fun ways to play at preschool, and Jamie enjoys each one, slowly teaching new friends what it means to be yourself.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jamie is Jamie: Whether with blocks and trucks or dolls and dress-up, there are many fun ways to play at preschool, and Jamie enjoys each one, slowly teaching new friends what it means to be yourself. Confident with shaggy hair, freckles, and wearing mixed...

# data[].attributes.body
In this Brazillian soccer story with a gender-equality twist, the author shows that being poor doesn’t stop people from having lives and dreams.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Valerie Bolling ; illustrated by Maine Diaz ‧

Dancing is one of the most universal elements of cultures the world over.

In onomatopoeic, rhyming text, Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing. Read aloud, the zippy text will engage young children: "Tappity Tap / Fingers Snap," reads the rhyme on the double-page spread for flamenco; "Jiggity-Jig / Zig-zag-zig" describes Irish step dancing. The ballet pages stereotypically include only children in dresses or tutus, but one of these dancers wears hijab. Overall, children included are racially diverse and vary in gender presentation. Diaz's illustrations show her background in animated films; her active child dancers generally have the large-eyed sameness of cartoon characters. The endpapers, with shoes and musical instruments, could become a matching game with pages in the book. The dances depicted are described at the end, including kathak from India and kuku from Guinea, West Africa. Unfortunately, these explanations are quite rudimentary. Kathak dancers use their facial expressions extensively in addition to the "movements of their hands and their jingling feet," as described in the book. Although today kuku is danced at all types of celebrations in several countries, it was once done after fishing, an activity acknowledged in the illustrations but not mentioned in the explanatory text.

The snappy text will get toes tapping, but the information it carries is limited. (Informational picture book. 4-6)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Valerie Bolling ; illustrated by Maine Diaz ‧ Dancing is one of the most universal elements of cultures the world over. In onomatopoeic, rhyming text, Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing.

# data[].attributes.body
A picture-book affirmation of family diversity, the opening double-page spread depicts a diverse class of 13 children sitting at their desks in a circle when their teacher asks them to share “what we thought made our family special.”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
KIRKUS REVIEW

A picture-book affirmation of family diversity.

The opening double-page spread depicts a diverse class of 13 children sitting at their desks in a circle when their teacher asks them to share "what we thought made our family special." The first-person narrator silently worries. "My family is not like everybody else's." The accompanying illustration shows one child, seated at a desk across the circle from the teacher, with eyes downcast, red cheeks, and closed body language. The following spreads are narrated by individual classmates who deliver matter-of-fact, often humorous commentary on their families, augmented by Leng's appealing cartoon illustrations that lend humor and vitality to characterization. The broad diversity of family constellations is refreshing and ultimately soothing to the worried child from the first spread. After hearing classmates talk about having two moms, two dads, many siblings, divorced parents, a blended family, single parents, mixed-race families, a grandmother who's "my everything," and more, the narrator recalls a time when a woman at the park "asked my foster mother to point out her real children. 'Oh I don't have any imaginary children,' Mom said. 'All my children are real.' " This good-natured but firm response is both empowering and instructive, as is the welcome inclusion of a foster family in this thoughtful, needed book.

A-plus fabulous. (Picture book. 3-8)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A FAMILY IS A FAMILY IS A FAMILY by Sara O'Leary , Qin Leng | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A picture-book affirmation of family diversity. The opening double-page spread depicts a diverse class of 13 children sitting at their desks in a circle when their teacher asks them to share "what we thought made our family special." The first-person narrator silently worries. "My family is not like everybody else's."

# data[].attributes.body
When a baby chooses its mother, special gatherings of family and community are held to prepare for the child’s arrival. Sacred items are collected and placed in a medicine bundle to be given to the baby at birth. An Indigenous mother plans the journey with her unborn child.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Jimmy Fallon ; illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez ‧

A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say "Dada" in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon.

A grumpy bull says, "DADA!"; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, "DADA!"; his lamb baas back. A duck, a bee, a dog, a rabbit, a cat, a mouse, a donkey, a pig, a frog, a rooster, and a horse all fail similarly, spread by spread. A final two-spread sequence finds all of the animals arrayed across the pages, dads on the verso and children on the recto. All the text prior to this point has been either iterations of "Dada" or animal sounds in dialogue bubbles; here, narrative text states, "Now everybody get in line, let's say it together one more time...." Upon the turn of the page, the animal dads gaze round-eyed as their young across the gutter all cry, "DADA!" (except the duckling, who says, "quack"). Ordóñez's illustrations have a bland, digital look, compositions hardly varying with the characters, although the pastel-colored backgrounds change. The punch line fails from a design standpoint, as the sudden, single-bubble chorus of "DADA" appears to be emanating from background features rather than the baby animals' mouths (only some of which, on close inspection, appear to be open). It also fails to be funny.

Plotless and pointless, the book clearly exists only because its celebrity author wrote it. (Picture book. 3-5)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I SANG YOU DOWN FROM THE STARS | Kirkus Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Jimmy Fallon ; illustrated by Miguel Ordóñez ‧ A succession of animal dads do their best to teach their young to say "Dada" in this picture-book vehicle for Fallon. A grumpy bull says, "DADA!"; his calf moos back. A sad-looking ram insists, "DADA!"; his lamb baas back.

# data[].attributes.body
There’s a new kid at school, and they’re tired of being asked all the wrong questions. Kid after kid voices the questions they wish they were asked. The text is a heartfelt ode to children who challenge everything including xenophobia, ableism, and the gender binary, and includes a diverse array of skin colors and hair textures, communicating racial and ethnic diversity.

# data[].attributes.body
A day in the snow for two kids in two languages, the first child speaks Japanese and the second, English; yet their intent and interactions are seemingly understood, facilitated by snowy-day play and bilingual conversation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧

Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: "On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!" The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis' The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol. The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip.

# data[].attributes.body
From the first humans in North America to the immigrants and refugees of today, the story of America’s diversity is the story of migration.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
From the first humans in North America to the immigrants and refugees of today, the story of America's diversity is the story of migration.

Poetic text and stunning watercolors outline the history of how peoples from all over the globe arrived in what is now the United States of America. Peters likens migrants to seeds that are carried on the wind, taking root in the new soil, creating a "garden of Americans who turn to face the wind." The book begins with spreads featuring different groups of arrivals, chosen for their numbers, contributions, or impact. Native Americans, English settlers, enslaved Africans, Chinese railroad workers, and migrant field workers are among those featured, and each is accompanied by a few sentences that do not explicitly mention country names but cut to the core of their significance with pointed honesty. "The brutal leader" of a group of "colonists" depicted as conquistadors, for instance, is recorded as having "slaughtered the tribe that was living" where they settled. After the Statue of Liberty's famous welcoming poem appears in its entirety, more modern immigration is represented. These pages feature individuals here and now: a mother who works long cleaning shifts, a 13-year-old refugee who wears a head scarf, a boy who loves soccer. And finally, a city block exuberantly depicting residents of many skin tones under a celebratory sky of fireworks. The beautiful text celebrates America's difficult immigrant history with honesty and respect while simultaneously maintaining a feeling of pride and optimism in its present and future. Extremely informative notes round out this outstanding book. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.5-by-21-inch double-page spreads viewed at 53.1% of actual size.)

Enlightening, visually gorgeous, and emotionally moving. (glossary, note, sources) (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Did you like this book?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From the first humans in North America to the immigrants and refugees of today, the story of America's diversity is the story of migration. Poetic text and stunning watercolors outline the history of how peoples from all over the globe arrived in what is now the United States of America.