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293 pages, fiction, middle grades and up

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293 pages, fiction, middle grades and up

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themes: mental health (anxiety), sudden change in socio-economic status

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themes: mental health (anxiety), sudden change in socio-economic status

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239 pages, non-fiction, graphic novel, middle grades and up

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239 pages, non-fiction, graphic novel, middle grades and up

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themes: body image, mental health (eating disorders), fatphobia

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themes: body image, mental health (eating disorders), fatphobia

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314 pages, fiction, anthology, YA, short stories

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314 pages, fiction, anthology, YA, short stories

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themes: race, fatphobia, chronic illness, socioeconomic status

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themes: race, fatphobia, chronic illness, socioeconomic status

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Christina Diaz Gonzalez & Gabriela Epstein

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Christina Diaz Gonzalez & Gabriela Epstein

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195 pages, graphic novel, middle grades and up

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195 pages, graphic novel, middle grades and up

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Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson & Nikkolas Smith

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Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson & Nikkolas Smith

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272 pages, non-fiction, middle grades and up

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272 pages, non-fiction, middle grades and up

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272 pages, graphic novel, middle grades and up

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272 pages, graphic novel, middle grades and up

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themes: mental health (anxiety), race, hardship (divorce)

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themes: mental health (anxiety), race, hardship (divorce)

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Aurore is a School Librarian and an experienced World Language Teacher of French. In 2013, she earned a Master's Degree in Teaching from Ithaca College. Ten years later, she went back to grad school to earn her Library certification. Her dream job is to combine these two passions into teaching French literature, being a bilingual librarian, or both! 

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Aurore is a School Librarian and an experienced World Language Teacher of French. In 2013, she earned a Master's Degree in Teaching from Ithaca College. Ten years later, she went back to grad school to earn her Library certification. Her dream job is to combine these two passions into teaching French literature, being a bilingual librarian, or both! 

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She loves the color orange, Halloween, and sipping on her matcha latte while reading a good book on a rainy day.

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She personally owns all books featured here and has taken every photo on her kitchen table :-D

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She personally owns all books featured here and has taken every photo on her kitchen table :-D

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The summer before her high school senior year, Whit, a Latino girl from Massachusetts who lives with her Abuela and her sister Lily is diagnosed with PCOS. She's glad that her boyfriend moved away as she can find ways to hide the host of physical symptoms plaguing her while on the phone or on video calls, but she's finding it tough to deal with a bigger, softer, hairier body. She keeps away from her best friends, pretending to be working too much, but it's really a lot of fatigue pinning her down. Schools starts and they reconnect, yet she decides not to confide in them. Fall Fest will start soon and Whit has her mind set on being the committee's president. She loves nothing more than Fall and pumpkin spiced drinks! The perspective of the festivities even takes her mind off of her recent breakup. When she gets the job, she learns that her second in command will be her middle school ex, Zay, an Afro-Latino skateboarder with a hilarious family. They end up being a good team and reconnecting, but Whit's health issues won't stay at bay. She starts thinking that Zay might like her, and she herself develops a crush on him, but doubts her value due to her chronic disease. In a moment of crisis, it's Zay who ends up taking her to the hospital. All of her friends rally around her as it looks more and more like she may have to miss some of Fall Fest. Will she recover on time to go to the dance? And more importantly, will Zay want to be her date?

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Virginia Sole-Smith compiles insights from numerous interviews, delving into the perspectives of individuals facing challenges related to food and body image. This includes the experiences of parents and children, as well as input from medical professionals, researchers in both obesity and eating disorder fields, and cultural observers. By intertwining these personal stories with research findings, her observations of social media, and her own encounters as a mother navigating a weight-centric society, the author crafts a narrative that explores the unintended consequences of well-intentioned actions, particularly within the parent-child dynamic. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the disparity between intent and impact through anecdotes shared from both parental and child viewpoints.

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° Resilience and coping with adversity, as the main character is faced with multiple challenges at once;

° Understanding the impact of one's actions, with a lesson in ethics, accountability and personal responsibility;

° Empathy and a deeper understanding of mental health issues and their impact on families;

° Self discovery and personal growth, with the main characters learning a lot about herself, (her) boundaries, and one's limitations.

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I was perusing a bookstore while on vacation and stumbled upon the book. At first, it's the cover that intrigued me as it's less common to find novels about girls playing sport. When I read the back cover, I thought reading something that deals with a parent's unethical actions while still remaining a lovable and loving adult was sure to be interesting, not to mention the consequences of their actions on a child, especially of middle school age as these are pivotal years.

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In 11 chapters and an encyclopedia of racism, Frederick Joseph gets personal with the reader and talks to them like a friend. While the target audience of the book is mainly white people who want to better understand what it is really like to be Black in today’s America, every chapter is inclusive and comprehensive without being moralizing. He shares many stories of his past, many instances of moments he was the victim of racist profiling, racist comments, and racist behaviors. In each chapter, he interviews other Black folx on a specific topic, in order to not base his advice for white people who want to do better solely on his anecdotes. In the end, Joseph explains that rather than allies, he would like white people to be accomplices – not at all in the sense of committing a crime, but in dismantling racism. Joseph makes it clear that it’s not Black people’s job to educate white people on not being racist, yet it’s apparent in the book that he believes this book – a guide, a starting point to do better as a white person – can play a part in changing the way Black folx are seeing and treated.

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° Empathy via personal narratives, with the recollection of firsthand stories from the author, emotional connection and a greater understanding of the impact of racism;

° Education as a tool for change, as the book in and of itself, its existence and purpose imply the belief that education and awareness can lead to positive change in how Black individuals are perceived and treated;

° Commitment to be a better person, as the text emphasizes the active role required in the fight against racism and encourages a deeper level of involvement and responsibility, moving away from passive support to actively engaging in actions that contribute to systemic change.

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° Impact of social media and cultural trends, as the author underscores the influential role that contemporary platforms and societal norms play in shaping perceptions around food and body image. It prompts readers to critically examine the impact of external influences on individual and familial attitudes toward these issues.

° Diversity in perspectives around food and body concerns: the compilation of interviews encompasses a variety of perspectives, including those of parents, children, doctors, dietitians, therapists, and researchers in the fields of obesity and eating disorders. This provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse experiences and challenges faced by individuals.

° Good intentions can have unintended consequences, as the text highlights instances where actions driven by good (parental) intentions lead to unintended and often detrimental impacts. This reinforces the complexity of navigating issues related to food, body image, and parenting. It encourages readers to consider the potential consequences of their actions and decisions, even when well-intentioned.

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22 pages, non-fiction, children's, board book

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22 pages, non-fiction, children's, board book

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This board book is one of the many adaptations of Dr. Kendi's How To Be An Antiracist. In 9 principles spread each over a double page, the books shows how to build a more equitable society by empowering parents and children to uproot racism. It is a starting point to a conversation about racism and the critical conversations that surround the issue. The book features attractive and diverse illustrations to accompany each antiracist principle. The language is direct, clear and concise.

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° Active inclusivity and equity, as the book instills the learning point that being an antiracist is an ongoing commitment to actively work against racism rather than being passively "not racist". It helps young readers understand the importance of embracing diversity and standing against discrimination;

° Early education on antiracism, as the text introduces the concept of antiracism to young children and shows that there is value in starting conversations about racial equity and justice at an early age to build a foundation for future understanding;

° Interactive engagement with the new concept of antiracism, since the book presents engagement in the concepts of racism and antiracism in a way that invites children to participate and fosters critical thinking.

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This book was gifted to my child and our family in the winter of 2020, in the heart of the Black Lives Matter movement.

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° Insight into health challenges and self-image, as the book offers a learning opportunity for readers to understand and empathize with individuals managing chronic health conditions. Additionally, Whit's struggle with body image and self-esteem provides a platform for exploring themes of self-acceptance and learning to value oneself beyond physical appearance.

° Leadership and teamwork, as the novel provides insights into the challenges and rewards of taking on leadership roles, especially when working with diverse individuals. Whit's collaboration with Zay, her middle school ex boyfriend, highlights the potential for personal growth and positive connections through shared goals and responsibilities.

° Managing a variety of relationships and their complexities, as demonstrated by Whit's decision to keep her health issues hidden from her friends, even when she reconnects with them after the summer. The story showcases a learning experience about the importance of open and honest communication, especially during challenging times and the significance of supportive relationships and strong friendships in navigating difficulties.

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I saw the book in a store, then again in a catalogue and was attracted by the two-line summary, the colors, the front cover illustrations, and the themes. The characters seemed interesting and complex (there are lots of mentions of gender identity and sexual orientation, along with socioeconomic class and money that are not part of the main plot, which adds to the realistic aspect of the story). I went back to get the book from my local bookstore. I believe that he narrative can inspire readers to reflect on their own strengths and recognize their intrinsic worth, as it did with me.

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I regularly listen to the author's podcast Burnt Toast, which is how I discovered that she was publishing a book. The book was promoted as being a condensed version of years of research on debunking traditional and muddy messages about weight, obesity and eating disorders. It also handles difficult topics such as how to raise kids that have healthy relationships with food and their physical image. All were themes of personal interest. I went to grab the book off the shelves of my local bookstore when it came out.

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In this set of short stories written by 15 different authors, including the last story by editor Adi Alsaid, the reader gets to navigate the many experiences of immigration. In some, we follow a character on their journey and acclimatization to the US. In others, we follow a protagonist back to their home country for a visit while they take us through what it feels like to belong in two places at once, or to feel like a stranger in one's own motherland. Issues pertaining to immigration are far from glossed over, yet the book has a highly positive tone and an overarching theme of finding home.

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° Humanizing immigration experiences, by presenting immigration stories through a narrative lens. Instead of glossing over the difficulties, it delves into the real and personal aspects of individuals' lives. This can serve as a learning opportunity for readers to better understand the human side of immigration, fostering a more compassionate and informed perspective on the subject.

° Belonging and duality, particularly in the context of individuals who find themselves caught between two worlds. The book delves into the emotional and psychological aspects of feeling connected to multiple places, speaking multiple languages and being afraid to be "othered". This can serve as a learning point for readers to appreciate the intricate nature of identity for those with immigration experiences.

° Diverse perspectives on immigration, as there is no single experience of being an immigrant. This variety of narratives allows for a richer understanding of the complexities and nuances associated with leaving one's birth or origin country behind, fostering empathy and awareness.

° Resilience and strength, which is found in the individuals undergoing the immigration experience. It encourages readers to see beyond the challenges and focus on the overarching theme of finding home, emphasizing the human capacity to adapt and build meaningful connections in new environments.

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This book felt intensely personal to me. I am an immigrant to the US celebrating slightly over ten years in the country. I often yearn to bond with other immigrants on our duality, notably as I ponder applying for citizenship in the next few years. My answer to the question "why?" could be summarized by some of the quotes from the book, especially as my son, who is US-born, is now old enough to notice the differences when we travel back to Europe or welcome relatives for a visit:

1. "(...) this feeling of being two in one, a snake required at regular intervals to slide back into a dry and raspy skin (...)" (p.84);

2. " (...) when you make this place your home, you are immediately orphaned. You lose people. (...) This country takes things from you. It wants to know how bad you want to stay here." (p. 240);

3. "To have families in two countries is to have a part of yourself missing." (p.249).

The book popped up as a recommendation after I purchased The Fall of Whit Rivera, by Crystal Maldonado and I did not hesitate to purchase it. Despite tearing up at nearly each story, this is the book I'd take to a desert island.

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Five Latinx students are called into the principal's office one morning, along with the Spanish teacher to help as a translator. For a while, they wonder why they are here; it seems that all they have in common is a connection to Spanish language. They know each other from their community hours helping the disgruntled cafeteria employee who thinks they're all the same. In the principal's office, they are questioned, and through this questioning, tell the story about how they came to know each other while helping out a young homeless mother and her doll-loving daughter. As it turns out, the other person present in the principal's office is not a DCF or an ICE employee, but a journalist wanting to write a piece about their selflessness. Indeed, helping the young mother wasn't done without risking to expose their own secrets and hardships. All five students end up with a medal and the newfound status of heroes of Conrad Middle School.

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° The power of community and empathy: the students demonstrate compassion by assisting someone in need, breaking stereotypes and fostering a sense of connection beyond surface differences. This can encourage readers to reflect on the importance of empathy in building stronger communities.

° Vulnerability and taking risks, as the story emphasizes the courage and selflessness required to address societal issues and help others. It highlights the idea that meaningful change often involves stepping outside one's comfort zone and being vulnerable for the greater good.

° Media perception: the students, initially questioned as if they were in trouble, end up being portrayed as heroes by the journalist and seen as such by the principal. This can prompt readers to consider the impact of media narratives on public perception, emphasizing the potential for positive change in how marginalized communities are portrayed.

° Demonstrating the many faces and levels of bilingualism, as some of the text is written in both English and Spanish, and the characters are all on a different part of the Spanish-speaking spectrum. Readers can start debunking stereotypes and see that one can consider oneself an immigrant but not be proficient in their family's language, or really struggle in English but be extremely smart and quick witted, and so on.

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This is another book with a cover and a title that attracted me. I saw it at my local bookstore and while I did read the summary in the back, it ended up being very different from what I thought it would be. It's a quick read and I appreciate the bilingual text. I can easily see it being used in Spanish, ESOL, Health or Civics classes, for different reasons.