A girl waits in anticipation for her Papi to get home from work so they can have their daily motorcycle ride. Readers are along on this ride as we are immersed in the sights and sounds that bring this town alive. We see history painted on the murals and the nostalgic memories of the small shaved ice shop. We also see how the landscape is changing, but the love and excitement that exudes from this small town is ever present. The experience is made more real from the words and graphic novel style illustrations that convey the freedom of a motorcycle (“VROOOM”), the colors that zip by, and the speech in balloons filled with a mix of Spanish and English alongside the English-only text. This town is real- it can be messy and beautiful, old and new. It is filled with business owners that are friends, neighbors that are family, but most of all, a living love that will not change even when the scenery does.  

This joyful book is an anthem for all girls who need to hear that their individuality is beautiful and it matters. Zuri loves her hair, with “kinks, coils, and curls every which way”, but she needs a spectacular coif on one special day. Her father is committed to making sure he gives her just that. However, it soon becomes apparent that this is a harder task than he thought. It’s not easy for Zuri either as we see her become increasingly exasperated through the digital images and defeated tone. When it seems like they might as well just call it a day by putting a hat on, Zuri and her father muster up what determination they have left, they are rewarded with two beautiful “Funky puff buns” just in time for the mother to see the fruit of perseverance and father-daughter collaboration. 

The power of food is fully felt through each of the poems beginning with “Fry Bread Is…”. Some of the poems describe fry bread as sensory (flavor, sound), while other describe it as more conceptual (nation, place). Although the words are simple, the meaning is deep. It takes readers into the history of the Native American people and how this food is not only something to eat, but something almost sacred that has held the people together even when it was hard. The wispy art features a diverse group of children learning about fry bread while showcasing the unity and resilience of a Native American tribe. The author’s note offers a very detailed context about this dish and its complex history. 

This book explores the life of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson. Johnson always excelled in mathematics, but was frustrated by the lack of opportunities to women of her era. Through endless perseverance and fearlessness, Johnson earns her spot on the NASA space team. Slade writes in a succinct, brisk prose, that is paired well with Jamison’s expressive mixed-media art, which shines Johnson’s confidence and hopefulness against the status-quo. This is a well done biography that will inspire kids to be bold and pave a way for themselves in order to reach their dream. 

This is a book all about perspective. Throughout the story, CJ is a young boy who notices the inequality between what some kids have and what he has. His grandmother, in a straightforward and wise tone, helps CJ see the beauty in what he does has. When CJ questions why they don’t have a car,  his grandmother asks why they need a car if they have “A bus that breathes fire”. Why do they need a music player when “you got the real live thing sitting across from you.” Actually, his grandmother helps CJ see, that not having a lot is what make you “A better witness for what’s beautiful.” This message is conveyed through Pena’s text that depicts real life in a city filled with both grit and beauty. Robinson’s folk-style illustrations bring the diverse urban landscape to life. This book would be a precious addition to any social emotional learning library. It acts as both a window and mirror for kids. 

The narrator is a Muslim girl who sees many of the woman in her life wearing their hijabs. They style it to match what they are doing and use it to show off their personality. The author uses simple rhymes to describe how a woman’s hijab can match their personality. When Grandma is at work baking, “her hijab is carefully folded like the crusts on my favorite pies,” while “at home in her kitchen, Grandma fixes her hair in a bun.” The illustrations pair well with the text, showing these different women wearing hijabs in different settings. Whether it is the camp leader hiking in a hijab with a sun hat, or her mother’s colorful pink hijab that makes her patients smile when they are sick-the pictures really normalize hijabs. It also celebrates them and the freedom women have to choose how and when to wear their hijabs. 

Front Desk is a book for kids who want to know their voice matters. It doesn’t matter how young you are, or how insecure you might feel-with hard work and creativity, you might just begin to make the world a more just place. Yang draws upon her own experience as a Chinese-American immigrant to write this story through the eyes of a spunky and empathetic 10 year old girl. 1993, Mia’s parents become managers of a California motel, while facing much discrimination. Mia has the responsibility of manning the front desk, but comes to do much more than that. She is always looking to help those much less fortunate than her, and uses her improving English skills to demand justice for other Chinese immigrants who are being racially profiled. This story will inspire kids to use their voice no matter what age. 

This Schneider Family Book Award winning story is a blend of fiction and non-fiction. Irisl, who is deaf, has always loved music and technology. However, since she is the only deaf person at her school, people treat her like she isn’t very smart. She develops a bond with Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, and Iris knows how he feels. She wants to help him, and comes up with an idea to “sing” to him. This poignant story, by sign language interpreter Lynne Kelly illuminates issues of loneliness, belonging, and the power of communication. 

Stories keep us alive. This was the reality for 13 year old Kenneth Sparks, on the Benares ship sailing from England to Canada. The events of this book take place during World War II, when the German navy was using U-boats to torpedo ships sailing across the Atlantic. The story, written in verse, gives a harrowing and suspenseful look at how the passengers of lifeboat 12 survived after being torpedoed. Their quest to survive is fraught with the taunting of the ocean and diminishing supplies needed for survival. What ultimately saves them is the hope and strength found in the human spirit, even when everything else is taken away from them. The children ultimately become heroes just like the ones they hear of in their bedtime stories.

Real Friends draws from the inspiration of Shannon Hale’s real life childhood struggles of growing up in this candid graphic memoir. Hale starts out as a shy girl who loves books. She doesn’t have many friends, but the one friend she does have she holds on to dearly. Forming their friendship was easy, but keeping it, that’s hard. She must negotiate forever-changing friendship politics, while dealing with other bullies in her life. The characters in this book are very real and fleshed out. The bullies are not just mean for no reason; they have insecurities like anyone else. No one is perfect, including Hale, because they are human and complex. The art brings out the emotions that come with growing up and finding your place in the world.

Nathan Hale’s graphic novel retellings of periods in history are so fun, some kids will have a hard time believing they are reading about a true story. Mixed in with the true story of  Nathan Hale, America’s first spy, are funny bits of dialogue from both made up characters like the hangman, and real historical figures like General Washington. The back of the book has more detailed information on the major players, and further commentary on the execution of Nathan Hale. This book is the first in the series called Hazardous Tales. Kids will be begging to read more in this fun yet informative series that brings history to life. 

Many might know Pura Belpre as the award given to books about the Latin American culture, but who was Belpre herself? This book celebrates the work of New York City’s first Latina librarian, whose mission is for kids to sow seeds for a love of hearing and telling stories. She enchants children through her own stories, originating from her native Puerto Rico. Escobar represents the biography’s image of sharing and planting story seeds through retro-style spreads with vibrant colors and flowers that follow Belpre as she shares her tales. Readers can get a sense of Belpre’s warmth and joy of story-telling through the illustrated flowers that float around Belpre whenever she shares her tales. 

This is the timeless story of two kids, Aaron and Leslie. Friends with very different personalities who end up forming an inseparable bond. They spend their time creating and traveling to the land of Terabithia, a magical land that is faraway and yet in their own backyard forests. They enjoy the delights of friendship and the wonders of their imagination until the most unimaginable tragedy happens. How Patterson navigates the aftermath of such a tragedy is a lesson that readers for generations will find strength and comfort in. This is a book essential for all libraries, that contains a theme that is not found in many books even today. Especially in the hardest of times, when there are no good words to say, this book might just be of some comfort to a child with a hurting heart. 

There is no science fiction novel quite like Wrinkle in Time. The classic story Meg, and her quest to save her dad. Along the way, we are introduced to a bizarre world with weird creatures that still feel human and real. Kids  will be able to identify with Meg right away-she feels out of place, insecure, and just like an outcast. But as she goes on this quest, she grows into a person who has not only discovered new things about the world, but herself as well. This book should have a special place in any library, as L’Engle’s prose and voice really touches any child’s heart who just feels like their strange or don’t belong. With some really cool science and imaginative ideas, they just might find the same confidence Meg did to be themselves. 

The Mars Rover, Curiosity, narrates her own story beginning in a lab in California to the landing on the red planet. Motum uses mixed-media illustrations that reflect the art popular during the beginning of space travel-using muted colors and spare, geometric patterns. There are close ups to show the rover’s many parts. The large trim size of the book effectively conveys the vastness and other-worldliness of Mars. This informational book would pair well with other biographies about astronauts and space because it is told from the perspective of the rover herself.