Recent Reviews

	My Blue Is Happy	Perspective taking and listening to yourself is key in understanding our likes and dislikes. This girl is comforted by blue and disquieted by yellow. She loves (what others call boring) brown and takes (what others call exciting) orange very seriously. She knows how she feels about her colors and associations and isn’t afraid to hold onto her beliefs, even when her family disagrees. A great conversation starter of a picture book; get to know your kids likes and dislikes! Recommended by Sameah
	Tuggoat	Cordelia is just a goat, but can she be a Tugboat? With a rope and tire and determination she can! Cordelia and her best friend, Poggers the Pig, run new lands and soar to new heights to be whatever they want, no matter what anyone else says. The joy you get from achieving your goals, even if it’s being a silly goat with your best friends, is showing brightly in this picture book! Recommended by Sameah
	Lupita's Hurricane Palomitas	Before Hurricane Irma, the Lopez family is shuttering up the house when Lupita finds Palomitas chicks all alone. She takes them inside for the storm, places them in a box, and watches over them like mama bird. The preservation and comfort of two little birds hold this family together through a hurricane. The care this little girl gives to the chicks is the same her parents give her, love and comfort and protection. Recommended by Sameah
	The Voyage	Beautiful, captivating, inspiring, and all the adjectives I can think of- this book deserves awards. Not only is the illustration from Spiry some of the most visually compelling art I’ve seen, but it blends so well into the flow of words you could look past them. Servant tells the story of a girl that longs for the sea and the world beyond. She becomes a woman and a pirate and a mother, until she retires to her own island and lets her child set sail. The story is for parents giving the world to their children, and for them to see that the world they have to give is rich and colorful. This book is for children that want the future to come sooner, that want to know what it’s like to grasp the beyond and hold it for their own. This book is for me to gawk at and say how can someone be so talented! Please read this book! Recommended by Sameah
	This Table	I love a story from the point of view of an object. This table is the titular character in the story of this family’s life. The parties, the meals, the art projects- life is being lived around this table. We never really take time to appreciate the things supporting us in this way. To romanticize the ordinary things, even just a strong table, is lovely. I hope the kids reading this book will look at the things they use differently. Recommended by Sameah
	Mushrooms Know	Kids first look at mushrooms! This is the perfect book for fact loving kids and adults who love mushrooms! So many little tidbits to learn, and so many happy little mushrooms to tell you. The biodiversity in mushrooms is something I don’t think most humans truly know or appreciate. The difference in their life cycle and structure is so unlike ours! It’s a great book for showing a kid that the world is full of fascinating fungi. Recommended by Sameah
	Let's Go	Finding a new sport or hobby is something inspiring. This kid gets a skateboard and is ready to go! The passion for the sport is evident from the description of the waterfall of the skateboarders to the encouragement of new borders. We love to see kids building each other up when there’s something scary to overcome. The simple art style lends to the feeling of movement you feel on the board. Great to see skateboarding treated so romantically. Recommended by Sameah
	Doris	Doris is a little red elephant that wants to be left alone. She walks all over trying to hide in the new environment, but we just keep finding her! Eventually, she walks onto a page that’s all red and barely knows where she is. Once she’s free, she doesn't want to get lost again. This is a very visual book that I hope I can do justice to. It’s a very young seek and find, only primary colors, shapes, and a shy elephant to walk you through. Definitely recommended for kids starting to get acquainted with picture books. Recommended by Sameah
	Summer Is Here	Summer is Here is the idealistic dream of a child’s summer! This little girl sings poetics about all the best things she can do this summer, from going to the pool, to cookouts, to just spending time with her friends. Everyone has a smile on their face because it’s summer! The illustration from Bea Jackson fits with Renee Watson’s words so beautifully. The pastel, dreamy watercolor backgrounds with the strong bold outlines of the people encapsulate that the memory of the summer may blur, but the people we’re with will hold strong. Recommended by Sameah
	The Fox Maidens	The Fox Maidens is an evocative graphic novel that tells the story of gumiho, a mythological fox-woman whose origins are wrapped up in the violence of patriarchy, the desire for furious revenge, and the seduction of a woman’s power. There are a number of story arcs throughout the book, but it never feels disjointed or boring. All phases of the narrative sing in harmony as Ha explores the ways Korean women across generations are disenfranchised by the patriarchy—and the very different ways they choose to respond to this oppression. Ha made my heart ache for these women, and at moments I felt earnest grief. Perhaps my favorite parts of this book are the new chapter pages. The illustrations are so extraordinary that I would stare at them for full minutes before immersing myself in the next chapter. Recommended by Wulfe