Though she came from a wealthy and privileged family, Eleanor Roosevelt grew up in a cheerless household that left her lonely and shy. Years passed before Eleanor began to discover in herself the qualities of intelligence, compassion, and strength that made her a remarkable woman. Barbara Cooney captures the essence of the little girl whose indomitable spirit would make her one of the greatest and most beloved first ladies of all time. 5-8 years
Eleanor, Quiet No More
By Doreen Rapport, Illustrated by Gary Kelley
Eleanor Roosevelt was raised in a privileged but stern Victorian household, with an affectionate but mostly absent father and a critical mother who made fun of her daughter’s looks. Alone and lonely for much of her childhood, Eleanor found solace in books and in the life of her lively and independent mind. Her intellectual gifts and compassionate heart won her the admiration of many friends and the love of her future husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. While other young women of her class were spending time at dances and parties, Eleanor devoted her energies to teaching children in New York City’s poorest neighborhoods. Later, she became the most socially and politically active, and the most controversial first lady America had ever seen. Ambassador, activist, and champion of civil rights, Eleanor Roosevelt changed the soul of America forever. 5-8 years
Hot Dog! Eleanor Roosevelt Throws a Picnic
By Leslie Kimmelman, Illustrated by Victor Juhasz
In June of 1939, the United States played host to two very special guests, British King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It was the first visit ever by reigning British royalty and a chance for America to build a stronger relationship with the British, especially in those challenging times. On the domestic side, many people didn’t have jobs, housing, or enough food. Internationally, Adolph Hitler, Germany’s leader, was threatening the countries around him and war loomed on the horizon. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt saw the visit as an opportunity for America to set aside its cares for a while and extend a warm welcome and hand of friendship to the royal guests. As part of the festivities, Eleanor hosted an all-American picnic that included hot dogs, a menu item that seemed to shock some people. 8-11 years
Who Was Eleanor Roosevelt?
By Gare Thompson, Illustrated by Elizabeth Wolf
For a long time, the main role of first ladies was to act as hostesses of the White House…until Eleanor Roosevelt. Born in 1884, Eleanor was not satisfied to just be a glorified hostess for her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Eleanor had a voice, and she used it to speak up against poverty and racism. She had passion, energy, and a way of speaking that made people listen. Eleanor Roosevelt changed the role of the first lady forever. 8-12 years
Eleanor Roosevelt (My Itty-Bitty Biography)
By Emma E. Haldy, Illustrated by Jeff Bane
The My Itty-Bitty Bio series are biographies for the earliest readers. This book examines the life of Eleanor Roosevelt in a simple, age-appropriate way that will help children develop word recognition and reading skills. Includes a timeline and other informative backmatter. 4-6 years
I Am Eleanor Roosevelt (Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum)
By Brooke Vitale
A leveled Reader based on an episode from the PBS KIDS animated television series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum starring Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt helps Xavier learn to take every chance he has to help others when he gets assigned the most boring job in the museum–handing out maps. 6-8 years
Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride
By Pam Munoz Ryan
Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt were birds of a feather. Not only were they two of the most admired and respected women of all time, they were also good friends. On a brisk and cloudless evening in April 1933, Amelia and Eleanor did the unprecedented, they stole away from a White House dinner, commandeered an Eastern Air Transport plane, and took off on a glorious adventure – while still dressed in their glamorous evening gowns. 7-10 years
Eleanor Everywhere
By Monica Kulling
This inspiring Step Into Reading book tells the true story of how Eleanor Roosevelt, a shy little girl was able to conquer her fears and lead a life full of adventure. From flying with Amelia Earhart and hosting her own radio show to becoming First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt did it all and became one of the most admired women in the world. 7 and up
Eleanor Roosevelt, A Photographic Story of a Life
By Kem Knapp Sawyer
DK’s biography series for young readers features one of the best-known and most inspiring women of the 20th century — Eleanor Roosevelt. This is a biography of the first lady who, despite her shyness, followed her conscience and devoted her life to helping others and working for peace. 10 and up
Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s Remarkable Life
By Candace Fleming
No matter how the question is answered, one thing is clear: there has hardly been a life in the last century that Eleanor Roosevelt has not affected. From securing safe, low-cost housing for Kentucky’s poor, to representing America as the first female delegate to the United Nations, Eleanor rarely kept a second of her life for herself — and she wouldn’t have had it any other way. Filled with photographs of everything from Eleanor’s speech at the 1940 Democratic National Convention to her high school report card, as well as fascinating stories about life in and out of the White House. Teen and YA
Eleanor Roosevelt, Fighter For Justice
By Ilene Cooper
Eleanor Roosevelt, Fighter for Justice shows young readers a different side of the former first lady. Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) was a politician, activist, diplomat, and the longest-serving first lady of the United States. But she was more than that. She was a protector and advocate for those without a voice, speaking out on the labor movement and civil rights. Though now seen as a cultural icon, she was a woman who was deeply insecure about her looks and her role in the world. She recognized her own prejudices and constantly strove to overcome them. 10-14 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
By Jonah Winter, Illustrated by Kimberly Bulchen Root
East Texas, the 1930s — the Great Depression: Award-winning author Jonah Winter’s father grew up with seven siblings in a tiny house on the edge of town. Winter shares his father’s story in a lyrical text that is a celebration of family and making do with what you have. 5-9 years
Ruby’s Hope: The Story of How the Famous “Migrant Mother” Photograph Became the Face of the Great Depression
By Monica Kulling, Illustrated by Sara Dvojack
Dorothea Lange’s Depression-era “Migrant Mother” photograph is an icon of American history. Behind this renowned portrait is the story of a family struggling against all odds to survive.
Dust storms and dismal farming conditions force young Ruby’s family to leave their home in Oklahoma and travel to California to find work. As they move from camp to camp, Ruby sometimes finds it hard to hold on to hope. But on one fateful day, Dorothea Lange arrives with her camera and takes six photographs of the young family. When one of the photographs appears in the newspaper, it opens the country’s eyes to the reality of the migrant workers’ plight and inspires an outpouring of much needed support.
Children of the Great Depression
By Russell Freedman
Russell Freedman illuminates the lives of the American children affected by the economic and social changes of the Great Depression. Middle-class urban youth, migrant farm laborers, boxcar kids, children whose families found themselves struggling for survival…all Depression-era young people faced challenges like unemployed and demoralized parents, inadequate food and shelter, schools they couldn’t attend because they had to go to work, schools that simply closed their doors. Even so, life had its bright spots — like favorite games and radio shows — and many young people remained upbeat and optimistic about the future.
Drawing on memoirs, diaries, letters and other firsthand accounts, and illustrated with classic archival photographs, this book by one of the most celebrated authors of nonfiction for children places the Great Depression in context and shows young readers its human face. 10-12 years
What Was the Great Depression?
By Janet B. Pascal, Illustrated by Dede Putra
On October 29, 1929, life in the United States took a turn for the worst. The stock market — system that controls money in America — plunged to a record law. But this event was only the beginning of many bad years to come. By the early 1930s, one out of three people was not working. People lost their jobs, their houses, or both and ended up in shantytowns called “Hoovervilles” named for the president at the time of the crash. By 1933, many banks had gone under. Though the United States has seen other times of struggle, the Great Depression remains one of the hardest and most widespread tragedies in American history. 8-12 years
Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Sarah Green
Before she raised her lens to take her most iconic photo, Dorothea Lange took photos of the downtrodden, from bankers in once-fine suits waiting in breadlines, to former slaves, to the homeless sleeping on sidewalks. A case of polio had left her with a limp and sympathetic to those less fortunate. Traveling across the United States, documenting with her camera and her fieldbook those most affected by the stock market crash, she found the face of the Great Depression. 5-8 years
Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp
By Jerry Stanley
Illustrated with photographs from the Dust Bowl era. This true story takes place at the emergency farm-labor camp immortalized in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Ostracized as “dumb Okies,” the children of Dust Bowl migrant laborers go without school — until Superintendent Leo Hart and 50 Okie kids build their own school in a nearby field. 8-12 years
Potato: A Tale From the Great Depression
By Kate Lied, Illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst
Kate Lied tells the story of her grandparents during the Great Depression. After her grandfather Clarence loses his job and the bank takes his house, he and his family move to Idaho to harvest potatoes. They live in a tent and earn enough money to keep the family together through hard times. 6-10 years
The Great Depression: Hardship and Hope in the 1930s
By Cheryl Mullenbach
Have you ever wondered what it was like to live during the Great Depression? Perhaps you think of the stock market crash of 1929, unemployed workers standing in breadlines, and dust storms swirling around the Great Plains. But the 1930s was also a time when neighbors helped neighbors, librarians delivered books by horseback, an army of young men rebuilt the nation’s forests, roads and parks, and Shirley Temple, the curly-haired child star asked moviegoers to “stand up and cheer” in the darkest days. Twenty-one hands on activities included. 9 and up
Out of the Dust
By Karen Hesse
“Dust piles up like snow across the prairie…
A terrible accident has transformed Billie Jo’s life, scarring her inside and out. Her mother is gone. Her father can’t talk about it. And the one thing that might make her feel better, playing the piano, is impossible with her wounded hands.
To make matters worse, dust storms are devastating the family farm and all the farms nearby. While others flee from the dust bowl, Billie Jo is left to find peace in the bleak landscape of Oklahoma and in the surprising landscape of her own heart. 8-12 years
Dust for Dinner
By Ann Turner, Illustrated by Robert Barrett
Jake and Maggy live on a farm where they love to sing and dance to mama’s radio. Then terrible dust storms come and ruin the land. The family has no choice but to auction off the farm and make the long hard journey west to California away from the dust storms, where the land is still green. Along the way, Papa tries to find work and Jake and Maggy try to help. But what if Papa can’t find work? What if California isn’t better after all. 4-8 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below! Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Dive deep with Gail Gibbons as she explains the mechanics and discoveries of deep-sea exploration. The surface of the moon is more familiar to us than the deep sea of our own planet. Many oceanographers are trying to change that. To explore the deep sea, they climb into submersibles and employ ROVs to find out more about the ocean and ocean floor. Gibbons invites readers along for a journey to the deep sea, explaining the technology for exploration and kinds of animals found at different sea levels. 4-8 years
Climb aboard Alvin, the famous deep-sea submersible credited with helping to find the Titanic, and take a trip two miles down to the bottom of the ocean. Experience a day in the life of an Alvin pilot and join scientists at the seafloor to collect samples and conduct research. Along the way, discover what one wears, eats, and talks about during a typical eight-hour trip in a underwater craft and find out more about the animals that live deep in our oceans. Extensive back matter explains how Alvin works, describes the author’s research, and includes a glossary and further reading. 5-9 years
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist
By Jess Keating, Illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens
Eugenie Clark fell in love with sharks from the first moment she saw them at the aquarium. She couldn’t imagine anything more exciting than studying these graceful creatures. But Eugenie quickly discovered that many people believed sharks to be ugly and scary — and they didn’t think women should be scientists.
Determined to prove them wrong, Eugenie devoted her life to learning about sharks. Like Jack and the Beanstalk but under the sea, Eugenie dove down to discover a world of wonder beneath the water’s surface. She earned the name Shark Lady with her many discoveries about these beautiful creatures. Through her accomplishments, this star girl of the sea taught the world that sharks should be admired, not feared, and that women can do anything they set their minds to. 4-8 years
Otis and Will Discover the Deep
By Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Katherine Roy
On June 6, 1930, engineer Otis Barton and explorer Will Beebe dove into the ocean inside a hollow metal ball of their own invention called the Bathysphere. They knew dozens of things might go wrong. A tiny leak could shoot pressurized water straight through the men like bullets. A single spark could cause their oxygen tanks to explode. No one had ever dived lower than a few hundred feet…and come back. But Otis and Will were determined to become the first people to see what the deep ocean looks like. 6-9 years
Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact
By Jennifer Swanson
Journey from the deepest trenches in the oceans to the farthest humans have ventured into space and learn what it takes to explore the extremes. You might just be surprised by how similar the domains of astronauts and aquanauts really are. Space and the ocean — if you don’t think they go together, think again. Both deep-sea and space explorers have to worry about pressure, temperature, climate, and most importantly, how to survive in a remote and hostile environment. Join us on an amazing journey as we go up in space with astronauts and dive deep down in the ocean with aquanauts to explore the far-off places of our planet and the solar system. 8-12 years
The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Reef Restoration Foundation
By Kate Messner, Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe
All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony, one person to make a difference, one idea to change the world. The ongoing efforts to save and rebuild the world’s coral reefs — with hammer and glue and grafts of newly grown coral — and the living legacy of Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation. This is the story of the coral restoration pioneer in this brilliant tribute to the wonders of nature and the power of human hope. 6-9 years
Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau
By Jennifer Berne, Illustrated by Eric Puybaret
Once upon a time in France, a baby was born under the summer sun. His parents named him Jacques. As he grew, Jacques fell in love with the sea. He dreamed of breathing beneath the waves and swimming as gracefully as a fish. In fact, he longed to become a manfish. Jacques Cousteau grew up to become a champion of the seas and one of the best-know oceanographers in the world. 6-9 years
Diving with Sharks
By Margaret Gurevich
Fans of Shark Week, Sharknado, and all things shark-related will want to sink their teeth into this exciting shark-infested chapter book. Join real-life cave divers, extreme photographers, and researchers as they brave thrilling undersea adventures. 7-10 years
Deep in the Ocean
By Lucie Brunelliere
A scientific team has boarded the submarine Oceanos to explore the ocean’s depths. Suddenly, it gets caught in a violent storm, causing it to drift thousands of miles off-course. From the glittering surface of the sea to the darkness of the abyss. Deep in the Ocean takes readers on a bewitching journey through fascinating waters — some warm, colorful, and crowded with sea creatures, others mysterious and turbulent. 3-5 years Board Book
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives
By Gene Barretta
What do record players, batteries, and movie cameras have in common? All these devices were created by the man known as “The Wizard of Menlo Park,” Thomas Edison. He is most famous for inventing the incandescent light bulb. But at his landmark laboratories in Menlo Park and West Orange, New Jersey, he developed other staples of modern technology. He persevered despite many failures. We are lucky that he did because it would be very difficult to go through a day without using one of his life-changing inventions. 6-10 years
A Wizard From the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison
By Don Brown
A wizard from the start, Thomas Edison had a thirst for knowledge, taste for mischief, and hunger for discovery—but his success was made possible by his boundless energy. At age fourteen he coined his personal motto: “The More to do, the more to be done,” and then went out and did: picking up skills and knowledge at every turn. When learning about things that existed wasn’t enough, he dreamed up new inventions to improve the world. From humble beginnings as a farmer’s son, selling newspapers on trains and reading through public libraries shelf by shelf, Tom began his inventing career as a boy and became a legend as a man. 4-7 years
When Thomas Edison Fed Someone Worms
By Mark Andrew Weakland, Illustrated by Thomas Radcliffe
Thomas Edison became a great American inventor and businessman. But do you know what he was like as a child? From exploring shipyards and pastures to feeding a girl worms, Thomas was a curious and creative child. This playful story of his childhood will help young readers connect with a historic figure and will inspire them to want to achieve greatness. 6-8 years
The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison
By Raymond Arroyo, Illustrated by Kristina Gehrmann
No one thought much of young Thomas Alva Edison. He couldn’t focus at school and caused trouble around the house. But where others saw a distracted and mischievous boy, his mother saw imagination and curiosity. At only seven years old, Al, as he was called as a young child, was educated by his mother, who oversaw his rigorous at-home education while also allowing him great freedom to explore and dream. Those early years of encouragement and loving guidance formed the man who would apply those valuable lessons as well as his rich imagination to inventing the phonograph, the motion picture camera, the light bulb, and more. 4-8 years
Thomas Edison and His Bright Idea
By Patricia Brennan Demuth, Illustrated by Jez Tuya
This nonfiction reader shines a light on Thomas Edison and his greatest invention — the light bulb! As a curious child who was always asking questions, it’s no wonder he grew up to become a famous, prolific inventor. This story follows Edison from his time in school to his career as full-time inventor. His discoveries will fascinate and inspire all curious young minds. 6-8 years
Who Was Thomas Edison?
By Margaret Frith, Illustrated by John O’Brien
One day in 1882, Thomas Edison flipped a switch that lit up lower Manhattan with incandescent light and changed the way people lived. The electric light bulb was only one of thousands of Edison’s inventions. As a boy, observing a robin catch a worm and then take flight, he fed a playmate a mixture of worms and water to see if she could fly. 8-12 years
Thomas Edison Lighting the Way
By Lori Haskins Houran, Illustrated by Gustavo Mazali
Most people today know Thomas Edison as the inventor of the light bulb—except, he isn’t! In Edison’s time, other inventors were working on the light bulb, but no one could figure out how to keep the light bulb lit. This is where Edison came in. Read and find out all about the real story of Thomas Edison’s life and his many amazing inventions, like the movie camera and the battery for an electric car! Biography reader includes a timeline and historical photos all about the life of this inspiring figure. 4-8 years
The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford
By Suzanne Slade, Illustrated Jennifer Black Reinhardt
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford started off as insatiably curious tinkerers. That curiosity led them to become inventors — with very different results. As Edison invented hit after commercial hit, gaining fame and fortune, Henry struggled to make a single invention, an affordable car, work. Witnessing Thomas’s glorious career from afar, a frustrated Henry wondered about the secret to his success. This little-known story is a fresh, kid-friendly way to show how they grew up to be the most famous inventors in the world and best friends, too. 6-9 years
Young Thomas Edison
By Michael Dooling
How did Thomas Edison grow up to be America’s greatest inventor? This book explores the beginnings of his genius from his difficulty in school, to his early years as a young scientist, to the man everyone called, “The Wizard of Menlo Park.” 7 and up
National Geographic Readers: Thomas Edison
By Barbara Kramer
Learn all about Thomas Edison, one of the most important figures in American history, in this leveled reader written in an easy-to-grasp style that will encourage the inventors of tomorrow! 5-8 years
DK Biography Thomas Edison: A Photographic Story of a Life
By Jan Adkins
Filled with archival photographs and amazing facts, this biography tells the story of the famous inventor, from his childhood as an “addled” student, to his reign as the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” where he developed the electric light bulb, the phonograph, and many other inventions still in use today. 10-17 years
Thomas Edison For Kids: His Life and Ideas, 21 Activities
By Laurie Carlson
Thomas Edison, one of the world’s greatest inventors, is introduced in this activity books. Children will learn how he ushered in an astounding age of invention with his unique way of looking at things and his refusal to be satisfied with only one solution to a problem. This books helps to inspire kids to be inventors and scientists, as well as persevere with their own ideas. Activities allow children to try Edison’s experiments: making a puppet dance, using static electricity, manufacturing a switch for an electric current, constructing a telegraph machine, and many more. 9-12 years.
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
The Pura Belpré Award for Illustration “is presented annually to the Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experiences in an outstanding work of literature” by the American Library Association. These are the 2012-2022 winners:
Pura Belpré Award for Illustration
2022
Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge
By Raul the III
People are always crossing the bridge for work, to visit family, or for play. Some going this way; others going that way. Back and forth they go. With friends on foot and in bicycles, in cars and trucks, the bridge is an incredibly busy place with many different types of vehicles.
Little Lobo and his dog Bernabé have a new truck and they are using it to carry party supplies over the bridge with their pals El Toro and La Oink Oink. The line is long and everyone on the bridge is stuck. How will they pass the time? Eventually everyone comes together for an epic party on the bridge between two different countries. Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things That Go gets Mexican American makeover in this joyful story about coming together.
2021
Vamos! Let’s Go Eat
By Raul the Third
Little Lobo returns to share his love of food and wrestling in this delicious follow-up to Vamos! Let’sGo to the Market from Pura Belpré Medal-winning illustrator Raúl the Third.
In this new Vamos! title, Let’s Go Eat, Little Lobo is excited to take in a show with wrestling star El Toro in his bustling border town. After getting lunch orders from The Bull and his friends to help prepare for the event, Little Lobo takes readers on a tour of food trucks that sell his favorite foods, like quesadillas with red peppers and Mexican-Korean tacos. Peppered with easy-to-remember Latin-American Spanish vocabulary, this glorious celebration of food is sure to leave every reader hungry for lunch!
2020
Dancing Hands:
How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for Abraham Lincoln
By Margarita Engle, Illustrated by Rafael Lopez
As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too—the Civil War.
Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata. So famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House! Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa’s music bring comfort to those who needed it most?
2019
Dreamers
Written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
In 1994, Yuyi Morales left her home in Xalapa, Mexico and came to the U.S. with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn’t come empty-handed. Yuyi brought her strength, her work, her passion, her hopes and dreams and her stories. Dreamers is about making a home in a new place. Yuyi and her son Kelly’s passage was not easy, and Yuyi spoke no English at the time. But together, they found an unexpected, unbelievable place: the public library. There, book by book, they untangled the language of this new land and learned to make it their home. 4-8 years
2018
La Princesa and the Pea
Illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
Written by Susan Middleton Elya
El principe knows this girl is the one for him, but as usual, his mother doesn’t agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princess, but the prince might just have a sneaky plan, too… 4-8 years
2017
Lowriders to the Center of the Earth
Illustrated by Raul Gonzalez
Written by Cathy Camper
Elirio Malaria and El Chavo Octopus are living their dream at last. They’re the proud owners of their very own garage. But when their beloved cat Genie goes missing, they need to do everything they can to find him. Little do they know the trail will lead them to the realm of Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the Underworld, who is keeping Genie prisoner. 3-7 years
2016
Drum Dream Girl
Illustrated by Rafael Lopez
Written by Margarita Engle
Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule — until the drum dream girl did. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongos. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at last her dream-bright music was heard, everyone sang and danced and decided that both girls and boys should be free to drum and dream. 4-7 years
2015
Viva Frida
Written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Frida Kahlo, one of the world’s most famous and unusual artists revered around the world. Her life was filled with laughter, love, and tragedy, all of which influenced what she painted on her canvases. 4-8 years
2014
Niño Wrestles the World
Written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Fwap! Slish! Bloop! Krunch! He takes down his competition in a single move! No opponent is too big a challenge for the cunning skills of Niño — popsicle eater, toy lover, somersault expert, and world champion lucha libre competitor! Niño Wrestles the World is in English with Spanish vocabulary and is the colorful story about a boy wrestling with imaginary monsters and adversaries like his younger sisters. 4-8 years
2013
Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert
Illustrated by David Diaz
Written by Gary D. Schmidt
As the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a former slave, Martin de Porres was born into extreme poverty. Even so, his mother begged the church fathers to allow him into the priesthood. Instead, Martin was accepted as a servant boy. But soon, the young man was performing miracles. Rumors began to fly around the city of a strange mulatto boy with healing hands, who gave first to the people of the barrios. Martin continued to serve the church, until he was finally received by the Dominican Order, no longer called the worthless son of a slave, but rather a saint and the rose in the desert. 6-9 years
2012
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours
Written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh
This book introduces one of the most popular artists of the twentieth century, Diego Rivera, to young readers. It tells the story of Diego as a young, mischievous boy who demonstrated a clear passion for art and then went on to become one of the most famous painters in the world. 6-9 years
If you like this post, please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
On hot summer nights in New Orleans, a boy named Louis Armstrong would peek under the big swinging doors of Economy Hall and listen to the jazz band. The best night was Friday, when Bunk Johnson would blow his cornet till the roof trembled. At moments like those, Louis could feel his toes tingle. He wanted to be like Bunk Johnson; aim his horn straight up at the night sky and set the stars spinning.
One day Louis saw a horn in a pawnshop window — a real brass cornet. The cardboard sign said $5.00. How could he ever come up with that much money? Every day Louis did what he could to earn that five dollars, and every day he practiced blowing his imaginary horn. It was a dream he would never give up. Louis Armstrong’s dynamic personality and amazing trumpet playing would cast a spell on millions of people around the world, to whom he will always be the one and only Satchmo, the Ambassador of Jazz. 3-7 years
Just a Lucky So and So
By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Illustrated by James E. Ransome
Louis Armstrong has been called the most important improviser in the history of jazz. Although his New Orleans neighborhood was poor in nearly everything, it was rich in superb music. Young Louis took it all in, especially the cornet blowing of Joe “King” Oliver. But after a run-in with the police, eleven-year-old Louis was sent away to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys where he became a disciplined musician in the school’s revered marching band. Ultimately, he was to travel the world and transform jazz through his improvised singing (scatting) and masterful trumpet playing. 6-9 years
Who Was Louis Armstrong?
By Yona Zeldis McDonough, Illustrated by John O’Brien
If not for a stint in reform school, young Louis Armstrong might never have become a musician. It was a teacher at the Colored Waifs Home for Boys who gave him a cornet and saw talent in the kid from the tough New Orleans neighborhood called Storyville. But it was Louis’s own passion and genius that pushed jazz into a new and exciting direction with his amazing, improvisational trumpet playing. 8-12 years
A Horn for Louis: Louis Armstrong as a Kid
By Eric A. Kimmel, Illustrated by James Bernardin
How did famous New Orleans jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong get his first horn? Seven-year-old Louis was too poor to buy a real instrument. He didn’t even go to school. To help his mother pay the rent, every day he rode a junk wagon through the streets of New Orleans, playing a tin horn and collecting stuff people didn’t want. One day, he passed a pawn shop with a gleaming brass trumpet in the window… 7-10 years
Play, Louis, Play! The Story of a Boy and His Horn
By Muriel Harris Weinstein, Illustrated by Frank Morrision
The childhood of Louis Armstrong was as fascinating as the great musician himself. This chapter book biography is written from the point of view of Louis’s closest companion throughout his youth: his horn! In an exuberant voice, this unusual narrator tells Louis’s story beginning with the small New Orleans hock shop where he bought his first trumpet for five hard-earned dollars. He goes from a street quartet to the marching band of the Colored Waif’s Home to the big sounds of New Orleans. 7-10 years
Louis Armstrong Jazz Legend
By Terry Collins, Illustrated by Richie Pope
Louis Armstrong, also known as Satchmo and Pops, became an American jazz legend in the 1920s. His voice and skill with instruments helped him become a popular musician in the racially divided country. Watch as this skilled musician learns to play, buys his first instrument, and becomes one of the best music makers ever. 8-14 years
If I Only Had a Horn: Young Louis Armstrong
By Roxanne Orgill, Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins
This book tells the story of Louis Armstrong who grew up to be a giant of jazz. As a poor boy in New Orleans, where music was everywhere, he longed to play a horn. 9-12 years
Louis Armstrong: King of Jazz
By Patricia and Frederick McKissack
“Music has been in my blood from the day I was born,” Louis Armstrong said. He rose from a troubled childhood and a life of poverty to set the music world on fire. Armstrong’s lively trumpet playing, trademark “scat” singing, and natural talent for showmanship dazzled audiences for more than fifty years. 6-9 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
The Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration is presented by the American Library Association to African American author/illustrators and illustrators for their outstanding contribution to children’s literature. These are the winners from 2012 to 2022.
2022
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa’s Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.
News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future.
2021
R E S P E C T: Aretha Franklin, Queen of Soul
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Frank Morrison
Aretha Franklin was born to sing. The daughter of a pastor and a gospel singer, her musical talent was clear from her earliest days in her father’s Detroit church where her soaring voice spanned more than three octaves.
Her string of hit songs earned her the title “the Queen of Soul,” multiple Grammy Awards, and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But Aretha didn’t just raise her voice in song, she also spoke out against injustice and fought for civil rights.
This authoritative, rhythmic picture book biography will captivate young readers with Aretha’s inspiring story.
2020
Originally performed for ESPN’s The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more.
2019
The Stuff of Stars
Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Written by Marion Dane Bauer
Before the universe was formed, before time and space existed, there was…nothing. But then…BANG! Stars caught fire and burned so long that they exploded, flinging stardust everywhere. And the ash of those stars turned into planets. Into our Earth. And into us. In a poetic text, Marion Dane Bauer takes readers from the trillionth of a second when our universe was born to the singularities that became each one of us. Vivid illustrations by Ekua Holmes capture the void before the Big Bang and the ensuing life that burst across galaxies. A seamless blend of science and art, this picture book reveals the composition of our world and beyond — and how we are all the stuff of stars.
2018
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets
Illustrated by Ekua Holmes
Written by Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley
and Marjory Wentworth
Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the author’s hearts sing and their minds wonder. Stunning mixed media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caledecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, complete the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and perhaps even pick up a pen.
2017
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
Written and Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe
Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Now, award-winning illustrator Javaka Steptoe’s vivid text and bold artwork echoing Basquiat’s own introduce young readers to the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean — and definitely not inside the lines — to be beautiful.
2016
Trombone Shorty
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Written by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Bill Taylor
Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.
Along with esteemed illustrator, Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom.
2015
Firebird
Illustrated by Christopher Myers
Written by Misty Copeland
In her debut picture book, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young girl — every girl — whose confidence is fragile and who is questioning her own ability to reach the heights that Misty has reached. Misty encourages this young girl’s faith in herself and shows her exactly how, through hard work and dedication, she too can become a Firebird. Lyrical and affecting text paired with bold, striking illustrations that are some of Caldecott Honoree Christopher Myer’s best work, makes Firebird perfect for aspiring ballerinas everywhere.
2014
Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Written by Daniel Beaty
Every morning, I play a game with my father.
He goes knock knock on my door
and I pretend to be asleep
till he gets right next to the bed.
And my papa, he tells me, “I love you.”
But what happens when, one day, that “knock knock” doesn’t come? This powerful and inspiring book shows the love that an absent parent can leave behind, and the strength that children find in themselves as they grow up and follow their dreams.
2013
I, Too, Am American
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Written by Langston Hughes
I, too, sing America.
I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.
Langston Hughes was a courageous voice of his time, and his authentic call for equality still rings true today. Beautiful paintings from illustrator, Bryan Collier, accompany and reinvent the celebrated lines of the poem “I, Too,” creating a breathtaking reminder to all Americans that we are united despite our differences.
2012
Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom
Written and Illustrated by Shane E. Evans
A family silently crawls along the ground. They run barefoot through unlit woods, sleep beneath bushes, take shelter in a kind stranger’s home. Where are they heading? They are heading for freedom by way of the Underground Railroad.
The book descriptions are from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
The Geisel Award, in honor of, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess,) is given each year to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers by the American Library Association.
2022
Fox at Night
By Corey R. Tabor
Fox is up late in the night. There are shadows and noises everywhere. Fox is sure the night is full of monsters! Then he meets the real creatures of the night and realizes they are not so scary after all. Carefully crafted using basic language, word repetition, sight words, and whimsical illustrations, Fox at Night is ideal for sharing with your emergent reader. The active, engaging My First I Can Read stories have appealing plots and lovable characters, encouraging children to continue their reading journey.
2021
See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog
By David LaRochelle, Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
Move over, Spot. . . . Spoofing classic primers, Max the Dog talks back to the book in a twist that will have fans of funny early readers howling.
See Max. Max is not a cat—Max is a dog. But much to Max’s dismay, the book keeps instructing readers to “see the cat.” How can Max get through to the book that he is a DOG? In a trio of stories for beginning readers, author David LaRochelle introduces the excitable Max, who lets the book know in irresistibly emphatic dialogue that the text is not to his liking. Illustrator Mike Wohnoutka hilariously depicts the pup’s reactions to the narrator and to the wacky cast of characters who upend Max’s—and readers’—expectations as the three stories build to an immensely satisfying conclusion. Hooray, Max, hooray!
2020
Stop! Bot!
By James Yang
In this very young picture book mystery, a little boy out for a walk with his family stops to show a building doorman his new “bot”: “I have a bot!” Only he doesn’t have it for long, because it floats up out of his hands like an escaped balloon. “Stop! Bot!” Springing to action, the kind doorman runs up to each floor of the building to try and catch it — along with the help of each floor’s resident. But while everything looks normal at first, every floor (and resident) is a little more wacky and unusual than the last! Musicians, baseball players, zoo animals, and finally a very large monkey all play a part — but will they rescue the Bot before it’s too late?! Children will love all the funny details in this very playful picture book!
2019
Fox the Tiger
By Corey R. Tabor
Fun-loving, mischievous Fox wishes he were a tiger. Tigers are big and fast and sneaky. So he decides to become one! Soon, Turtle and Rabbit are joining in the fun. But will Fox want to be a tiger forever?
2018
Charlie and Mouse
By Laurel Synder, Illustrated by Emily Hughes
Four hilarious stories, two inventive brothers, one irresistible book! Join Charlie and Mouse as they talk to lumps, take the neighborhood to a party, sell some rocks, and invent the bedtime banana. With imagination and humor, Laurel Synder and Emily Hughes paint a lively picture of brotherhood that children will relish in a format perfect for children not quite ready for chapter books.
2017
We Are Growing
By Laurie Keller
Walt and his friends are growing up fast! Everyone is something- est. But what about Walt? He is not the tallest, or the curliest, or the silliest. He is not the anything-est. As a Big surprise inches closer, Walt discovers something special of his own.
2016
Don’t Throw to Mo!
By David A. Adler, Illustrated by Sam Ricks
Mo is the youngest kid on the Robins, his football team. His classmates don’t mind, but the kids on their rival team tease him for being a “butterfingers” who’s too tiny to catch the ball. But Mo’s coach has a plan to turn Mo’s little size into a big win for the Robins!
2015
You Are (Not) Small
By Anne Kang, Illustrated by Christopher Weyant
Two fuzzy creatures can’t agree on who is small and who is big, until a couple of surprise guests show up, settling once and for all! The simple text of Anna Kang and bold illustrations of cartoonist Christopher Weyant tell an original and very funny story about size — it all depends on who’s standing next to you.
2014
The Watermelon Seed
By Greg Pizzoli
With perfect comic pacing, Greg Pizzoli introduces us to one funny crocodile who has one big fear: swallowing a watermelon seed. What will he do when his greatest fear is realized? Will vines sprout out his ears? Will his skin turn pink? This crocodile has a wild imagination that kids will love.
2013
Up, Tall and High!
By Ethan Long
In three laugh-out-loud situations, an irresistible cast of colorful birds illustrate the concepts of “up,” “tall” and “high.” First, a short peacock proves that he may not be tall, but he definitely isn’t small. Then, a resourceful bird helps his penguin friend find a way to fly. Finally, two birds want to live in the same tree, but what goes up must come down! Each short story features a flap that reveals a surprise twist.
2012
Tales for Very Picky Eaters
By Josh Schneider
James is a very picky eater. His dad has to get creative — very creative — in order to get James to eat foods he thinks he doesn’t like. He presents James with a series of outlandish scenarios packed with fanciful and kid friendly details like pre-chewed gum as an alternative to broccoli and lumpy oatmeal it grows so big it eats the dog — in an effort to get James to eat. But it is eventually James himself who discovers that some foods aren’t so bad if you give them a try.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
The Newbery Medal is given each year to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children by the Association of Library Service to Children of the American Library Association. These are the 2012 to 2022 winners:
2022
The Last Cuentista
By Donna Barba Higuera
There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra’s world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children – among them Petra and her family – have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race.
Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet – and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity’s past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard – or purged them altogether.
Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?
2021
When You Trap a Tiger
By Tae Keller
Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother.
Some stories refuse to stay bottled up…
When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her Halmoni’s Korean folktales arrives, prompting Lily to unravel a secret family history. Long, long ago, Halmoni stole something from the tigers. Now they want it back. And when one of the tigers approaches Lily with a deal–return what her grandmother stole in exchange for Halmoni’s health–Lily is tempted to agree. But deals with tigers are never what they seem! With the help of her sister and her new friend Ricky, Lily must find her voice…and the courage to face a tiger.
2020
New Kid
By Jerry Craft
Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.
As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?
2019
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
By Meg Medina
Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren’t going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in the family will tell Merci what’s going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. In a coming-of-age tale full of humor and wisdom, award-winning author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family.
2018
Hello, Universe
By Erin Entrada Kelly, Illustrated by Isabel Roxus
In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.
They aren’t friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.
2017
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
By Kelly Barnhill
Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is kind. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.
One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise the girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna’s thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge — with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth’s surface. And the woman with the Tiger’s heart is on the prowl…
2016
Last Stop on Market Street
By Matt de la Pena, Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don’t own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps his see the beauty — and fun — in their routine and the world around them.
This energetic ride through a bustling city highlights the wonderful perspective only grandparent and grandchild can share.
2015
The Crossover
By Kwame Alexander
With a bolt of lightning on my kicks…The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” announces dread-locked, 12-year-old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother, Jordan, are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he’s got mad beats, too, that tell his family’s story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood. Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story’s heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.
2014
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventure
By Kate DiCamillo, Illustrated by K.G. Campbell
Holy unanticipated occurrences! From Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters — a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black and white.
2013
The One and Only Ivan
By Katherine Applegate, Illustrated by Patricia Castelao
Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly every thinks about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupies himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home, and his art, through new eyes. Katherine Applegate blends humor and poignancy to create a story of friendship, art, and hope.
2012
Dead End in Norvelt
By Jack Gantos
Melding the entirely true and the wildly fictional, this novel is about an incredible two months for a kid named Jack Gantos. His plans for vacation excitement are shot down when he is “grounded for life” by his feuding parents and whose nose spews bad blood at every little shock he gets. But plenty of excitement (and shock) are coming Jack’s way once his mom loans him out to help a feisty old neighbor. She has a most unusual chore, typing obituaries filled with stories about the people who founded the Utopian town Jack lives in. As one obituary leads to another, Jack is launched on a strange adventure.
The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
The Caldecott Medal is awarded each year to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children by the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association. These are the 2012-2022 Caldecott winners:
2022
Watercress
By Andrea Wang, Illustrated by Jason Chin
Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can.
At first, she’s embarrassed. Why can’t her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family’s time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress.
Andrea Wang tells a moving autobiographical story of a child of immigrants discovering and connecting with her heritage, illustrated by award winning author and artist Jason Chin, working in an entirely new style, inspired by Chinese painting techniques. An author’s note in the back shares Andrea’s childhood experience with her parents.
2021
We Are Water Protectors
By Carole Lindstrom, Illustrated by Michaela Goade
Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.
Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all . . .
When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth And poison her people’s water, one young water protector Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.
2020
The Undefeated
By Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Originally performed for ESPN’s The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more.
2019
Hello Lighthouse
By Sophie Blackall
Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and the icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of the lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp’s wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.
Step back in time, through the door of this iconic lighthouse into the cozy dollhouse-like interior with the extraordinary award-winning artist Sophie Blackall.
2018
Wolf in the Snow
By Matthew Cordell
Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying story of friendship and trust. Here is a book set on a wintry night that will spark imaginations and warm hearts.
2017
Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
by Javaka Steptoe
Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1960s. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Javaka Steptoe introduces the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean, and definitely not inside the lines to be beautiful.
2016
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear
By Lindsay Mattick, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war. Harry Colebourn’s real-life great-granddaugher tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and even more remarkable journey from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England. And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin. Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie. And she was a girl.
2015
The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
By Dan Santat
This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and at long last is given his special name: Beekle.
2014
Locomotive
By Brian Floca
It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and families are traveling together riding America’s brand new transcontinental railroad. Brian Floca makes the story come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives. Come here the hiss of the steam. Feel the heat of the engine. Watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails and cross the young country!
2013
This Is Not My Hat
By Jon Klassen
When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly,) trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that an enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened. Visual humor swims to the fore as Jon Klassen creates another dead-pan-funny tale.
2012
A Ball For Daisy
By Chris Raschka
Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy’s anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. Chris Raschka explores the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. His signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.
The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author.
