Twins

Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright. Grades 3-6. Scholastic, 2020. 256 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Twins Maureen and Francine have always done everything together, but now they're starting middle school and they don't have one class together. Shy Maureen has trouble standing up for herself and making her voice heard and without her sister by her side, she's feeling lost as she navigates the all-new waters of sixth grade. Who will she eat lunch with? How will she survive Cadet Corp when she can't figure out the marching formations? 

When Maureen discovers that Francine asked their parents to put them in separate classes and that her parents requested she be placed in Cadet Corp to help build her self-confidence, she feels betrayed by her entire family. In a fit of rage, she signs up to run against Francine for sixth grade president. At first she enters the race just because she feels angry, but as she works on her platform she begins to feel like she can make a difference at her school. But how can shy Maureen win against charismatic Francine? And does she have the strength to make her voice heard, even if it shakes?

I loved this relateable own-voices graphic novel and I think it has high appeal to readers of realistic contemporary comics. Call your fans of Raina Telgemeier or Terri Libenson because they're going to want to check this one out, too. Lots of kids have trouble adjusting to middle school, so readers who are going through their own friendship or self-confidence struggles will identify with Maureen's story. 

A Place at the Table

A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi & Laura Shovan. Grades 4-7. Clarion Books, 2020. 336 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Calling all young chefs! This is a really sweet, contemporary story about two very different middle school girls who meet at an after-school cooking club and become friends due to their shared love of cooking. 

Sara is new at school, having attended a local Muslim school up through fifth grade. She's not happy about switching schools and some of the kids are giving her a tough time because she's not white. She's not thrilled about having to tag along to the after school cooking classes her mom has started teaching, but there's nowhere else for her to go, so she sits in the back. But when fellow sixth grader Elizabeth needs a partner, Sara steps out from the shadows and joins her at her table. 

Elizabeth is struggling at home. After the death of her grandmother in England, her mom has been really depressed and that means that a lot of stuff around the house - including cooking - is not getting done. So Elizabeth joined this cooking class, hoping to learn some recipes to help out at home. While some of the kids in the class object to the Pakistani food that Sara's mom is teaching them, Elizabeth loves it. And when she learns that Sara's mom is studying for the American citizenship test just like her own British mom, Elizabeth is inspired to match up their moms. Maybe having a study buddy will help her mom take the test seriously and making a friend might keep her from wanting to move back to England. 

This book hits all the sweet spots in a realistic contemporary friendship story. It reminded me so much of the books I loved to read as a kid. It's mostly about the budding friendship between Sara and Elizabeth and how both of them grow as they get to know each other, but it tackles some tough topics like mental health and racism within the story. It's written with own-voices cultural details about both Sara's Pakistani-American household and Elizabeth's Jewish household. Both Sara and Elizabeth learn a lot from each other, not the least of which is to stand up for each other and what being an ally really means. 

And since the book is set in a cooking class, of course it contains lots of yummy details about the recipes they learn to make and the experimentation the friends undertake to develop a fusion recipe for a contest. It definitely made me hungry while I was reading and I think kids who are into cooking and baking would really enjoy this aspect of the story. 

Hand to young foodies who enjoy contemporary friendship stories. 

Readalikes: 

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman (Penguin, 2014). Young foodies will enjoy both books about tween girls who are rock stars in the kitchen. 

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan (Scholastic, 2016). This book, which is also told in alternating voices and written by own-voices authors, is about two culturally diverse boys who become unlikely friends when they're united against the same bully. Readers who enjoy stories about two very different kids finding common ground and becoming friends may like this one, too. 

Audiobook All-Time Favorites #2: Ghost

 If you're looking for a really great audiobook, the kind of read that makes you glad you chose to listen because the narration really adds so much to the story, it's time for my next audiobook all-time favorite: 

Ghost by Jason Reynolds, narrated by Guy Lockard. Simon & Schuster Audio, 2016. 3 hours 29 minutes. Sequels: Patina (narrated by Heather Alicia Simms), Sunny & Lu (both also narrated by Guy Lockard)

If you've read anything by Jason Reynolds, you know that he's a master of voice. His characters leap off the page and tell you their stories in completely believable voices. So he's a natural fit for audiobooks and this series is one of my favorites. Each volume in the Track series stands alone, focusing on one member of an urban track team, a group of kids with very little in common except their sport and their dedication to the team. 

In this first volume, Castle Crenshaw (or Ghost, as he wants to be called) knows he can run fast. He knows because when his dad came at him and his mother on one violent night, running was the only way to get away. Life hasn't been super kind to Ghost - the kids at school make fun of him because he's poor and he carries around the weight of his father's betrayal. When Ghost stumbles onto a local track team and decides to show them a thing or two (they think they can run?!), Coach takes him into the fold. Suddenly, Ghost starts to know what it's like to be part of something bigger than yourself, to have a strong male role model who really cares about him, to work at something and get better and feel proud. But to stay on the track team, Ghost is going to have to steer clear of what his mom calls "altercations", which means keeping his temper when the other kids are giving him a hard time. Could Ghost's bad decisions take away his track star dreams forever?

This series is sure to be a hit with young athletes, but I am far from an athlete and I found myself absolutely drawn in by the compelling characters. I loved learning their stories, particularly in the volumes narrated by Guy Lockard. Lockard reads with a vibrancy that really brings each character to life. Jason Reynolds and Guy Lockard have been friends for decades, so Lockard is a natural fit for these audiobooks. He knows these characters and knows their cadences and how they should be portrayed and it absolutely comes through in his work. I think Sunny is my very favorite of the series, but they're all excellent stories. 

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Class Act

Class Act by Jerry Craft. Grades 4-8. Quill Tree Books, 2020. 256 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

It's here! It's here! And it's sooooo good! The highly-anticipated sequel to 2020 Newbery Medal winner New Kid is out now and friends, it's so good. It's a standalone sequel that focuses on Jordan's friend Drew, an African American boy who attends Riverdale Academy Day School on scholarship. Like New Kid, this is an excellent blend of heart and humor while addressing serious issues like racism, classism, and microaggressions. You don't have to have read New Kid to understand and enjoy this book, although there are a few minor plot points that might mean more if you've read the first book. 

Drew's heard the saying that as an African American boy and a kid growing up poor that he'll have to work twice as hard to be just as good, but lately it feels like he's working way harder than that. As he begins his 8th grade year at RADS, he has to deal with a girl who has a crush on him and keeps filling his locker up with pies and cupcakes, an obnoxious classmate who gets a small taste of his own prejudice when he accidentally permanently dyes himself green for Halloween, and friends who seem to have everything Drew doesn't have (and why do they deserve swimming pools and housekeepers when Drew lives in a tiny apartment with his grandma?). But as he grows up, he's also starting to face some new realities, like the scary time a police officer pulls Jordan's dad over while he's driving the boys somewhere, and the comments his neighborhood friends make about his privileged friends from school. 

This is, of course, a must-buy for all library shelves. Definitely hand it to fans of New Kid (which I looooved, by the way, and you can read my 2019 review of it here). I'd also hand it to fans of Big Nate or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It's written in a really approachable way, making it a wonderful suggestion for families who are having conversations with their kids about race for the first time. Both books would make a wonderful family read to start some great conversations. 

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Diverse Books for Sparkly Kids

Do you have a sparkly kid in your life? They might be into royalty, fashion, unicorns, all things pink, or glitter... if you have readers who are sparkly kids, these are some wonderful titles they might enjoy that will diversify your shelves. Some are own-voices and some are not and I've indicated the titles that are. 

Bedtime Bonnet by Nancy Redd, illustrated by Nneka Myers (own voices). This is a perfect book for any kid who loves taking care of their hair. It's time for bed and everyone in the family is starting their hair routine, but where has this little girl's bedtime bonnet gone? 

Grandma's Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton (own voices). What wonders does Grandma have in her purse? Luckily, she never minds her granddaughter investigating in this sweet picture book that celebrates the strong bond between grandmother and grandchild. 

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (own voices). Zuri has a very special hairstyle in mind, but can her dad help her pull it off? This is a funny, adorable story about a loving father and his trials and tribulations with his daughter's hair. 

Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love. When Julián glimpses three women spectacularly dressed up on the subway, he dreams about dressing up the whole way home. When he gets home, he puts together his own mermaid costume, but what will Abuela think? It turns out she loves him and celebrates him for who he is. 

Maria Had a Little Llama by Angela Dominguez (own voices). You may be familiar with Mary and her little lamb, but what about Maria and her little llama? This Peruvian take on the Mother Goose rhyme is a wonderful bilingual picture book and a Pura Belpré Honor Award-winner. 

Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Here's another version of Mary, this one a fashion plate. Mary's got enough glam for herself and her nursery rhyme friends, too. 

Mommy's Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Ebony Glenn (own voices). A little girl watches her mother put on her khimar, a flowing headscarf, and spends a happy day playing with her mother's scarves of every color. In her mother's scarves she can be a queen or a superhero, but no matter what she's pretending she's wrapped up in her mother's love. 

Not Quite Snow White by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by Ebony Glenn (own voices). Tameika is a girl who belongs on the stage and when her school puts on the play Snow White, Tameika goes out for the lead. But some of the kids at school think she's "not quite Snow White". Will Tameika let their harsh words get in her way? 

One Word from Sophia by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail. Sophia wants a giraffe for a pet and she's working on her persuasive skills to try to get what she wants, no matter how impossible her parents think she is. Sophia's a creative, energetic young lady who practices her powers of negotiation in this fun picture book. 

Red Shoes by Karen English, illustrated by Ebony Glenn (own voices). Malika loves, loves, loves her red shoes and she wears them everywhere. But what will happen to them once Malika outgrows them? If you have kids in your life who love shoes as much as my niece loves shoes, this is the perfect choice. 

What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Amy Cordova (own voices). A young girl plays with a rebozo, a traditional Mexican shawl. How many things can you do with a rebozo? Quite a lot of things! 

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Our Favorite Day of the Year

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Our Favorite Day of the Year by A. E. Ali, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Ages 4-7. Salaam Reads, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my library. 

It's the first day of school, Ms. Gupta's very favorite day of the year because it's the day she gets to meet all the kids in her new class and start getting to know them. And the first thing she wants to know is what each of their very favorite days of the year are so they can learn about them together as a class and get to know each other. In the story, we see the class learning about Eid al-Fitr, Rosh Hashanah, Las Posadas, and Pi Day. This is a fun, inclusive story that celebrates differences and the importance of coming together and learning from one another. 

I especially appreciate the inclusion of a secular family in this book - something that's still very rare and much appreciated. Kevin's family celebrates science and Kevin's favorite day is Pi Day, celebrated on March 14 with baking pies and doing science activities together. They're not identified as any particular flavor of secular (and the text doesn't use the word "secular", just that they "celebrate science"), so atheist, agnostic, humanist, and other secular families will see themselves represented here. 

This would make a great classroom readaloud for the first day of school or any time throughout the year. 

Astrid & Apollo

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Astrid & Apollo series by V.T. Bidania, illustrated by Dara Lashia Lee. Grades 1-3. Picture Window Books, 2020. 64 pages. Review copies provided by my local library. 

Astrid & Apollo and the Starry Campout
Astrid & Apollo and the Fishing Flop
Astrid & Apollo and the Happy New Year
Astrid & Apollo and the Soccer Celebration

Astrid & Apollo are Hmong-American twins living in Minnesota and in each of these standalone own-voices chapter books, they have small adventures together with their family. These sweet books are perfect for new chapter book readers and bring a much-needed diversity to the early chapter book shelves. Astrid & Apollo are likeable characters tackling everyday challenges like a first camping trip, a disappointing fishing trip, and getting lost at a huge Hmong New Year celebration. 

Each of the books includes lots of details about Hmong American culture including some really mouthwatering descriptions of food. Back matter in each volume includes a pronunciation guide to Hmong words, cultural information about Laos and Hmong culture, and a world map that shows where Laos is. Minnesota has a large Hmong immigrant population and both the author and illustrator of this series are Hmong-Americans living in Minnesota. 

Diverse early chapter books are a sorely small section and this series is a super addition to your library shelves. I'm really impressed with Capstone bringing in own voices creators to help fill this gap. 

Itzhak

Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin: The Story of Young Itzhak Perlman by Tracy Newman, illustrated by Abigail Halpin. Grades 2-5. Abrams, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

From the time he was a very young boy, music was important to Itzhak Perlman. Growing up in Israel, his family always had the radio on and Itzhak was drawn to the violin at a young age. Once Itzhak started playing the violin, he never stopped. A polio survivor, Itzhak played sitting down while most musical performers played standing up, but his music was more beautiful than many. After asking for an audition for the Israel Philharmonic at age 11 (they never wrote him back), he auditioned for the Ed Sullivan show, performed on the show to rave reviews, and was soon one of the most famous violinists in the world. 

This is a gorgeous picture book, illustrated with bold, rich color that mirrors the color and personality that Perlman found in every piece he learned. The beauty of music really comes across in the artwork, which makes sense since illustrator Abigail Halpin is a violinist herself. Itzhak is depicted as a jolly, spirited child, facing all obstacles in his path with a determined smile. More than a celebration of music (although it is that, for sure), this picture book advocates for better disability access around the world. Walking with crutches and unable to climb stairs, Perlman was often forced to use freight elevators and stay in makeshift dressing rooms built on the fly as he toured music halls around the world. 

This is a wonderful, tender portrait that's perfect for young musicians and performers. Young musicians will recognize the incredible amount of work that Itzhak put into his playing and appreciate the musical terms included in the text. Back matter includes author's and illustrator's notes, a timeline, and an extensive bibliography. 

Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away

Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Meg Medina, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. Grades K-4. Candlewick, 2020. 32 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

This is a beautiful and moving portrait of a special friendship that's just about to change. Daniela's best friend, her mejor amiga, Evelyn Del Rey is moving away and today's the very last day that they will share matching apartments across the alley from each other. It's the last day in a while that they'll see each over, that they will play imaginary games and share stickers and greet all the residents of Evelyn's building together. But it doesn't mean their friendship is over. Although it's hard to be apart, Daniela and Evelyn will always be special to each other and they can keep in touch in other ways. 

This rich, beautiful book celebrates best friends and honors the pain people feel when someone they're close to moves away and life changes. I love the gorgeous, rich paintings that illustrate this book, capturing a fall afternoon in the city with the leaves blazing in yellows and oranges. Fall feels like a nostalgic time, a time you might think back on the past and friends you've known, so it's definitely appropriate to this touching story. 

This is a great book to share with kids who may be experiencing their own changes as a friend or loved one moves away or they face some other unwelcome but necessary change. It doesn't try to smooth over the pain that kids feel, it's not cutesy or saccharine, but it will be comforting to kids in its realness. Hand this to kids who need it and display it alongside books like The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld or The Happy Book by Andy Rash, which honor kids feeling big feelings. 

I Am Every Good Thing

I am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James. Ages 4-10. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020. 32 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

This newest collaboration from the creators of the Newbery-honor-winning and Caldecott-honor-winning and Coretta Scott King-honor-winning book Crown: Ode to the Fresh Cut is everything I wanted it to be. It's a celebration of Black boy joy, an affirmation that begs to be read and shared and pressed into the hands of families everywhere. From the dedication of the book, which goes to some of the Black boys murdered by law enforcement, to the text and illustrations, this is a book that will make a difference. It depicts Black boys as superheroes, as scientists, as getting back up after a fall and trying again. 

This is a book that celebrates Black boys in the way that all children deserve to be celebrated and that Black boys are not always celebrated. They are every good thing, just like all children, and this is a book that strives to show that in its ebullient text and its rich, colorful, joyful artwork. 

This is a must-buy for library shelves. Display it proudly alongside Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins (illustrated by Bryan Collier) or I Am Perfectly Designed by Karamo Brown (illustrated by Anoosha Syed) for an empowering display. 

Bunheads

Bunheads by Misty Copeland, illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey. Ages 4-9. Putnam, 2020. 32 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Misty Copeland is back with another picture book about a classic ballet and a young, African American ballerina determined to shine. In this autobiographical story, young Misty attends her first ballet class and falls in love with the story of Coppélia when her teacher presents their upcoming show. There is plenty for young ballet students to appreciate here as Misty explains and demonstrates some of the steps she learns in her class as they prepare for the auditions. The steps are depicted in both the text and the illustrations, which will appeal to young dancers who may be learning these very steps themselves. 

Throughout class and the audition process, young Misty bonds with another girl in her class, forming a fast friendship, and luckily they are both cast in the show. I don't know if you have as many Misty Copeland fans at your library as I do at mine, but I can tell you they were asking for her by name this summer. We have plenty of young children that look up to her and this is definitely a book I'm going to put on hold for them. Pick this one up for the young dancer in your life and make sure you have it on your library shelves. Representation matters and it's wonderful to see a book featuring a young African American ballerina. 

Pair this book with Goodnight, Little Dancer by Jennifer Adams for more representation of African American children as dancers (that one gets a bonus for also including a male child dancer). And A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina's Dream by Kristy Dempsey, which is a picture book about an African American girl inspired by the first African American prima ballerina Janet Collins. And don't forget Misty Copeland's Firebird, for which Christopher Myers won the 2015 Coretta Scott King illustrator award. 

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (And Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (And Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion by Ahima Shiraishi, illustrated by Yao Xiao. Grades K-4. Make Me a World, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Ashima Shiraishi knows about problems. Problems are what rock climbers call the boulders that they climb: each one is a problem to solve. Shiraishi is a world champion rock climber who was the first woman in the world to climb a V15 boulder problem (that is a very, very difficult climb). And in this picture book, Shiraishi takes a look at how she solves problems. While this book uses Shiraishi's boulder problems to detail her problem-solving steps, these steps translate to any kind of problem a person might face. 

She looks at the problem "There were many parts, and none of them looked easy." 

She maps out her steps. She gives it a try.... and she falls. But does she give up? Of course not! "Then, when I was ready, I looked at the problem again with the new information the fall had given me." 

This is an encouraging book that is wonderful to share with kids of all ages who might struggle with perseverance in the face of difficulty. It would make a great classroom read aloud to set the tone for your class. The text reinforces the importance of learning from your failures and getting up to try and try again. Of course Shiraishi did not become a world champion by getting everything perfectly right the first time. I love how she structures her falls as opportunities to learn and to approach a problem in a new way. 

Not only is this a great book about problem solving and perseverance to have on your shelves and to know about for your patrons, but it's also a story that celebrates women and Asian Americans in sports and the accomplishments of a young person. Ashima Shiraishi was born in 2001, so she wrote this book as a teenager and she won world championships in climbing as a teen, so this is definitely a story that young people will relate to. And I think it's got some nice words of wisdom for us all! 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul

RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison. Grades K-6. Atheneum, 2020. 48 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Y'all. Stop what you are doing and run to your local indie bookstore to get your hands on this book. It is absolutely stunning. Stun. Ning. 

Carole Boston Weatherford is a poet, we know this. And she's outdone herself here. The text of this book is deceptively simple, each spread a rhyming couplet titled with a spelled out word, paying homage to one of Aretha Franklin's most well-known songs. It seems simple, but there's a lot of thought that's gone into the construction of this book. Each couplet is titled by a spelled-out word that ends in that "ee" sound like R-E-S-P-E-C-T. For example: 

B-L-E-S-S-E-D

Cradled by the church, rocked by an ebony sea, 

Aretha says a little prayer each night on bended knee

D-E-T-R-O-I-T

The Franklins move north from Memphis, Tennessee. 

They put down roots and rise like a mighty tree. 

Not all the words are seven letters long, like "respect", a feat that would have been a stretch to carry out throughout the book. They all end in that long E sound, so the text flows together like a song and continually brings the reader back to the powerful message of Aretha's famous song. 

And the paintings. Oh, the paintings. Frank Morrison's oil paintings are rich and full of color and consistently play with perspective, sometimes taking a view from behind or above. I love the spread that talks about Detroit, picturing the Franklin family as part of a mighty tree and then later in the book after Aretha's mother has left the family, the same image is rendered with the family minus mom. 

I am sure the Caldecott Committee is looking carefully at this book - it's one of my favorites of the year! 

Brother's Keeper

Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee. Grades 4-7. Holiday House, 2020. 320 pages. Review audiobook provided by publisher via Libro.fm.

Life as the oldest sister is not easy for Sora in 1950 North Korea. Not only does her family already live by a set of ironclad rules set by the government - they can't leave their village, they can't speak their minds, they can't trust their neighbors - as a girl, Sora has to live by even more rules. She has to quit school to take care of her brothers and she must learn to keep house in preparation for being a wife one day. But everything changes when war is declared and her family decides to make a run for it. Early in their journey, Sora and her little brother Young are separated from their parents and they have to make this dangerous journey - hundreds of miles to the South Korean border - by themselves. Can they face hunger and exhaustion and the Red Army chasing them and make it to freedom? 

This is a riveting survival story that will appeal to young readers who enjoy books like Refugee by Alan Gratz and The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani. I am a huge historical fiction fan and I loved learning about Sora's struggles as a girl in a culture that venerates sons. As smart and strong as Sora is, her family still balks at sending her to school and letting her follow her own dreams. Sora is expected to set her own wishes aside to care for others (her brothers and eventually her husband and her own family). Sora's not perfect - she's impatient and careless sometimes - but she's definitely a heroine you can root for. And readers who love discovering history through story will really enjoy this tale. 

Your Name is a Song

Your Name is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Luisa Uribe. Ages 6-10. Innovation Press, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Frustrated when her teacher can't pronounce her name and kids at her new school make fun of her name, our narrator vents to her mom on their walk home from school. And her mother responds to each complaint with positive language to present her unique name in a different light. "Your name is a song" and your name is one that needs to be said from the heart more than the tongue. Or even, your name might be made up because long ago our original names were stolen from us and we looked to the sky for new names. 

This is a wonderful book for kids and teachers to read about the importance of names. Young readers with names that often get mispronounced will find words to speak back (and teach) about it and anyone who meets new kids and learns their names on a regular basis should read this book. The book uses all kinds of names from many different cultures around the world as examples, and I especially appreciate that all the names in the book (even white normative names like "Bob" or "Ms. Anderson") are given pronunciation guides. This is a must for school and public libraries!

The Day Saida Arrived

The Day Saida Arrived by Susana Gomez Redondo, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer, translated from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. Ages 4-9. Blue Dot Kids Press, September 15, 2020. 

The day Saida arrived, our narrator knew they would be good friends, but there was one problem. Saida's words appeared to be lost. Looking high and low, those words can't be found until our narrator takes her problem to her father. He explains that Saida has words, but her Arabic words don't work here, just the way his words wouldn't work in Morocco. And so begins a blossoming friendship as Saida begins to learn English and teach her friend Arabic. It turns out you don't need perfect words to make a friend, after all. 

This is a really whimsical, humorous and poignant look at the importance (or non-importance!) of language. I love the fantastical illustrations that really play around with words - there are words everywhere throughout these pages, in both English and Arabic alphabets. There are funny moments, such as when our nameless protagonist looks into her teacher's pockets, searching for Saida's words, but this is also a book with a strong message of being accepting of new immigrants and that friendship transcends cultural differences. Originally published in Spain, this book is a little outside the box of what we normally see published in America and I love it for that. It's a beautiful book that's not afraid to play. 

Nana Akua Goes to School

Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker and April Harrison. Ages 5-9. Schwartz & Wade, 2020. 40 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

When Bring Your Grandparents day approaches at school, Zura starts to get nervous. She loves her grandparents, who grew up in Ghana; they're her favorite people, but Zura's afraid that the kids at school won't understand her Nana Akua's tribal face tattoos. She's afraid the other kids might be afraid or laugh at her grandma. Luckily, Nana Akua has a plan and with the help of Zura's quilt featuring many tribal symbols and some gold face paint, Nana Akua turns the day into one that no one will forget. 

This is a nice story about learning about different cultures and accepting differences that make us all special. It's a very reassuring story and may introduce a lot of young readers to the idea of tribal markings. I love the vibrant, textures artwork, especially  the patterned material used for many of the fabrics in the book. This would make a wonderful classroom readaloud to introduce empathy and acceptance. 

Mindy Kim series

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business

Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade

Mindy Kim and the Birthday Puppy

Mindy Kim, Class President 

by Lyla Lee. Grades 1-3. 96 pages. Aladdin, 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Mindy Kim has just moved to Florida and is starting a new school for the first time in the series opener of this own-voices early chapter book series. In the first book, she's nervous about making friends, especially at a school that has no other Korean kids, and after a rough first day where the kids made fun of her Korean lunch, she's sure this is going to be the worst school year ever. But when the other kids get interested in her seaweed snacks, she's sure she has found the key to friendship and maybe a way to convince her dad to get her the puppy she's always wanted, too. 

This is a really cute series that will appeal to readers who enjoy school stories and I love the details about Mindy's Korean heritage. It's got some meat to it, as well. Mindy's not only navigating a new school and a new state, but she's figuring out life without her mom who died before they moved to Florida. Now it's just her and her dad. The series isn't sad, but it does have some emotional scenes as Mindy and her dad celebrate their first Lunar New Year without her mom, train a new puppy, and Mindy runs for class president. 

Hand this series to fans of the Anna Banana series by Anica Mrose Rissi or the Jasmine Toguchi series by Debbie Michiko Florence. 

Something to Say

Something to Say by Lisa Moore Ramée. Grades 5-8. 304 pages. Balzer + Bray, 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

I was a huge fan of Lisa Moore Ramee's debut, A Good Kind of Trouble, and this follow up does not disappoint. Painfully shy Jenae resists the friendship advances of a somewhat weird kid at her new middle school, but when they're paired together for a debate assignment, she'll have to face her fear of public speaking. She's convinced that she can make things happen with her thoughts and blames herself for her brother's basketball injury that's kept him home from college recovering. And when her grandfather's health takes a turn for the worse, she'll have to step up and help her family in a way she's never had to before. This is a great book for readers who love character-driven stories - Jenae's character development is fantastic and I loved the slow burn friendship that eventually blossoms between the two main characters. Hand this one to fans of Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina or My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi. 

Felix Ever After

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender. Grades 8+ 368 pages. Balzer + Bray, 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

How do I love Felix? Let me count the ways. This is one of my favorite books of the year and I keep pressing it on readers at any opportunity. Felix Love has never been in love (ironic, huh?) and he's desperate to know what it feels like and why it seems to happen so easily for everyone but him. Black, queer, and trans, Felix worries that he doesn't fit anywhere and that he'll never find love. After an anonymous person starts sending him transphobic messages, Felix is convinced he knows who's doing it and comes up with a plan to get revenge. The one thing he's not prepared for his catfishing scheme to land him in a quasi love triangle.

This is a wonderful queer teen love story about finding yourself and really embracing your identity and declaring yourself worthy of love just as you are. Felix is trans, but still questioning his identity, even after transitioning and top surgery. Something about "boy" just doesn't always fit. He's obsessed with applying to Brown University and just as obsessed with the idea that he might not get in. His home life is okay, but his mom left and left behind some big scars. Felix starts out the book believing that he's unworthy of love. He's desperate to fall in love and be loved in return, but he's equally afraid of even trying.

I just loved Felix so much. He felt so real to me in that he was not always making the best choices and couldn't always see things that were right in front of his face. And this is a book written for all kinds of readers. Readers who may not be super familiar with the queer community will definitely get an education, but it mostly feels organic, written through the lens of Felix still questioning his own identity and learning about his community. And readers looking for trans stories should definitely pick up this own voices book.