THE FIRE, THE WATER, AND MAUDIE MCGINN by Sally J. Pla – Review by Bridget Hodder

July 11

I read as much great kidlit as I can find. And I pay special attention to authors who write naturally neurodivergent characters that climb right off the page and into readers’ hearts. This is why I keep coming back to author Sally J. Pla’s work. Since the release of her striking debut novel THE SOMEDAY […]

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A BIT OF EARTH by Karuna Riazi – Review by Bridget Hodder

May 24

People change. So do stories. Sometimes, when a story holds a certain special magic, woven by compelling universal emotions, it endures through the years, decades and centuries. As it is told and retold, it takes on characteristics of the personalities and cultures who tell it. In the case of Cinderella, for example, she started out […]

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What Do You Know About The Black Panther Party? by Alex Harrison

July 06

As I become more intentional about reading literature centered around making education for Black students more purposeful, I have been fascinated with The Black Panther Party. Admittedly, I was only familiar with the organization based on what I had heard in the media about The Panthers being radical and wreaking havoc. Conversely, I arrived at […]

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#BlackGirlMagic: Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston – Review by Alex Harrison

May 25

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop gained more notoriety in the literacy world for her concept of books being windows that offer readers a view of an unfamiliar world, sliding glass doors that are a portal to an untapped imaginative world, or mirrors that reflect personal experiences. With recent book bans across the country, it is important […]

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A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow – Review by Kacy Smith Paterson

February 16

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow Tor Teen, 2020 288 pages, Grades 8 and Up Bethany C. Morrow writes in multiple genres for both adult and young adult audiences She weaves speculative fiction, magical realism, and social justice into her 2020 release, A Song Below Water, a story of black magical teenagers in […]

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The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl – Review by Shilpa Mehta

February 09

The Blue House centers around Leo and his father’s beautiful home though not necessarily in a literal sense, yet it is cozy, filled with warmth and love, and a sanctuary for both father and son. Wahl’s illustrations speak volumes, there is much for the young readers to discover on each page that speaks of Leo’s […]

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Snowman-Cold=Puddle: Spring Equations by Laura Purdie Salas – Review by Shilpa Mehta

February 02

In this thoughtfully written non-fiction book, Salas takes young readers on a mathematical journey of the world around them, an equation leading the way, followed by an explanatory text. From the nocturnal symphony of frogs to the tap of the woodpecker and the ballet of the kites, Salas adds a fresh dimension to all she […]

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Review of Stella by McCall Hoyle – Review by Millicent Flake

January 26

My new granddog Maisy spent the first six months of her life in an animal shelter. When my son and his wife brought her home, she was fearful of everything. She is a sweet girl and wanted to be good but didn’t know exactly what was expected of her. She wasn’t sure where she should […]

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Jubilee: The First Therapy Horse and an Olympic Dream by K T Johnston, illustrated by Anabella Ortiz – Review by Annette Bay Pimentel

January 05

What does it mean to have a disability? Sometimes disabilities are obvious to an onlooker—a wheelchair or a white cane signal “disability.” But many disabilities are silent. Kids in a class might never know that their fellow students live with disability. Jubilee: The First Therapy Horse and an Olympic Dream by K T Johnston, illustrated […]

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Giving Thanks for Fry Bread by Trevor Scott Barton

December 08

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. “Wait, Mr Barton,” said my students. “You mean Christmas isn’t your favorite holiday? That’s when you get presents and stuff!” “Nope,” I said. I like the ‘Thanks’ and the ‘Giving’ parts of Thanksgiving. I like to say ‘thanks’ to all of the people who mean the world to me. And […]

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