1. Barnes, D. D., & James, G. C. (2017). Crown: An ode to the fresh cut. Bolden, an Agate imprint.
Blog: This realistic fiction story is based on what an African-American child might see and feel when they enter in their neighborhood barber shop to get their hair cut. The boy in the story talks directly to the reader, describing in great detail his surroundings, and is quite encouraging. The story follows the proper sequence of events, from entering the barber shop, to tipping the barber once your cut is complete. The author creatively uses figurative language throughout the story, such as metaphors and similes. It sends a positive spirited message about the African-American culture.
Summary: Barnes creatively tells the story of a black boy getting a haircut at a barbershop. The boy comes in as a “blank canvas,” but as the haircut starts, Barnes leads the reader into all the things that might happen because of the cut, from passing a geography test, to becoming a star, and even impressing a girl. The other men in the barbershop look important and full of swagger because of their hair, and the barber knows what he’s doing and doles out shape-ups and a faux hawk with skill. Colorful images illustrate all of the patrons, including a woman. Illustrator James deftly uses bright colors and complements Barnes’ words well. The strong voice will soothe any young child scared of their first cut, and give a boost of confidence to the seasoned pros.
Similar Titles: Bibbity Bop Barbershop by Natasha Tarpley, I am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes
2. Bell, C., & Lasky, D. (2014). El deafo. New-York: Amulet Books.
Blog: This 21 chapter graphic-novel is not only a sweet cute comic, but the story line is based on the true life story, a memoir, of Cece Bell, the author, who lost her hearing at a very young age due to meningitis. Bell characterizes herself and her family as rabbits to put a fun twist on the story. The story begins from the time when she first contracted meningitis, and then continues with the struggles and victories she has through recovery and attending her new school. This graphic novel is colorful and fun, but portrays a wonderful message about acceptance and perseverance.
Summary: The author/illustrator Bell takes her own personal story of struggling with hearing loss as a young child, and turns it into a spectacular graphic-novel memoir. Her Phonics Ear, a very awkward device to help her hear, causes her some troubles at her new school, until she turns it into something that gives her super powers, and she can hear everything her teachers say, everywhere! She becomes El Deafo, Listener for All, and seeks out to find a true friend.
Similar Titles: Anne Frank by Joeming Dunn, Hooray for Women by Marcia Williams
3. Cleary, B., & Zelinsky, P. O. (1983). Dear Mr. HENSHAW. New York: Morrow.
Blog: This realistic fiction novel is written in first person point of view, through the eyes of a boy, Leigh, who is writing in his diary and talking to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. The book is set up just as though it was the diary, with dates, greetings, and closings. It also presents the story as though it was actually written by a child, spelling errors and all, starting in second grade and progressing through the years. Cleary moves between diary entries by Leigh, to Leigh writing letters to Mr. Henshaw. She helps identify the changes by inserting blank pages within the story.
Summary: In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being in a new school, and trying to find his own place in the world.
Blog: A folktale retelling with a mixture of English and Spanish language about Martina the cockroach who needs to find someone to marry. She follows grandma's advice of spilling coffee on her suitors shoes to check their temper! Suitors include anything from roosters to lizards! Martina soon dislikes the idea of spilling coffee on her suitors shoes, and the tables suddenly get turned! Such a delightful story with colorful characters and character traits that stand out.
Summary: A delightful and funny retelling of a Cuban folktale in which a cockroach interviews and spills coffee on the shoes of her suitors in order to decide who to marry.
Similar Titles: Adelaida: a Cuban Cinderella by Ana Monnar, Madame Pulet and Monsieur Roach by Dianne De las Casas
7. DePaola, T. (1975). Strega nona: An old tale. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Summary: Strega Nona, or "Grandma Witch", is the source of potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical full pasta pot is intriguing to hungry Big Anthony. He supposed to look after her house and tend her garden but one one day, when she goes over the mountain to visit Strega Amelia, Big Anthony recites the magic verse over the pasta pot,which leads to disastrous results.
Similar Titles: Priceless Gifts: a folktale from Italy by Martha Hamilton, The Clown of God by Tomie dePaola
8. Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. NY: Holt.
Blog: Rosa Parks's personal story moves quickly into a summary of the Civil Rights movement in this striking picture book. Parks is introduced in idealized terms. She cares for her ill mother and is married to "one of the best barbers in the county." Sewing in an alterations department, "Rosa Parks was the best seamstress. Her needle and thread flew through her hands like the gold spinning from Rumpelstiltskin's loom." Soon the story moves to her famous refusal to give up her seat on the bus, but readers lose sight of her as she waits to be arrested. Giovanni turns to explaining the response of the Women's Political Caucus, which led to the bus boycott in Montgomery. A few events of the movement are interjected-the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the aftermath and reactions to the murder of Emmett Till, the role of Martin Luther King, Jr., as spokesperson. Collier's watercolor and collage scenes are deeply hued and luminous, incorporating abstract and surreal elements along with the realistic figures. Set on colored pages, these illustrations include an effective double foldout page with the crowd of successful walkers facing a courthouse representing the 1956 Supreme Court verdict against segregation on the buses. This is a thought-provoking introduction to these watershed acts of civil disobedience.
Summary: An illustrated account of Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, and the subsequent bus boycott by the black community.
Similar Titles: Rosa Parks: don't give in! by Cathy East Dubowski, Rosa Parks by Eloise Greenfield
9. Harris, R. (1999). It’s so amazing. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.
Blog: Celebrating our bodies and our sexuality for younger readers, this frank and nonjudgmental discussion is illustrated with anatomically correct cartoon drawings. The fifteenth-anniversary edition of this invaluable resource is Harris and Emberley's laudable attempt to keep the content "as up-to-date and accurate as possible." The updated text and art include a broader definition of gender and expanded information about using the internet.
Summary: Children have many questions about babies, sexuality, and love. This book uses bird and bee cartoon characters in a fun and accurate comic-book style setting to reflect the interest of children ages 7 and up in how things work, and it gives them a healthy straightforward understanding of their bodies.
Similar Titles: Where do babies come from?: our first talk about babies by Jillian Roberts, Amazing you!: getting smart about your private parts by Gail Saltz
10. Holm, J & M (eds.). Comics squad: recess. NY: Random House.
Blog: In eight distinct chapters, graphic novelists share a single episode of familiar playground events. This recess-themed comic collection edited by Eisner Award winners includes stories by Dav Pilkey, Ursula Vernon, and Jarrett J. Krosoczka, among others. Recess events familiar to most children include denied admittance to the Super Secret Ninja Club, homework copying, kickball and freeze tag, and the dreaded recess detention for Babymouse herself. In a particularly poignant chapter, "300 Words" by Dan Santat, Eddie finds himself desperate to finish his book report on The Giving Tree. After Sophia generously offers her essay while ironically explaining the theme of the book, readers may wish to read the original. The illustrations are b&w on bright orange throughout, heightening the sense of action and freedom of imaginative play that only recess can offer.
Summary: All your favorite comic creators are right here in this all-star tribute to Sunday comics! The set includes 8 hilarious, action packed stories about every kid's favorite subject--recess!Popular characters include Baby Mouse, Lunch Lady, and Dinozilla. There are bad guys, good guys, bullies, mean girls, epic battles, and love!
Similar Titles: Swing it, Sunny by Jennifer Holm, Click by Kayla Miller
11. Keating, J., & DeGrand, D. (2019). Gross as a snot otter: Discovering the world's most disgusting animals. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Blog: Snot otters use their mucus-covered skin to repel infections and predators. Siberian chipmunks rub their fur with the dead flesh of snakes to scare away predators. Facts such as these fill Keating's latest title in the "The World of Weird Animals" series. Combining fascinating animal facts with photographs and amusing illustrations makes for an informative and rather disgusting book that young readers will eagerly snatch from the shelf. The bright colors and large photographs are eye-catching, if not exactly beautiful. Difficult vocabulary words are highlighted and defined in the glossary at the end of the book.
Summary: From slippery slimy snot otters to fish that communicate by farting, this book features seventeen of the grossest, most revolting animals on earth! But as zoologist Jess Keating explains, it is these very gross quirks that gag us, that allow these animals to survive in the wild.
Similar Titles: Ugly animals by Laura Marsh, Really horrible animal facts by Jay Hawkins
Blog: Catherine's younger brother, David, is autistic. She wants so badly for him to be "normal" that she makes up rules for him. While Catherine is struggling with her feelings about David, she meets Jason, a wheelchair-bound young man who communicates by pointing at word cards in a notebook. Catherine loves to draw and notices that Jason needs a larger and more colorful vocabulary. She makes him some new words, and their friendship begins. Catherine eventually comes to terms with her feelings of shame about David and about being seen with Jason after a confrontation with Jason at his birthday party. The first-person narrative is very engaging, and readers will identify with Catherine's struggles and cheer for her at the end. This is a great book to help students gain some understanding about autism, while also providing a good read. The author is the mother of an autistic child.
Summary: Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life, but that is just about impossible when you have a brother with autism and the world and entire family revolve around his disability. She has tried to teach her brother David for years about things like peaches are not fuzzy apples and keeping your pants on in public in the hopes of stopping his embarrassing habits. But then Catherine meets Jason, a paraplegic boy, and Kristi, the next-door friend she has always wished for. Her own shocking behavior turns everything upside down and has her asking "What is normal?"
Similar Titles: Ian's walk: a story about autism by Laurie Lears, Nobody's perfect by Marlee Matlin
13. Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship NY: Hyperion.
Blog: Through text and artwork that pulses with life, Nelson has created a book that brings personality to the Negro Baseball League. Using the voice of "Everyman" in the league, this book will attract readers because of the full and double-page vibrant, realistic oil paintings, and immerse the reader in the compelling story being told. The author brings out interesting details about the league such as bus trips where players would relieve a sleepy driver and players would entertain their teammates. The reader meets famous players, like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson, and the equally talented lesser known players. One enters the world of joy in the game of baseball and the hurt of segregation through stories that take place away from the ballpark as well as on the field. One need not be a baseball fan to enjoy this book, because it's more than a sports story. It's a story of real people enduring more than many of us can imagine, playing a game they love.
Summary: This book explores the history of Negro League baseball teams from its beginnings in 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The story goes into details about its owners, players, hardships, wind, and loses.
Similar Titles: Stars in the shadows: the Negro all-star game of 1934 by Charles R. Smith, Hey batta batta swing!: the history of the wild old days of baseball by Sally Cook
14. Paterson, K. (1972). Bridge to Terabithia. NY: Crown.
Blog: Bridge to Terabithia is a powerful novel by an American author, Katherine Paterson.It was first published in 1977 and has remained popular ever since.The novel is a real life fiction that explores friendship,love,and grief telling the story of Jess Aarons and his new neighbor,Leslie Burke.The plot is this. Jess Aarons lives on a farm with his large family.At school,he wants to be the fastest runner but is beaten by Leslie Burke, a girll! Jess and Leslie become friends and play in a make believe land on an island in a dry creek bed that they call Terabithia. In Terabithia, Jess is a strong and courageous king.One day,However,a tragedy occurs and Jess must overcome his grief and horor. Told in the third person,Bridge to Terabithia is a well-paced story told in a Straight forward yet thought-provoking way. Bridge Terabithia is a very moving novel! with believable characters and plot that keeps the reader’s interst. You feel sympathy for Jess and understand what he has to go through emotionally. Its message of the power of friendship and the need to care about others and nature makes this a highly suitable book for teenage readers.
Summary: In this story, a modern classic about friendship and loss, 10 year-old Jess Aarons has been practicing all summer so he can be the fastest runner in the 5th grade. But Leslie Burke, the new girl in school, pulls ahead of him. The two become fast friends and spend most days in the woods behind Leslie's house. They have invented an enchanted land called Terabithia. One morning, Leslie enters Terabithia without Jess and tragedy occurs. It takes the love of his family and the strength Leslie has given him for Jess to be able to deal with his grief.
Similar Titles: The friends by Kazumi Yumoto, Flying solo by Ralph Fletcher
15. Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. NY: HarperCollins.
Blog: The plot of the book is based on the fantasy (and real) consequences of Max’s trouble-making. One night he dresses up in his wolf suit and does things that his mom doesn’t approve. His mother scolds him and calls him a “WILD THING!” Max is so mad he shouts back, “I’LL EAT YOU UP!” As a result, his mother sends him to his bedroom without any supper. It ends up that a forest grows in Max’s room and so he boards a ship to another place. This is the home of the wild things who snarl and have long claws and roll their eyes. Max hypnotizes the monsters, who declare him the wildest thing of all. Max and the wild things have fun playing together until Max begins to want to be “…where someone loved him best of all.” Max’s fantasy ends when he smells his dinner and sails back to his own room.
Summary: A naughty little boy is sent to bed without his supper one night. He decides to sail to the land of the wild things where he becomes their king.
Similar Titles: The monster's monster by Patrick McDonnell, In the night kitchen by Maurice Sendak
16. Singer, M. (2010). Mirror, Mirror. NY: Dutton.
Blog: A collection of masterful fairy-tale-inspired reversos--a poetic form invented by the author, in which each poem is presented forward and backward. Although the words are identical in each presentation, changes in punctuation, line breaks and capitalization create two pieces that tell completely different stories. "In the Hood," for instance, first presents Red Riding Hood's perspective: "In my hood, / skipping through the wood, / carrying a basket, picking berries to eat-- / juicy and sweet / what a treat! / But a girl / mustn't dawdle. / After all, Grandma's waiting." Reversed, we hear from the wolf: "After all, Grandma's waiting / mustn't dawdle... / But a girl! / What a treat-- / juicy and sweet / picking berries to eat, / carrying a basket, / skipping through the wood / in my 'hood." Masse's gorgeous, stylized illustrations enhance the themes of duality and perspective by presenting images and landscapes that morph in delightful ways from one side of the page to the other. A mesmerizing and seamless celebration of language, imagery and perspective.
Summary: A collection of short poems, which when reverse, provide a new perspective on old fairy tales that they feature. It gives familiar tales, like Sleeping Beauty, a totally new spin when it is read backwards.
Similar Titles: Follow follow: a book of reverso poems by Marilyn Singer, If the shoe fits: voices from Cinderella by Laura Whipple
17. Smith, L. (2011). It’s a book. NY: Roaring Brook.
Blog: This is a creative and quite different book which may appeal to today's screen-loving kids. The jackass and the monkey have a conversation about monkey's book, which seems alien to the laptop addicted jackass. However, once the jackass tries reading the book, he gets hooked-a good message, for sure. The page from the book which monkey shows his friend is language-rich, colorful, and appealing in contrast to the sorts of things jackass can do on his laptop. There does seem a questionable disconnect, though, between the humor about computer terminology and texting shortcuts, and the illustrations which are clearly designed for very young children. Will they appreciate the humor? Adults will! The illustrations are simple and graphically very appealing. Smith manages to convey the monkey's frustration and the jackass's amazement by using tiny brush stokes to change the expression in the two animals' eyes.
Summary: In this satisfying picture book for readers of all ages, two readers compare a print book to digital media, all the while learning that books are still valuable.
Similar Titles: The book with no pictures by BJ Novak, This book just ate my dog! by Richard Byrne
18. Stead, R. (2020). The list of things that will not change. NY: Wendy Lamb Books.
Blog: Poetic, heartfelt, courageous and bright, this story about changes in family expertly covers a lot of emotional acreage. Kids will relate to Bea's kid-wise yet innocent voice. She understands why her dad is in love with Jesse -- "The things Jesse brought never felt wrong. They felt like presents." But she can't control her annoyance at people like her teacher Mr. Home, who gives special lunch privileges to kids who get great grades on spelling tests, and Bea never gets great grades on spelling tests. Bea's emotions have all the color, intensity, and flavor of feelings that have never been felt before: the balloon-big feeling of elation, and the dark, itchy feeling of uncertainty.Author Rebecca Stead crafts an intimate and unique story of loss, change, and hope with The List of Things That Will Not Change.
Summary: Despite her parents' divorce, her father coming out as gay and about to marry his boyfriend, 10 year-old Bea is reassured by her parents' unconditional love. She is also excited about getting a stepsister, but is haunted by something she did last summer at her father's lake house.
Similar Titles: Angel's mother's wedding by Judy Delton, The Penderwicks at last by Jeanne Birdsall
19. Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. NY: Clarion.
Blog: The wolf comes a-knocking on the straw house. When he puffs, the pig gets blown "right out of the story." (The double spread contains four panels on a white background; the first two follow the familiar story line, but the pig falls out of the third frame, so in the fourth, the wolf looks quite perplexed.) So it goes until the pigs bump the story panels aside, fold one with the wolf on it into a paper airplane, and take to the air. Children will delight in the changing perspectives, the effect of the wolf's folded-paper body, and the whole notion of the interrupted narrative. Wiesner's luxurious use of white space with the textured pigs zooming in and out of view is fresh and funny. They wander through other stories-their bodies changing to take on the new style of illustration as they enter the pages-emerging with a dragon and the cat with a fiddle. The cat draws their attention to a panel with a brick house, and they all sit down to soup, while one of the pigs reconstructs the text. Witty dialogue and physical comedy abound in this inspired retelling of a familiar favorite.
Summary: A twist on the old story of the three little pigs. Here, the three pigs escape the wolf by going into another world where they meet the cat and the fiddle, the cow that jumped over the moon, and a dragon.
Similar Titles: The true story of the three little pigs by Jon Scieszka, The three little pigs by Steven Kellogg
20. Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. NY:Penguin.
Blog: Written in verse, Woodson's collection of childhood memories provides insight into the Newbery Honor author's perspective of America, "a country caught/ between Black and White," during the turbulent 1960s. Jacqueline was born in Ohio, but spent much of her early years with her grandparents in South Carolina, where she learned about segregation and was made to follow the strict rules of Jehovah's Witnesses, her grandmother's religion. Wrapped in the cocoon of family love and appreciative of the beauty around her, Jacqueline experiences joy and the security of home. Her move to Brooklyn leads to additional freedoms, but also a sense of loss: "Who could love/ this place-where/ no pine trees grow, no porch swings move/ with the weight of/ your grandmother on them." The writer's passion for stories and storytelling permeates the memoir, explicitly addressed in her early attempts to write books and implicitly conveyed through her sharp images and poignant observations seen through the eyes of a child. Woodson's ability to listen and glean meaning from what she hears lead to an astute understanding of her surroundings, friends, and family.
Summary: Raised in South Carolina and New York, the author, Woodson, shares her childhood memories and reveals what started her love for writing free-verse poems. Her poems also share what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s.
Similar Titles: 100 verses about Laura Ingalls Wilder by Barb Hawkins, It's Trevor Noah: born a crime: stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah
