Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
The middle grade novel No Place Like Home by James Bird (Feiwel & Friends, August 2023) is a heartfelt tale of resilience and the power of cultural identity. Twelve-year-old Ojibwe boy Opin faces the increasing discomfort of homelessness as he and his mother and brother make their way to Los Angeles to be with family.
Using the metaphor of a braid, or trenza, as a reminder of love for self and others, the picture book Only a Trenza Away: A Tale of Trust and Strength by Nadine Fonseca and illustrated by Camilla Carrossine (Shadow Mountain, August 2023) gives a tender lesson between a father and a daughter, emphasizing the importance
The short middle grade novel Oh, Sal! by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow, September 2022) gives us the story of Billy Miller’s little sister, Sal. Billy Miller got two books from his perspective: The Year of Billy Miller (reviewed in 2015) and Billy Miller Makes a Wish (reviewed last month, June 2023). Now, in Sal’s book, we
The Book of Time by Clive Gifford and illustrated by Teo Georgiev (Quarto Publishing, August 2023) is an absolute treasure trove of information about all different aspects of time. To say it covers a wide range of topics would be an understatement — I’m genuinely at a loss for words when it comes to describing
It’s not your typical alphabet book, nor is it a common recipe book, but Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals and illustrated by Ashley Wolf (Tricycle Press, 2010) gives a fun twist to both types of concept books. Rhyming text lists a number of items that can
Since my kids and I are well involved in the summer community swim team, I wanted to pick up the tween graphic novel Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (Harper Alley, May 2022) to celebrate our summer season. I have to say, it left me quite disappointed. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what exactly
Bea Wolf (First Second, March 2023) is hands-down one of the most creative books I’ve read this year. It’s a fictional graphic novel that takes the classic Beowulf and gives it a modern-day twist, making it a thrilling and hilarious read for the reader, including older tweens, young adults, and any interested adults. Written by
One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole (Scholastic, 2020) is a unique wordless picture book that shows the journey of a paper bag, beginning as a tree in a forest and throughout years of reuse. First a tree trunk is cut down, processed, and made into paper, and then a family uses it
With a comic style, Period. by Ruth Redford and illustrated by Aitana Giraldez (Mayo Clinic Press Kids, August 2023) gives tween girls a friendly introduction to the menstruation process. The subtitle is “The Quick Guide to Every Uterus.” Three friendly cartoon friends have a conversation, giving young kids characters to relate to in a way
The Knight of Little Import by Hannah Batsel (Carolrhoda Books, September 2023) shares the story of a girl who wants to be a knight, but finds there is not much excitement in the town of Little Import. Since she cannot travel to find dragons to fight, she reads her book of monsters trying to learn
The middle grade novel We Still Belong by Christine Day (Heartdrum, August 2023) celebrates Indigenous People’s Day with Wesley Wilder, a girl with Native American heritage (Upper Skagit), as she heads to school for an exciting day. She can’t wait for the school population to see her poem in the school newspaper dedicated to her
In Taco Falls Apart by Brenda S. Miles and Monika Filipina (Magination Press, August 2023) young readers are introduced to a friendly taco who grapples with overwhelming expectations and eventually experiences a breakdown. This cleverly crafted picture book employs the “Think-Feel-Do” method to teach children how to manage overwhelming situations. With the support of Nacho
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