Big people little world has finally done a book on someone I’ve never heard of before. It is a young climate activist, the likes of Greta Thunberg, who has had to deal with racial prejudice, even in climate change. She’s trying to get her voice heard about how the continent with the least amount of people affecting climate change deals with some of the worst consequences. This book is almost too short on real facts. These books are normally glow overs, but the reader can feel the holes. One other problem is Vanessa Nakate is a black woman and the pictures in black-and-white that are included on the very end or not done well and hard for the reader to see and make out features. 

 

I expected this book to be a sci-fi adventure, which it was. I was not expecting this book to be a love story. Overall, I liked and enjoyed this book. There were some things that were annoying. The romance in this novel was fine however, it felt like an afterthought. Like an editor said shove in romance and the author did so. Then finding out that this book series, each book is about somebody different the way romance books are and not a continuation of the original story the way most sci-fi books are, was disappointing. The other thing I found annoying, is this civilization is thousands of years into the future and the main character Ada kept complaining about her bra. There is all sort of advanced technology, including nanobots, and regeneration gel to keep humans’ hole, so why would a character need a bra to keep her breasts lifted. Wouldn’t they stay naturally perky because of the nanobots.? It’s just one of those things that was two “now” to make sense in this book. The story is a fun romp, but it very much feels like a first effort. I am looking forward to continuing the story about the sister, but I am sad that this ended, and we will not be going on more adventures with Ada and Lock. 

 

This is a wonderful biography of a woman who combined science and art to make a name for herself. Her discoveries helped prove they were mountains under the water, and that continental drift was a real thing. This book is lovingly done and well illustrated. For a children’s picture book it’s done in the first person which is highly unusual but very effective. This is a great biography for any library collection. 

 

This is the true story of Albert DJ cashier, who was a transgendered Civil War soldier. This soldier came from my home state of Illinois, and fought not only for his country, but for his state. Most of those who knew Albert knew Albert as a man and it wasn’t until, he was an old man and got sick that people found out otherwise. Some places let Alfred continue being who he was and other said no you were born a woman you will live a woman. The federal government had to get involved because his Civil War pension was at stake. The federal government ended up saying that Alford DJ Cashier was who he said he was, he got to keep his pension, and now we have a fabulous book to pass this interesting individual’s history on to others in this timeline. 

 

This is an adorable story about an owl who wishes to be a knight. They get their chance when knights start disappearing, and everyone is surprised when owl is chosen. But it turns out owl is perfect for the job. This book is very adorable, and kids are going to love it. As an adult I am fascinated by the illustrations and would want any of them as artwork for my walls. 

 

This book is a labor of love. You can see it on every single page of the book. This book is completely wordless and it’s about a little girl who goes to the museum with their adult and they get told the balloon has to stay out. Through the comedic panels we follow the little girl as she visits the real-life art exhibit, and we follow a museum docent as they’re trying to get the balloon once birds send it flying. This book could be read repeatedly and come up with new scenarios for what each picture represents. And seeing how the docent in is mimicking what the girl is seeing in the museum, priceless. 

 

When our young kid gets told a new baby is coming, they wonder how do you get a new baby. This book explores the answer various people give until they get to the truth. This is a fun, tongue-in-cheek story, and I can see it being used for many seasons to come. One of the best things is that it’s truthful and explores how colloquialisms can be confusing to children. 

 

As a picture book to introduce somebody to political figures, this isn’t bad. It does a really good job of bringing their history into what made them the political figures they currently are. It also makes sure to point out that the brothers aren’t done yet, and there is still more to do. 

 

This book is about the author’s memories of her time spent in Japan. Where big group baths are common. This story is lovingly told and would be fantastic at story time if Americans weren’t such small minded people who bring shame to everything. Because this book has illustrations of naked women. It’s not to glorify and it’s not to be lustful. It’s to say bodies are human, bodies are normal. And that being around others bearing your body is culturally relevant.  This book is wonderful and it’s such a shame that some kids will never get to read it. 

 

This is a Finnish creation story. What I can say is it is beautiful and it’s interesting and it’s heartbreaking. But I cannot say I understood it. There are the spirit gods, the bears, the offspring, the shadows. All living together, and for lack of a better term, hating each other. There is this black flame that thinks it’s a bear until it comes to find out  it’s not a bear but the flame.  It always thinks it’s a bear and it’s only the bear mother that says no you’re not go away. They are extremely sad points like when our poor fire learns how to make meat. Or when characters, die, and then die some more, and then even more die. This book is highly interesting, and the artwork is amazing. I could see literature classes, dissecting this book in the decades to come.