This was an interesting alphabet.  It let the alphabet be the sideline to talking about what each person represented by the letter did and/or meant to people and history.  It was a great primer for further interest in history. 

 

This is a simple alphabet with the premise “love is”.  There is nothing surprising and it has been done before.  However, that will not keep this from being a beloved board book by those who find it in a crowded field. 

 

This book is a metaphor for depression in kids.  It’s the big blue elephant sitting on the chest.  This book isn’t about teaching the child to “get better” but more of, it happens, and it can be lived with, and treated.  This book is more about saying “it’s okay” then “let’s fix you”.  I like that, and I think for the kids that need it, they will like this book. 

 

Grandpa is in a car center and Daria visits him often. The reader experiences Daria’s loss of her grandfather as he gets worse and eventually passes away.  This book does an excellent job of pointing out how to keep love alive and still feel and love people after they are gone.  It’s a sad book, but one that focuses the topic and makes it easier to understand and give children a way to cope with loss. 

 

This book illustrates that every dino needs to take time out, even if they don’t like to meditate.  Meditating helps calm the mind and body.  In this book we have 2 dinos, Rex, a terrible tyranno and Sam, a much calmer and bigger being.  Part of the story is told in a rhyming pattern. These are the parts where the dinos are speaking, and it works quite well.  However, the author leaves off the cadence and rhyming pattern to describe the scene, which takes the reader out of the story and making it seem much longer that it is. 

 

This book is beautifully illustrated.  Sophie is a little girl who has been brave for a long time. But one day, in the woods, she sees a wolf, and is afraid.  Her fear builds until it comes pouring forth to an adult, who helps her confront her fear.  This book is lovely, but it has a depressive air.  It’s a sad story of a girl and a lonely puppy who gets lost and becomes a fearful skittish adult dog.  This story did not lead where many do, which made it unique.  However, the story leaves a depressed feeling that makes it a one-time read. 

 

This book is adorable.  A little girl is at her grandmas with her stuffed giraffe.  They are a bit board and go outside to find a tiger.  But there are no tigers in a garden.  Sure, there are dragonflies as big as your head, plants that want to eat you, and a grumpy polar bear, but there are no tigers in the garden.  Until there are.  This was fun and the illustrations are wonderful.  Kids will want this read over and over again. 

 

This book is a little hard to talk about.  The title is considered derogatory by many.  At the time it was published (1997) this may have not been the case.  Uncle Mordici is telling his niece where she got her hair.  That it was sent by God to represent her culture.  I liked this book, and think I understand it.  However, I am not the right person to tell one how true or how good of a representation this book is or isn’t.  It has been banned in the past, and back in 1999, it even caused some problems in a community that caused a teacher to change schools.  Overall, I think this is a good addition to a library but understand that I may be wrong. 

 

Upon reading this book I was trying to figure out why this book was banned.  It was a story of monkeys.  They showed off their fingers, they played the drums and other instruments, and talked with friends.  Why was this book banned?  Apparently, someone thought that this book was associating African culture with monkeys.  I don’t see this because the moneys do more than play drums, they also play banjos and fiddles.  I don’t think African culture when I think banjos and fiddles.  I think deep south and dueling banjos, and the Hatfields and McCoys comes more to mind.  So, I do not see the connection of this story to African culture and do not feel it’s racist. HOWEVER, anyone who does feel that, has valid feelings, and I will not denigrate that.  If someone feels that way, then yes, this is a problematic book.  But should this book be banned… No. 

 

In this book Asha has two mums, and her teacher doesn’t believe her.  The teacher is not going to let Asha go on the school field trip unless she has her mom and her dad sign the permission slip.  This book is from 1990, and it shouldn’t be banned.  Asha has to teach her teacher and her classmates that people do have two moms.  What this teacher leaves out is single moms.  That was also a thing in 1990.  If you needed a dad and a mom to sign a permission slip, there might be a lot of kids not going.  The story is great for it’s time, but there are so many better now. Partly this is for the illustrations that slip from color to black and white for no reason, multiple times throughout.  For the time, this book would have been special and needed, for modern times, it would go in the weed pile.