Age: Kindergarten-3rd grade
Identity, children with: diabetes, asthma, use of a wheelchair, a stutter, dyslexia, Tourette's syndrome, ADHD, food allergies, Down syndrome
Identity, children that are: blind, Deaf, autistic

I was not expecting to be blown away by this book. Sotomayor encourages our children to talk with one another about their differences and similarities, to avoid a stigmatization of difference, and to open up conversation as opposed to shutting it down by ignoring our differences or talking about someone behind their back. Each 4-5 sentence story about a child is linked to the next one, showing the power of similarities across all children.

Age: K-2nd grade
STEM: Engineering

Having finished with his blueprints for his car and house, Jack is back to update his "pitifully plain" school. Children will drool over all the amazing features: puppies and zoo animals at the entrance! Books that come to life! Submarine bikes at gym class! A three story slide at recess! And adults will appreciate that the school holds its educational value instead of just shooting candy from the ceiling all day. Another great read-aloud from this imaginative series.

In retrospect, I should have loved this graphic novel. There was artwork that managed to capture bizarre dimensions and movement and several intriguing plot points. But the grittiness of the artwork and the characters did not strike me as interesting while I was reading it. A great cliffhanger for the end but there didn't appear to be any hints or answers as to why the city was in its current state, which always interests me.

Age: Preschool-Kindergarten

The artwork is breathtaking but the story felt far inferior to it with a somewhat grating repetition of the word "wind." Still, younger children might not mind the repetition and this may be a complimentary fictional addition to a unit on weather. Yankey also provides a unique addition to books on friendship, this one between a living bird and the nonliving wind.

Age: Middle School
Location: Sutton, Indiana
First line: "Styx Malone didn't believe in miracles, but he was one."

Magoon must have demanded that this realistic fiction book be devoid of pop culture references because it was a refreshing move that made me believe this was historical fiction for a majority of the book. Overall, an enjoyable read about a rural child's desire to be more than ordinary, a devoted friendship that leads to bold and dangerous stunts, and co-starring a child recklessly running through life until he finds love from friends and a father-figure that boost his self-worth and hold him accountable for his actions.

"Caleb Franklin and his big brother Bobby Gene have the whole summer for adventures in the woods behind their house in Sutton, Indiana. Caleb dreams of venturing beyond their ordinary small town, but his dad likes the family to stay close to home.

Then Caleb and Bobby Gene meet new neighbor Styx Malone. Styx is sixteen and oozes cool. He's been lots of different places. Styx promises Caleb and Bobby Gene that together, they can pull off the Great Escalator Trade--exchanging one small thing for something better until they achieve their wildest dream. But as the trades get bigger, the brothers soon find themselves in over their heads. It becomes clear that Styx has secrets--secrets so big they could ruin everything--and Caleb fears their whole plan might fall apart."

Age: Preschool-2nd grade
Concept skill: colors

Ward seamlessly includes some complex color vocabulary including primary, secondary, and achromatic, but the story is ultimately muddled by "friends" that borderline as bullies. When these persistent colors talk over and ignore Gray's desire to have one book to himself, they eventually come around to listening to him--by finally including Gray in their artwork. The badgering and "too cool" quality of the colors makes it hard to see them as the good guys in the end, especially since they still cannot let Gray have one thing to himself. Great concept, great artwork, unlikable characters.

Age: Infant-Toddler
LGBTQ: Gay couple with a baby
Song: Old MacDonald

A stay-at-home dad's escapades with his baby are full of smiles, messes, and relatable challenges. Our toddler shelves are fairly devoid of LGBTQ families so this is a welcome addition. However, as many have mentioned, the rhymes are off-and-on and the story feels way too long, severely cramping the flow and enjoyment of the read. An easy read-aloud fix would be to skip over several of these scenarios--but reading with a child may lead to squirmy wormies.

Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Food: Soup, fresh vegetables
Identity: Haitian American
Identity, author: African American
Identity, illustrator: Latina American

Ti Gran and her granddaughter prepare their annual Freedom Soup while remembering the history of the Haitian Revolution. Alcantara provides vibrant golds and blues and celebratory dancing and joyfulness throughout. Much of the story is based around a modern-day family celebration, but the whole historical picture is included. A pause in the middle of the book allows Ti Gran to remember the slavery origins of the revolution and 2 illustrations depict soldiers at arms.

A relatable experience for all children that have family traditions and celebrations around a particular food item, representative for Haitian children, and enlightening for all others.

Age: Toddler-Preschool

Minimal text gives readers an enjoyable search-and-find game as they look for the hiding animals.

Age: Older preschool-2nd grade

Hmm...After proving their worth, children are invited to the 75th annual High Five Tournament. Each animal competitor has a different tactic but the interactive element is all the same--high five a 2D hand. Best for one-on-one readings.

Positives: neon color scheme, interactive, a challenge is given to the reader/listener
Negatives: Long on the verge of boring, humor isn't as strong as other Rubin books, rambling narrator, same gimmick repeated over and over