Category Archives: Recommendation

Tíos and Primos

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A young girl and her father arrive in his country of origin. She has grown up speaking English and is not confident in her Spanish. This makes her nervous to meet her large extended family. At the same time, the sights of her father’s birth country and the Spanish language fascinate her as she meets her tíos, tías, and primos. And finally she gets to meet her abuela and they share the biggest hug. She learns that differences in language don’t keep her from feeling the closeness of family. As she leaves her extended family at the end of their trip, she has a sense of connection and the confidence that they will see each other again.

This book has a place in multicultural lessons especially when focused on celebrating students’ diverse origins. Pair with Dear Primo by Duncan Tonatiuh to highlight the continued connection of extended families across borders.

Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the text, particularly in the dialog with family.

A Scrub in the Tub by Jan Thomas

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Who needs a scrub in the tub? Rabbit and Weasel are trying to convince pig that he needs a scrub in the tub. Pig thinks a splash of water, a mud bath or a scrub with a shrub will do. Will a bubble bath convince Pig to get into the tub? Or will Rabbit and Weasel end up in the tub? With rhymes and expressive characters, this is a fun read.

Family of Friends by Varsha Bajaj

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Isha’s birthday is coming and her grandmother is coming from India to visit. Isha can’t wait for her Nani to come. She tells her neighbor Mrs. Garcia all about Nani and she invites Mrs. Garcia and others to the party. As she gets things ready for her Nani, her Nani says she is sick and can’t come. Isha is so sad, but soon realizes that her friends are like her family and Nani will visit when she is feeling better.

A heartfelt story of dealing with disappointment and discovering the value of friendship.

You Are Not Alone by Ingrid Law

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You Are Not Alone by Ingrid Law is a quiet picture book that focuses on the idea of connection and belonging. It shares the message that people are part of a larger world and are never truly alone.

The writing is simple and easy to follow, which makes it accessible for young children. The story is repetitive, and the message is direct. Some readers may find that it doesn’t have a strong plot or memorable characters to keep them fully engaged.

The illustrations are soft and pleasant, but they may not stand out as much as in other picture books. While they match the tone of the story, they don’t add a lot of excitement.

Overall, You Are Not Alone may work as a gentle read-aloud for younger students, but it may not be a favorite for all readers. I recommend this book more for preschool and kindergarten, where its simple message and calm style are a better fit.

Camping in the Wild by Nicholas Oldland

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Camping in the Wild by Nicholas Oldland is a fun and thoughtful story about three animal friends—a bear, a moose, and a beaver—who go on a camping trip together. At first, everything seems peaceful, but soon the friends start to get annoyed with each other. They each want things their own way, and it leads to problems.

The story teaches an important lesson about friendship, patience, and working together. Even when friends disagree, they can still solve problems if they listen and care about each other. The ending shows how the animals learn from their mistakes and make things right again.

The illustrations are simple but colorful, and they help show the animals’ feelings clearly. This makes it easy for readers to understand what is happening in the story.

Overall, Camping in the Wild is an enjoyable book with a strong message. It would be a great choice to add as an additional purchase for a school library, especially for younger elementary students who are learning about friendship and teamwork.

Fade Into You by Amber Smith & Sam Gellar

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This book is set in the 1990s and presents an accurate portrayal of the times, especially in regard to societal treatment of lgbtq communities. This story begins by showcasing two best friend relationships: Bird and Kayla; Jessa and Dade. When Kayla and Dade begin dating their best friends don’t like it and feel like neither is good for the other; because of this, Jessa and Bird team up to try and split up Kayla and Dade. Jessa and Bird start out as reluctant partners that have little trust for one another. Not long after they partner up with a common goal, the combative nature of their interactions begins to shift; the two realize they have a lot in common and sparks of interest begin to ignite. In addition to this storyline, we also gather insight into the families of Jessa and Bird; both are dealing with heavy family responsibilities.

If you like books by John Green or Becky Albertalli, you will like this book. I really like the 90s music references that were sprinkled in throughout. There is good character development, making readers want to root for main the characters – and really dislike those who get in their way.

Body Systems Need to Know Series by D. R. Faust

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Reviewed by Annette Wells, teacher librarian

Included in series: The Circulatory System, The Digestive System, The Muscular System, The Nervous System, The Respiratory System, The Skeletal System

This high interest series, easily accessible for elementary readers (target age is 3rd grade), is visually appealing with simple and engaging images that feature diversity in ethnicity and age. Every book in the series is 32 pages, making it easily digestible (pun intended) for those exploring nonfiction for the first time, or wanting to review body systems. At the end of each book, you’ll find tips for success, a glossary, a list of “read more” suggestions, “learn more online” links, and an index. Teachers and librarians will love this series if they’re teaching nonfiction text structures. Also, a HUGE bonus: ALL books in the series use OpenDyslexic font, ideal for readers with dyslexia. As an introductory series, I recommend this for all elementary school libraries and even middle grade libraries if you serve emerging readers.

This Way to Happy by Alison Green Myers

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Reviewed by Aspen, a high school student

Reilly Rhoades is not looking forward to the opening of her family’s amusement park since it will be the first year without her grandfather. When her grandmother lands in the hospital, her mom and her aunt have a huge fight and her aunt takes Reilly’s best friend and cousin Nic to visit Nic’s father. Now Reilly has no grandfather, no grandmother, and no Nic to help her get through the summer. While walking her dog by the creek that separates the amusement park from the adjacent campground, she meets Alex, who is staying in the campground. With Alex’s help, Reilly takes on her grandfather’s last unfinished project.

This book is not just a story about an amusement park, it is about friendships, learning to let go, and taking things one step at a time.

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes

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Reviewed by Aspen, a high school student

Henson Blayze is a 13 year old teen entering 8th grade. He’s looking forward to the new school year and playing football. The small, mostly-white town of Great Mountain, Mississippi sees Henson as their star and ticket to a varsity football championship. They make shirts, give him special privileges, and he even has an agent, a friend named Flowell. Some of the Black people in town warn Henson that most people don’t see him for who he really is, and to be careful. Henson brushes that off, especially after the beginning of his first game, where he helps his team score over 30 points. At halftime, however, he learned that his close friend, 10 year old Menkah Jupiter, was beaten by two white police officers. Henson goes to him, which infuriates most of the townspeople, and their adoration for him turns to anger. Soon, Henson must decide if football is more important than supporting Menkah. The more Henson learns from his father, a local vineyard owner, the more he realizes what he must do.

The author tells a story that isn’t easily forgettable. This is a powerful book about injustice, being true to yourself, and calling out racial injustice. Henson is both exceptional and incredibly human, and this book delivers the message that it is those two aspects that make Henson, and all of us, worthy of value and love.

Open Wide by I. M. Eerie

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Reviewed by Aspen, a high school student

This book follows a young boy, Eddie, who is reluctant to return to the dentist after a bad experience at his last appointment. Eddie visits Dr. Yankum, a new dentist in town who seemed to appear overnight. The new dentist pulls two of Eddie’s teeth, teeth he could’ve sworn were healthy. When he discovers that he was not the only kid with unnecessary extractions, he begins to suspect something sinister. To make matters worse, Eddie’s mom begins to date Dr. Yankum. With the help of his best friend, Darryl, Eddie creates a plan to find out what is really going on. The ending is unexpected, and contributes to the horror and mystery of the book.

Overall, this book is fast paced, and mixes funny and spooky perfectly. It will make you shiver and grin at the same time! This book gives off the same eerie vibe and would be perfect for readers who like Goosebumps.