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Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023: Review of Latin Americans in History: 15 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos You Should Know by Monica Olivera
Written by Monica Olivera, Latin Americans in History: 15 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos You Should Know is a middle-grade non-fiction book that will surely motivate children, especially Latin Americans, to pursue their dreams. It is an excellent introduction to Latin American historical personages left out of history books. Discover how Simón Bolivar, El Libertador, freed six South American countries from the Spanish empire. Find out … Continue reading Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023: Review of Latin Americans in History: 15 Inspiring Latinas and Latinos You Should Know by Monica Olivera
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Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023: Book Review of Mèo and Bé by Doan Phuong Nguyen
Amid the Vietnam War, eleven-year-old Bé loses her voice after her mother leaves her to live with her father, brothers, and terrible stepmother, Big Mother. Her father, whose health deteriorates after a stroke, cannot stop Big Mother’s abuses. Bé finds comfort in a new friend, a three-legged cat she names Mèo. But Big Mother’s hate has no bounds, and she sells Bé to men who … Continue reading Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2023: Book Review of Mèo and Bé by Doan Phuong Nguyen
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#FallWritingFrenzy 2022 Contest Entry: The Anjana
I have been waiting for a whole year for my favorite writing contest: #FallWritingFrenzy! It is my second time being a contestant, and last year I was fortunate to be one of the winners with my entry A Different Kind of Magic. Editor extraordinaire Erin Siu selected my entry, and I won a picture book critique, which was a wonderful and illuminating experience. I want … Continue reading #FallWritingFrenzy 2022 Contest Entry: The Anjana
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Book Review of If Your Babysitter is a Bruja by Ana Siqueira
Halloween is coming soon! What would you do if your babysitter was a bruja? Yes, a witch! She could order her black cats to attack, catch you while flying her broom, or cook you in her cauldron with cocodrillos! You might need to get those defense powers on if your babysitter was a bruja. You could cook a magic potion, get her broom, or escape. … Continue reading Book Review of If Your Babysitter is a Bruja by Ana Siqueira
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Book Review of From Here to There: Inventions that Changed the Way the World Moves by Vivian Kirkfield
Written by Vivian Kirkfield and illustrated by Gilbert Ford, From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves is a juvenile non-fiction book about twelve transportation visionaries. Brothers Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier flew like birds in a hot air balloon. Karl Drais came up with the Laufmaschine, the bicycle. George Stephenson imagined a way to transport coal and people and worked hard … Continue reading Book Review of From Here to There: Inventions that Changed the Way the World Moves by Vivian Kirkfield
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Book Review of Juan Has the Jitters by Aneta Cruz
The school’s athletic games are tomorrow, and Juan claps to get the Jitters out. Juan’s Jitters make his tummy swoosh and swirl when there are too many people, noise, and changes in his routine. Juan’s teacher, Mr. Lee, comes up with an excellent idea to help Juan keep the Jitters out during Griffith Academy’s First Mathletic Games. Written by Aneta Cruz, Juan Has the Jitters … Continue reading Book Review of Juan Has the Jitters by Aneta Cruz
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Book Review of The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
A comet destroys Earth, so a select group of families departs in three ships. Petra Peña’s family has been selected because her parents are scientists. Their destination is Sagan, a new planet that is hundreds of years away. People sleep in advanced machines while they receive data about life on Earth, and Monitors watch over them. Petra does not want to become a scientist like … Continue reading Book Review of The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
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Book Review of Beauty Woke
A Puerto Rican family welcomes a beautiful baby girl named Beauty. As Beauty grows up, her big familia teaches her to be proud of her heritage. Beauty is a Boricua with Taíno Indian and African ancestors, so her Abuela encourages her to “stay onyx, stay gold.” But one day, Beauty hears the news saying hurtful words about other Hispanics. When it is time for the … Continue reading Book Review of Beauty Woke
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Picture Books About Dreams
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream” speech, 1963. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., here is a list of picture books about dreams. Dream Street … Continue reading Picture Books About Dreams
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Book Review of Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Daunis Fontaine is a mixed eighteen-year-old who has trouble fitting in Sault Ste. Marie, her hometown, and Sugar Island, where her paternal Firekeeper family members live. Daunis is dealing with the tragic loss of her maternal uncle and taking care of her maternal grandmother when she starts a friendship with Jamie, the new hot member of her brother Levy’s hockey team. She begins to develop … Continue reading Book Review of Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
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Author Spotlight: Frances Díaz Evans
Written by Frances Díaz Evans and illustrated by Alejandra López, Coco la cotorra puertorriqueña (Spanish Edition) is the story of Coco, a bilingual Puerto Rican parrot freed in El Yunque after growing up in captivity. Coco is excited about living in the rainforest and finding a family, but his squawking differs from the parrots born in nature. Will Coco make it in the rainforest? Today … Continue reading Author Spotlight: Frances Díaz Evans
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Book Review of Lotería by Karla Arenas Valenti
In Oaxaca City, best friends, Life and Death, play their annual game of Lotería. Without knowing it, Clara has been chosen by Life and Death as the pawn of their game. If Life wins, Clara will have a long life. If Death wins, Clara dies. After tragedy strikes, Esteban, Clara’s cousin, goes missing. Clara will do everything in her power to find and save her … Continue reading Book Review of Lotería by Karla Arenas Valenti
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Book Review of Questions for Rebel Girls by Rebel Girls
Written by Rebel Girls, Questions for Rebel Girls is an inspiring non-fiction book for middle graders with more than 500 questions based on famous women’s work and life experiences in history. Ada Lovelace, Mae Jemison, Jill Tarter, Mary Edwards Walker, Marjane Satrapi, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Gloria Estefan, Young Jean Lee, Frida Kahlo, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Grace O’Malley are among the many women featured in the … Continue reading Book Review of Questions for Rebel Girls by Rebel Girls
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Book Review of Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland
It is 1922 in Georgia. Ophelia and her mother leave their small house in the countryside after a group of white men killed Ophie’s father and burned their house. Ophie saw her first ghost—her father—that same night. They move to Pittsburgh with old Aunt Rose and some mean cousins and find jobs as maids at Daffodil Manor, a haunted mansion owned by the Caruthers family. … Continue reading Book Review of Ophie’s Ghosts by Justina Ireland
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Book Review of Merci Suárez Can’t Dance by Meg Medina
Meg Medina won the Newbery Medal for her middle-grade novel Merci Suárez Changes Gears, a story of a sixth-grader girl dealing with her abuelo Lolo’s newly discovered disease and a bossy classmate named Edna Santos. Merci and her close-knit Latino family won our hearts, and they are back in Merci Suárez Can’t Dance. Merci is in seventh grade now, and Miss McDaniels puts her and … Continue reading Book Review of Merci Suárez Can’t Dance by Meg Medina
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Hispanic Picture Books for All Year Long
National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place between September 15 and October 15 of every year to commemorate the cultures, achievements, contributions of Hispanics/Latinos/Latinx in the United States. Articles, activities, festivals, promotions, exhibitions, and much more focus on the Hispanic population during this month. As a Hispanic, I am all for celebrating this month. However, I firmly believe that we should celebrate Hispanics all year long … Continue reading Hispanic Picture Books for All Year Long
#PBCritiqueFest 2022
Brian Gerhlein, the author of The Book of Rules (which is awesomeeeee), is the host of #PBCritiqueFest. The fest consists of a 32-picture book critique giveaway! Each participant gets the option to log up to 200 additional entries by supporting fellow authors and illustrators, which is a fantastic model. I was one of the winners last year, and it was a wonderful experience! I won … Continue reading #PBCritiqueFest 2022
Book Review of Dino Pajama Party by Laurie Wallmark
As a historian and a picture book enthusiast, I love dinosaurs. So when it was time for me to pick my #50PreciousWords prize (I was one of the ’22 winners), it was a no-brainer to choose Laurie Wallmark’s Dino Pajama Party. She was super nice and sent me the book right away, and she even signed it and included cool bookmarks. Different kinds of dinos … Continue reading Book Review of Dino Pajama Party by Laurie Wallmark
Book Review of Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley
After her life falls apart, Tam calls Josh, her BFF, and utters the word goldfish. Although a long time has passed since they have been close, Josh does everything in his power to help Tam rebuild her life, just like she did for him in the past. When Tam arrives back home, Josh also offers her to stay in his house for a few weeks … Continue reading Book Review of Gouda Friends by Cathy Yardley
Glitter Reviews 