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MADreads for Kids

Kids posts by Molly W

Words that soar

Cover of At the Mountain's Base
A review of At the Mountain's Base by Traci Sorell and Weshoyot Alvitre

A loving Cherokee family waits at the mountain's base for a young pilot to return from war. Told in song, this picture book provides a larger to smaller view where the action and words are incorporated into the grandmother's weaving, building to a surprise finale. Author Traci Sorell's website describes her as an author of inclusive works for inquisitive young minds and this picture book showcases that beautifully, blending history, culture, and art in an uplifting way. 

May 24, 2021

Messages of kindness, love and appreciation

Cover of A Beautiful Day in the Nei
A review of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers by Fred Rogers

This is an absolutely charming book filled with 75 songs and poems from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and The Children's Corner. Sweetly illustrated by Luke Flowers on full-page spreads and as inclusive and timeless as ever, the collection explores universal topics such as feelings, acceptance, friendship, bravery, and growing up. 

May 17, 2021

Always something to say

Cover of Nimoshom and His Bus
A review of Nimoshom and His Bus by Penny Thomas

This is the story of a kind, friendly school bus driver named Nimoshom who has something to say to the children every day on the way to and from school. Nimoshom means grandfather in Cree. Sometimes Nimoshom teaches the kids a new word in Cree. He greets the students with tansi (hello), wishes them mino kisikaw (have a good day), asks them to api (sit down) if they bounce around in their seats, and smiles and says ekosani (thank you) when the kids bring him gifts.

Apr 27, 2021

Grateful all year long

Cover of We are Grateful: Otsalihel
A review of We are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell and Frané Lessac

Otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is a Cherokee word that is used to express gratitude. Otsaliheliga is a reminder to celebrate blessings and reflect on struggles. This picture book follows a year of Cherokee celebrations, starting in fall and ending in summer. Seasonal events pictured include playing in the leaves, dancing at the Great New Moon Ceremony, making corn husk dolls, gathering wild onions, and planting strawberries. 

Mar 22, 2021

The doodles are alive

Cover of Doodleville
A review of Doodleville by Chad Sell

Drew's art club takes a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago and something unexpected happens. The doodles in her notebook come alive and run away. Her doodles are imaginative and playful and have the best personalities. But they aren't super well-behaved and get into trouble. 

Mar 15, 2021

Making the most of your gifts

Cover of When Stars are Scattered
A review of When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

This is the true story of how Omar Mohamed and his younger brother Hassan spent their childhood as refugees at the Dadaab camp in Kenya* separated from their mother and longing to return to their home in Somalia. Life is difficult in Dadaab. The many long years of waiting without enough resources along with thousands of other refugees wears the residents down and dashes their hopes and dreams for the future.

Mar 1, 2021

Bluebells in bloom

Cover of White Bird: A Wonder Story
A review of White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio

White Bird is a stunning graphic novel about one of the ugliest events in history. Set in France during World War II, White Bird tells the story of Sara and Julien, classmates at a rural school in a Nazi occupied village. Sara doesn't want to get her beautiful red shoes wet when all of the Jewish students are rounded up and marched to the woods one day. She's able to sneak away and hide without understanding what's happening.

Sep 14, 2020

Odyssey Award Winner for Excellence in Audiobook Production

Cover of Hey, Kiddo
A review of Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka

Scholastic Audiobooks won the 2020 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for the audiobook adaption of Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My Father, and Dealt with Family Addiction.  It is fantastic.  The audiobook is read by the author, Jarrett Krosoczka, and a full cast that includes friends and family featured in the book, his real-life art teachers, and offsp

Mar 31, 2020

If you meet a talking cat there's a good chance you are a witch or the cat is a witch or maybe both of you are witches

Cover of The Okay Witch
A review of The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkeller

Moth discovers she's a witch for the first time when she's thirteen and being bullied at school. To be more precise, Moth performs magic for the first time when she's being bullied at school. She doesn't find out she's a witch until later when she's talking with her mom about what happened. Moth's mom does not practice magic and forbids Moth from doing the same. This just makes the 13-year-old want to know more immediately. Coincidentally, at this same time, Moth meets a cat who happens to be possessed by the spirit of Mr. Lazlo, the former owner of the secondhand shop her mom now owns.

Feb 17, 2020

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