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Posts by Holly SP

Las emociones no tienen color

Cover of El rojo no está enojado,
A review of El rojo no está enojado, el azul no está triste by Alicia Acosta and Luis Amavisca
Anuska Allepuz

Cuando Zorro llega al parque vestido en azul, sus amigos le preguntan por qué está triste - pero, ¡la verdad es que no está triste, sino muy contento! Sus amigos le ofrecen ropa del color de la alegría, y cuando se empieza a enojar, le ofrecen primero ropa del color del enojo y luego del color de la calma. Por fin el pobre Zorro grita, "¡BASTA!" tirando la ropa por todas partes, echándole color al escenario gris.

Jun 20, 2024

What does it mean to be brave?

Cover of Braver Than Brave
A review of Braver Than Brave by Janet Sumber Johnson
Eunji Jung

Wanda's big brother is the bravest kid she knows, but when her turn comes to match his feats of bravery, things are a lot harder than she thought. The monkey bars don't agree with her, the giant hill he biked down is a LOT bigger now, and forget about going to camp. 

When Wanda's friends cajole her to join them on the Coaster of Doom, she is relieved that she is still too short to ride. She wants to be brave though, so she spends all year practicing. She bikes and sleds down hills, tiptoes into the dark basement, and even tries out a climbing wall with a look of determination. 

Jun 11, 2024

A case of the What Ifs

Cover of Lila Greer, Teacher of the
A review of Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year by Andrea Beaty
David Roberts

In the newest picture book in Andrea Beaty's Questioneers series, we finally get the story of Lila Greer, who we know as the Grade Two teacher from previous books. 

We first see Lila as a baby with a curl on her head, one that "fills her with dread", and as she grows older the What Ifs still get her: 

"They made her heart race. Put knots in her stomach. A frown on her face."

May 24, 2024

Two holidays, one family

Cover of Two New Years
A review of Two New Years by Richard Ho
Lynn Scurfield

This beautiful picture book tells the story of a family who celebrates two New Years - Rosh Hashanah in the fall and Lunar New Year in the spring.

The simple text details the any differences between these two holidays - for example, one follows the Jewish calendar and one follows the Chinese calendar - as well as some of the similarities - both inspire delicious dishes! Bold colorful illustrations are full of cheerful details, and this is a great book for kids who celebrate these New Years to see themselves represented, or for anyone to learn more about different holidays.

Apr 12, 2024

A big idea... for a big problem

Cover of Fox has a Problem
A review of Fox has a Problem by Corey R. Tabor

Fox has a problem - their kite is stuck in a tree! And unfortunately, this is the not first time this has happened, as we zoom out to see a forest filled with kites. Fox drags out a giant fan, but that just leads to a problem for Bear, when their house is filled with leaves. Fox's fix for this leads to a problem for Rabbit, and pretty soon all the animals have a problem! Finally, thanks to Elephant, all the problems are resolved and all the friends are happily flying kites. 

Mar 8, 2024

They're all about the books

Cover of Books about Bookish People
Books about Bookish People

It's fun to see trends in what books are being published, and recently I've noticed a bunch of new and forthcoming children's books about and inspired by bookish people! Authors, illustrators, editors, and especially librarians. 

Bookish people:

Good Books for Bad Children by Beth Kephart, illustrated by Chloe Bristol - A picture book biography of legendary children's book editor, Ursula Nordstrom. 

Feb 14, 2024

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