Author: Margaret Kingsbury

Consent, Cool Bodies, Portal Fantasies, and More!

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date July 5, 2022

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, kid lit friends! I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a lot of big feelings since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. A lot of angry feelings, scared feelings, helpless feelings. To help assuage all these feelings, I’ve contacted my representatives and donated to an abortion travel fund (The Brigid Alliance). But it doesn’t feel like enough. I’m trying to think long-term and how daily choices can contribute to a better future for my daughter (and me!), but it’s going to be an uphill battle for sure, especially since I live in a Southern state. Much love to everyone whose bodily autonomy and choice has been ripped out from under them. Also, you are important, so I hope you’re finding time to rest and take care of yourself and find joy.

Bookish Goods

1973 Protect Roe Tote Bag by InSitchesApparel

Take this Pro Roe tote to carry all the children’s library books you check out on your next library trip. $15

New Releases

A Grand Day by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Samantha Cotterill

I adore this new picture book celebrating grandparents. Samantha Cotterill’s colorful diorama illustrations, the same style she used in Thankful, are unique and vivid, while Jean Reidy’s prose is rhythmic and so sweet. It’s a joy to read and feels like a modern classic.

Cover of Nura and the Immortal Palace by Khan

Nura and the Immortal Palace by M. T. Khan

In the past week, I’ve read a few articles and tweets about how portal fantasies are getting a bit tired, but I could not disagree more, and this new middle grade portal fantasy shows how much possibility there is still remaining in the genre. Nura lives in a small Pakistani village and works in a mine. After a mining accident supposedly kills several of her friends, she investigates and finds a portal to a world full of jinn, and her friends. But while at first this new world seems much better than her old one, soon she realizes that she and her friends are in a lot of danger.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

One of the ways we can think about slowly changing perceptions around the necessity of bodily autonomy is to teach kids about consent from an early age. Consent was never discussed when I was a kid, but in the last few years, several excellent children’s books have been published about the topic. Here are some of my favorites.

Don’t Hug Doug: (He Doesn’t Like It) by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

This interactive picture book is a lot of fun to read to kids. Doug is a happy kid who doesn’t like hugs. And that’s fine! Some people do, and some people don’t. How do you know the difference? You ask. I love this book’s emphasis on asking and how it demonstrates how to ask and various ways to respond.

Rissy No Kissies by Katey Howes, illustrated by Jess Engle

Rissy the lovebird does not like kisses, but all lovebirds like kisses, right? Rissy worries there might be something wrong with her, but with her mother’s support, she realizes she is perfectly valid not to enjoy kisses and can show her love in other ways. This rhyming picture book flows really well and gets requested quite a bit at my house!

Yes! No!: A First Conversation About Consent by Megan Madison and Jessica Ralli, illustrated by Isabel Roxas AOC

This board book is an excellent one to have on hand in preschool and daycare settings, and also for starting conversations with caregivers and young children. In clear language and dialogue, this book shows what consent means, how to ask for consent, and how to respond when asked for consent. It has advice for caregivers in the back.

Bodies are Cool by Tyler Feder

While this picture book doesn’t discuss consent, it’s my favorite body-positive children’s book. Children need to love and embrace their bodies to be able to have the confidence to stand up for their bodies, and this rhythmic picture book will have kids singing about how their bodies are cool. I love the diversity of bodies represented. It’s a joyful, beautiful book.

Speaking of how cool bodies are, my daughter (4) officially has her first Covid-19 vaccine! She loves learning about how the human body works, so before going, we talked about how vaccines work, and she was super excited to get the shot. She had no side effects. Several of you emailed me about getting your under 5s vaccinated, and I’m so happy! That’s been a major bright spot in my week.

If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com

Until next Tuesday!

Margaret Kingsbury

The Kids Are All Right

Queer Joy and Hooray for Vaccines

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date June 27, 2022

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! LGBTQ+ Pride Month ends this week but it’s important to read queer books all year long. With that in mind, I have reviews of 4 picture books celebrating queer joy as well as a queer bookmark. For new releases, I recommend two gorgeously illustrated picture books.

In other news, Covid-19 vaccines have finally been approved for our under 5s in the U.S. (fingers crossed that approval happens soon for all the non-U.S. subscribers). I snagged an appointment at Walgreens for my little to get the Moderna vaccine, but they’re only taking kids 3 and up. If you’re having trouble making an appointment, it looks like vaccine.gov has finally updated its list to include under 5s.

LGBTQ+ book stack book marks by ShopGigiAndBo

LGBTQIA+ Pride Stack Bookmark by ShopGigiAndBo

You can customize these LGBTQ+ bookmarks with your child’s (or your own) favorite queer children’s book titles. I love that the shop donates $1 from every purchase to The Trevor Project.

New Releases

One Boy Watching by Grant Snider

Riding the long bus ride home from school was not one of my favorite things to do as a kid, but I do remember well watching the rural landscapes slide past and thinking about everything I saw. Author and illustrator Grant Snider’s newest picture book portrays just this in beautiful illustrations and meditative prose. It’s a lovely picture book.

Black Girl Rising by Brynne Barnes, illustrated by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

This empowering ode to Black girls is gorgeously illustrated. In poetic verse, Barnes describes the ways Black girls have been oppressed, then shows how Black girls can rise up, sometimes referencing famous Black women like Maya Angelou and Gwendolyn Brooks. Fazlalizadeh’s illustrations are works of art.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Here are some of my favorite picture books depicting queer joy!

Cover of If You're a Drag Queen and You Know It by Lil Miss Hot Mess

If You’re a Drag Queen and You Know It by Lil Miss Hot Mess, illustrated by Olga de Dios Ruiz

This picture book is an absolute blast to read with kids. Like The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish (which is also an absolute delight), children can sing along to the popular song with drag queen variations on the actions. So instead of clapping hands, kids can blow kisses, and instead of stomping feet, kids can shake their bums, my 4-year-old’s favorite.

Mr. Watson’s Chickens by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

This picture book is hilarious, about a gay couple with 456 chickens. That’s right, 456. Mr. Watson loves the chickens, but Mr. Nelson has had enough with the feathered chaos. They decide to take the chickens to the market to sell, where one chicken in particular uses her powerful voice to find a unique new home for all the chickens. However, the couple soon misses their chickens, but thankfully a surprise awaits them at home. This book gets big belly laughs from my daughter!

Cover of The Best Bed for Me by Cornwall

The Best Bed for Me by Gaia Cornwall

This super sweet bedtime book features two moms trying to gently get their imaginative child back in bed. But this child is a master of stalling. On each page spread, the child compares their bed to the bed of an animal. It’s a playful, sweet book that I’m sure many parents and children will relate to.

My Rainbow by DeShanna Neal and Trinity Neal, illustrated by Art Twink

Trinity, who is Black, transgender, and autistic, longs for hair that better represents her identity. With the help of her mother and brother, Trinity’s rainbow hair dreams come true. I love how supportive the family in this is.

The other day Marian wanted to “write articles like Mama,” so I pulled up a Word doc to type up her dictation while she sat on my lap. You know what she thinks Mama writes about all day? “Health issues.” She proceeded to list all the health issues Mama has and wanted me to type them up for her article. Ah, the life of a disabled Mom. Thankfully, she quickly moved on from descriptions of headaches and breathing problems to describing a day on a duck boat. I have no idea how the two relate.

Happy Pride! If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com

Until next Tuesday!

Margaret Kingsbury

The Kids Are All Right

Ice Cream, Hungry Caterpillars, Dad Love, and More!

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date June 20, 2022

Sponsored by

Happy Tuesday, kidlit friends! If you live in a hot area, I hope you are surviving. We spent the weekend at the pool wading in the shallow end because neither my daughter nor I can swim, and now she has a nice tan, and I am some shade of beet. This entire week is in the 100s (Fahrenheit), and I am not looking forward to it. I anticipate much need for ice cream, to help cool down, of course. 🙂

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Crochet by WildPoppyDesignsShop

Saturday would have been Eric Carle’s 93rd birthday, so I thought I’d share this adorable crochet of his most famous character, the very hungry caterpillar. It looks perfectly sized for a little one’s hands. $18

New Releases

Ice Cream Face by Heidi Woodward Sheffield

I read this new picture book to my daughter just this morning, and it is so delightful. A little boy is so excited to go to the ice cream store, but there’s a long line when he arrives. When he finally does get his delicious ice cream, his scoop falls to the ground, and the store is now closed so he can’t get another! Thankfully, others are willing to share their own ice cream treats so that everyone can have a delicious treat. This is the perfect read for the summer.

KINDergarten by Vera Ahiyya, illustrated by Joey Chou

This is an adorable and super sweet back-to-school read from kindergarten teacher Vera Ahiyya (@thetututeacher on Instagram). Leo is super shy and is feeling really nervous about starting kindergarten. When Ms. Perry asks the class to give ideas about how they can be kind during the school year, he’s too nervous to make any suggestions. But in this kindergarten class, actions matter. Many incoming kindergartners have had less socializing than they might have due to Covid-19. This is a great picture book to help them envision what kindergarten might look like and validate their feelings if they’re feeling nervous or shy.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

While this newsletter will publish after Father’s Day, these dad and daughter picture book suggestions can be read all year round. My husband is the primary caregiver to our daughter during the day while I work, so I especially appreciate books like these that show Dads actively parenting.

Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty, illustrated by David Roberts

This picture book is hilarious. Two dads desperately try to organize their children for a cleaning session before grandma comes by listing everything that needs to be done on the refrigerator using magnetic letters. Upon hearing that a bath is in order, the cat not so helpfully rearranges all the letters leading to hilarious consequences. My daughter requests this picture book so much, and I love that it has two gay dads without it being “about” having two dads.

Somewhere by Robie H. Harris, illustrated by Armando Mariño

Every morning, my daughter and husband go to a nearby park and find lots of fun things to explore in nature, which is one reason why I love this picture book. I also love how the dad lets his daughter explore some by herself, though, as the vibrant illustrations show, he’s keeping a close eye on her even if she doesn’t realize it! This book is really lovely, from the lyrical prose to the gorgeous illustrations.

Together We Ride by Valerie Bolling, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

If you have a kid that will be learning how to ride a bike soon, this is a must! In rhythmic prose, a dad teaches his daughter how to ride a bike. There are falls, but the girl gets back up and keeps trying. One of our local librarians recently gave us a bike her stepdaughter had outgrown, so we’re definitely going to be reading this a lot in the future!

My City Speaks by Darren Lebeuf, illustrated by Ashley Barron

This beautiful picture book is a lyrical ode to cities and all their hidden beauty. A visually impaired girl and her father spend a day exploring their city. They go to a playground, a community garden, and an outdoor concert where the little girl plays the violin. It’s clear these are places the two go to often. I love the incidental disability representation in this one.

Here I am with my dad reading what I believe is The Hobbit. I’m around 5 in this picture. It’s never too early to read The Hobbit, right? My sisters and I frequently made hobbit holes out of chairs and blankets. Both of my parents are huge readers, but Dad’s the one that hooked me on fantasy at a young age.

Until next Tuesday!

Margaret Kingsbury

The Kids Are All Right

Juneteenth, a Father’s Day Print, and Wishes for an Under-5 Covid-19 Vaccine

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date June 14, 2022

Sponsored by

Hi there, my kidlit friends! Tomorrow is a big day for those of us with children under 5: the FDA is meeting to discuss whether or not to approve the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for children under 5. After years of delays and false promises, it’s hard to get too hopeful about their decision, but fingers crossed for us all! My daughter is so ready for some playdates, and I’m ready for some work days alone.

Ashley Franklin, the author of Better Together, Cinderella, asked an interesting question on Twitter last week about whether it’s weird for white authors to have their picture books illustrated with POC characters. There were many thought-provoking responses, and I especially like Antwan Eady’s, author of Nigel and the Moon, thread on the topic. There are no easy answers, but I do feel that publishers sometimes take the easy way out when it comes to diversifying their picture books. As a white book reviewer, I try to be purposeful about promoting books by POC authors and illustrators, as well as other marginalized identities. As a disabled woman, I can almost always tell when a non-disabled person writes a book with a disabled main character. It’s so apparent, and I imagine it’s often, if not always, as evident for POC readers, too.

Dad Reading Print by TWstudioSHOP

If you’re looking for a last-minute Father’s Day gift, this art print might be just the thing. $15

New Releases

Rosa’s Song by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Pascal Campion

Jae has just moved into a new country and a new apartment building, and he’s nervous about making friends, especially since he doesn’t speak the language. However, Rosa soon befriends him and teaches him to use his imagination to find home. He uses what she taught him to make new friends when she leaves suddenly and without warning. This is a lovely picture book based on the author’s childhood experiences.

Mi Ciudad Sings by Cynthia Harmony, illustrated by Teresa Martínez

Set in Mexico City, a little girl and her dog hear all sorts of city sounds on their way to the girl’s mother’s florería every morning, and those sounds form into a song. When an earthquake strikes, the city’s song at first falls silent, then changes as people begin to help one another. The girl wonders if she can find a way to help and join the city’s song when she finds the baker’s dog all alone and helps reunite them. This is a super fun, rhythmic read-aloud interspersed with Spanish.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

Sunday is both Father’s Day and Juneteenth in the U.S., so I decided today I’d recommend some Juneteenth picture books, and next Tuesday, I’ll recommend some picture books about dads. I’m so glad more Juneteenth picture books are out there now!

Free at Last: A Juneteenth Poem by Sojourner Kincaid Rolle, illustrated by Alex Bostic

This lovely free verse poem depicts the history of Juneteenth from its origins in Galveston, TX in 1865 to the present. It shows the ways Black people who were enslaved reacted to the news that they were free and follows those reactions and celebrations into the present. Bostic’s warm oil painting illustrations are stunning. The entire book is a work of art.

Cover of The Juneteenth Story by Agostini

The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States by Alliah L. Agostini, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud

This nonfiction title is a bit denser than the other two and would make an excellent book to teach about Juneteenth in elementary schools. It provides a nuanced overview of Juneteenth’s history from its origins to the present day. I especially appreciated how it didn’t romanticize Abraham Lincoln.

Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper

This picture book takes place in the present. While Mazie prepares for her family’s Juneteenth celebration, her father tells her about the history of Juneteenth. It’s an accessible read for young children, with gorgeous illustrations.

All Different Now by Angela Johnson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis

This lyrical picture book is told from the perspective of a child who has been enslaved and who hopes for a better future. When she and her family find out they are free, they celebrate. It’s a joyful book with beautiful, painted illustrations.

Me with paper packaging strips rudely tossed over my head.

When publishers send me books for review consideration, they sometimes package them with these crinkled paper strips. Whenever I receive a box like that, I think the publicist must not have children because all those crinkles immediately become wildly strewn about the house. And on my head. Weeks later, I will still be finding them. I do look surprisingly good with blue in my hair, though, so I am now thinking about adding blue highlights.

I hope all the American followers have a lovely Juneteenth and Father’s Day this Sunday! If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. If you’d like to drop me a line, my email is kingsbury.margaret@gmail.com

Until next Tuesday!

Margaret Kingsbury

The Kids Are All Right

Queer New Releases, Fairytale Retellings, And More!

Post author By Margaret Kingsbury
Post date June 6, 2022

Sponsored by

Hi there kidlit friends! This is Margaret coming at you from Nashville, TN, and I’m only moderately sleep-deprived today despite a 5:30 am wakeup. Yawn. This is my first ever newsletter, and I’m so excited about jumping on board and nerding out about children’s books!

I thought I’d tell a funny bookish story from my childhood for my first newsletter, which will also connect with my Riot Recommendations below. Like many kids, I LOVED fairytales. I used to have a fairytale picture book set with faux golden locks on the covers as if their contents were somehow illicit and required locking (well, if they’d been the older versions of the tales, they would have been). My absolute favorite of these was “Hansel and Gretel.” One day, I asked my mom if I could stay the night at my friend Stephanie’s house on a school night. She reasonably said no, but instead of taking her no as an answer, I went to school and told my kindergarten teacher, Ms. Guffy, that Mom liked to stick me in the oven every night and I was scared she was going to eat me and could I please stay the night with my friend Stephanie instead? Sheesh, little Margaret! Thankfully Ms. Guffy did not call child services, and, knowing my penchant for tall tales, she called my mom instead. All turned out fine, though I did not spend the night with Stephanie. Probably for the best since Stephanie and I often cut one another’s hair…

Reading Mom Sticker by ShelleyCouvillion

The artist who makes this sticker, Shelley Couvillion (who illustrated the picture book Your Future is Bright), lives near me and I recently purchased this sticker at a local bookstore. It’s on the back of my new phone now! She has a whole bunch of bookish mom stickers to choose from on Etsy. $5

New Releases

Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, & Daniel Sousa

For Pride Month, I wanted to highlight two queer new releases that I love. On Waikiki Beach, the māhū — third-gender people in Native Hawaiian and Tahitian cultures — left four stones that transfer healing powers, according to Native Hawaiin legend. This picture book tells of that exchange and is the first picture book published in both English and Olelo Niihau, the only form of Hawaiian that has been continuously spoken since before the arrival of foreigners. It’s gorgeously illustrated and based on a short animated film!

Alice Austen Lived Here by Alex Gino

Alex Gino (author of Melissa and George) is back with another delightfully queer middle grade novel. Sam, who is nonbinary, is working on a school project highlighting an important local figure. They’re working on the project with their best friend, TJ, who is also nonbinary. Their teacher will nominate his favorite project to a committee choosing who the next Staten Island statue will commemorate. Sam and TJ decide to write their report on Alice Austen, a Staten Island queer photographer, but can they convince their homophobic teacher to take a queer woman’s history seriously? Sadly we all know the answer to this, but that doesn’t mean Alex and TJ are going to give up on their project.

For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.

Riot Recommendations

If you couldn’t tell from my intro, I am a fairytale fiend, so I thought I’d recommend some of my favorite children’s retellings!

Endlessly Ever After by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Dan Santat

This wildly inventive picture book allows readers to choose their own paths on a fairytale romp that starts out as “Little Red Riding Hood” but quickly mashes up dozens of other fairytales. This book transcends age. My 4-year-old daughter loves it, but it has enough heft to interest 10-year-olds too. And most impressively, all 92 pages are written in rhyme!

Federico and the Wolf by Rebecca J. Gomez, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri

This rhyming delight intermixed with Spanish retells “Little Red Riding Hood” with some major changes. The main character is a Mexican-American boy, it’s a grandfather instead of a grandmother, and cooking is involved. LRRH is one of my favorite fairytales and I just love this retelling of it.

Cover of The Three Ninja Pigs by Schwartz

The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz & Dan Santat IOC

This was my daughter’s favorite book for a long time, and I’m pretty sure I still have it memorized. It’s a retelling of “The Three Little Pigs” with martial arts. It’s an absolute blast to read.

Once Upon a World Collection by Chloe Perkins

This collection of board books was my daughter’s first introduction to fairytales. These are more traditional versions of the tales, though greatly abbreviated, and take place around the world. Both my daughter and I’s favorite is Rapunzel illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan, which takes place in India.

My 4-year-old, Marian, turning bra pads into a train.

Life has been stressful lately so I thought I’d end on a laugh. I was cleaning out my dresser last week when I found some unused (I hope) bra pads. I put them on the bed, continued cleaning, the next thing I know my daughter Marian had taken the bra pads and turned them into an obstacle course. Then she pulled out her “handy tape” and turned the bra pads into a train. Reusing win? These kids are so inventive!

If you’d like to read more of my kidlit reviews, I’m on Instagram @BabyLibrarians, Twitter @AReaderlyMom, and blog irregularly at Baby Librarians. You can also read my Book Riot posts. Thank you for following along and welcoming me to this newsletter!

Until next Tuesday!

Margaret Kingsbury