Category: The Kids Are All Right

This picture book biography explores the life of pianist and environmental activist Mahani Teave. As a child, Mahani learned to play piano on Rapa Nui’s only piano, and she loved it. She had to leave her beloved island to learn more about piano and to become a classical musician, but when she returned, she realized the island had a big problem: litter. The island’s beaches were awash with litter. She decided to build a music school by recycling the litter found on Rapa Nui’s beaches. This is a really fantastic and beautifully illustrated picture book.

This rhyming alphabetical picture book takes readers through a whirlwind of Asian American history and culture. From the transcontinental railroad to water festivals and hip-hop, this book covers a wide range of topics. It also mentions many important AAPI figures that would be a great jumping off point for further research, like comedian Jo Koy, children’s book author Grace Lin, violinist Sarah Chang, and astronaut Kalpana Chawla. There’s a glossary in the back with more information.

This is a phenomenal anthology of mini-biographies about a range of important figures in the AAPI community. From painter Etel Adnan to ‘ukulele musician Taimane Gardner and actor and wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the biographies cover many fascinating people. Each biography is accompanied by an illustration, and there’s a reflective guide in the back with questions, further reading, and a glossary.

This innovative and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi is longer than most picture books, and told in three parts. It opens with Isamu being asked to represent America in an exhibit, then what follows is all the ways Isamu has felt separate from his dual identities as a Japanese American, from being put in an American concentration camp during WWII, to simplifying his name to Sam. Art became his protective shell and escape, and he came to call himself a snail.

Vashti always creates beautiful picture books, and this one is no exception. This story explores the feelings of a young girl who is on a journey to self-acceptance and the value of recognizing childhood for all kids regardless of size.

Presented as if written in a journal, this thoughtful story follows Will, who struggles to accept his round size in a school full of “string beans.” Even though he hides behind hoodies and baggy pants, he is bullied and made fun of in school. Can he find acceptance in his body and learn that it’s okay to be a work in progress?

This middle grade book nails the tween voice and all the confusing body changes that happen in middle school. Sarah usually finds comfort in basketball, but lately she feels sluggish and unable to play like she used to. With some confusing food messages at home that conflict with nutritional information she’s getting at school, Sarah needs to figure out for herself what she needs to flourish.

I read this middle grade book from cover to cover when it came out a couple of years ago. It’s one of my 13-year-old kid’s favorite books ever, which says a lot because my kiddo reads A LOT. Written in verse, this beautiful book is all about body image, relationships with friends, and relationships with food, all topics that are relevant to so many tweens today.

These STEM-themed poems are so much fun! Each silly poem tackles a scientific concept. In “Extra Electrons 2,” for example, dog and human exchange electrons when a nose bump leads to a static electricity zap. Other poems explore the states of matter, gravity, magnetism, and more. It’s a really fun way to explore science.

After moving across the world, a young girl misses Cairo so much. When her Auntie Fatma comes to visit, the young girl requests an Egyptian lullaby before bed to help her remember everything she loved about Cairo. Auntie Fatma’s lyrical and repetitive song recalls the swish, swoosh, swishing boats along the Nile, prayers at the mosque, and more. This is a really heartwarming read.

In this early chapter book, Bo’s teacher assigns the class a poem. Each student is to write a poem and read it to the class. But Bo doesn’t feel like he has what it takes to write a poem. With a little help from his barber shop owner Pop-Pop and Pop-Pop’s musician client Darius, Bo learns that poetry is a lot like song lyrics, and poetry can help express the things you love. All six books in the Bo at the Buzz series are a lot of fun, and very relatable.

In this lovely middle grade novel-in-verse, 12-year-old Dominican American Aniana discovers she has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis right when she begins to really shine in swimming. She and her Papi hide her swim practices from Mami, whose childhood tragedy has made her afraid of the water. However, the family lives in Galveston, TX, where learning how to swim is pretty much a requirement. Plus, Aniana loves to swim so much. Aniana’s diagnosis threatens to end her swim career, and what will her mother do when she finds out Aniana is lying?

Starting a new school is always difficult, but thankfully Nico has ways to find happiness during the lonely days when he doesn’t know anyone. He watches insects and sits in the grass and befriends the birds, and soon the other kids began to take interest in him and how he seems at peace with himself and the birds.

This is one of my favorite books to read around the holidays because it tells the story of two birds that get separated, and the miracle that happens as they seek to find each other again.

This is a very useful book for budding birders! Each page talks about a different bird with color illustrations, and you can put in the corresponding number to hear the birdsong. It’s fascinating and a wonderful way to train your ear. There’s also a book for The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Western if you live in that area!

This is a fantastic book about all the questions one might have about birds. While it’s geared for adults, it’s a great book for parents and grandparents to share with their kids. There are beautiful illustrations in this book as well!

This is the fourth book in JaNay Brown-Wood’s Where In the Garden? picture book series, which centers diverse children exploring different garden settings in search of a fruit or vegetable. Linh is searching for blueberries for a picnic with friends on her rooftop garden. Each book opens with a description of the fruit/vegetable followed by the child comparing and contrasting the description with other things growing in the garden. For instance, while a blackberry is round in shape like a blueberry, blueberries don’t have round balls all over them. I really love this series!

This is one of my favorite picture books of the year and is just as beautiful as the author and illustrator’s previous book, I Talk Like a River. It’s an intergenerational picture book about the special relationship between a boy and his baba —grandmother — who doesn’t speak very much English. The boy loves spending time with Baba. She teaches him about gardening but also about the importance of paying attention and noticing the little things. Together the pair pick up worms on concrete after it rains and return them to the earth. When his grandmother grows ill and can no longer garden, the boy remembers everything she taught him. This stunning picture book is based on the author’s experiences.

A young girl logs what happens in the garden during all 12 months of the year. In April she re-pots seedling into bigger pots, in June she waters plants and inspects them for bugs, and in December she and her moms host a festive feast for their friends. I love how this follows the seasons and I also appreciate the casual queer rep with the girl having two moms.

This is the second book in the Marya Khan chapter books series, about a Pakistani American 3rd grader, but each book can be read as a stand-alone. Marya’s school is building a community garden, and Marya’s class is chosen to work on the garden first. Marya is so excited, especially because her mom has been asked to help plan the garden! She wants to be the class leader for the project, but so does her rival Alexa. Meanwhile, all of Marya’s plans for the garden just aren’t working out. This is an engaging series with really great, nuanced friend and family dynamics.

This beautifully poetic book is wonderfully illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell and was recognized by the United Nations! With spare text and vivid art, we are called to come together to protect our resources.

Winner of the Caldecott Medal, this stunning picture book is timely and powerful. Calling upon all of us to protect one of our most valuable resources: water. This book is an urgent rallying cry to stand as one against corruption and the greed that pollutes our waterways.

I really enjoy this series of books that Groundwood publishes, all centered around young environmental and human rights activists. This one is Severn Cullis-Suzuki’s 1992 Earth Summit speech, which called on world leaders to make their actions reflect their words and to protect the Earth for generations to come.

In this great new series, Little People, Big Dreams, we learn about Greta Thunberg and her incredible work in Sweden and around the world to bring awareness to the climate crisis. From her daily sit-ins outside the Swedish Parliament to speaking out all around the world, Greta shows that young people have a lot to say about the world they are inheriting.

A brother and sister team help their family prepare for the weekly Shabbat celebrations in this sweet board book. From making cholent to picking out flowers, this duo is excited about welcoming family and friends to their home to celebrate a Shabbat meal. I especially love the diversity of families in the illustrations in this rhyming board book.

The 2021 picture book of this rhyming passover modern classic has been reissued as a board book now. It follows Pippa the mouse as she overcomes her fears of her animal neighbors to find her missing Seder plate. Afterward, when she finally finds the Seder plate, she invites them all to dinner to celebrate Passover with her.

This sweet board book shows Sephardic Jewish parents welcoming their newborn baby using the Ladino greeting “Mazal bueno!” There’s also a QR code on the back to listen to the author sing a Ladino song! Sephardic Jewish experiences are rarely represented in children’s books and this one, with its warm illustrations and lyrical prose, is really special.

This is another lovely, simple Passover-themed board book. A child prepares for Seder dinner by setting the table, eating matzah, listening to the Passover story, and more. This board book is a companion to A Family Haggadah I and A Family Haggadah II, which are for older child readers.

In this lyrical and beautifully illustrated picture book, we see children and adults enjoying a swim in many places across the world. All of the various perspectives of people swimming is quite lovely, from beaches to swimming pools to canals and oceans.

One of my favorite picture books, Jabari Jumps is centered around that pivotal childhood milestone: jumping off of the diving board. I adore the illustrations and the wonderfully encouraging father in this book.

This was one of my favorite books of 2019! Swim Team is a graphic novel about a young girl who moves with her dad to Florida and joins a school where one of their required classes is swimming. Afraid of the water, Bree avoids class until she gets help from a neighbor to find confidence in the water and in life.

When Obie transitioned, he expected to get some hate. But he didn’t expect that one of his best friends from swim team would react so strongly, intent on bullying and hurting Obie. And while Obie had to leave his old swim team, he feels supported by his new team and his coach. But his old coach’s hurtful and demeaning words ring in his head at each practice. Can Obie find the courage to face his fears and believe in himself?

I believe I’ve recommended this picture book before, but it’s such an important resource. It’s about a young girl who doesn’t feel safe at school after they practice a school lockdown drill. By being supportive and calm, her grandfather helps her to see the beauty in the world once more. This is a really lovely and necessary book. One of my friends had her 3-year-old come home recently discussing a daycare lockdown drill. How have we gotten to this point.

The Kids Book About series often have books to address tough topics like this. The series has no illustrations and uses simple text and vivid typography to address kids. This one is written by a Columbine survivor. There’s really no way to normalize school shootings, but this does a good job of validating feelings of anxiety and fear and will help guide adults in having this important conversation.

This picture book doesn’t discuss school shootings; it does, however, discuss gun violence. When Miles’ cousin Keisha is shot and injured at a local park, he feels anxiety and fear. He no longer wants to go to the park, and wishes his family could move. Keisha, his family, and the community help him to turn his fear into activism by helping his community and promoting peace.

In this simple picture book, a young girl’s parents become disturbed after listening to the news. She worries and becomes increasingly anxious as they react to something that is clearly horrible. Their teacher also speaks to the class about looking for helpers, and the girl decides she wants to be a helper. But how? This is another one that encourages hope and action in the face of tragedy.

Inspired by the author’s own experience as a parachute kid, Tang weaves a fascinating graphic novel about a family that moves to America from Taiwan. But what her parents don’t tell her is that they are returning to Taiwan…and the three kids are going to stay in California on their own. Can the kids keep it together and make a life for themselves all on their own?

In this futuristic graphic novel, Grace is thrilled to escape her boring, plant-obsessed mother to visit her fun mom, Kendra, who lives on a faraway moon. But Kendra is so busy with work that Grace is left on her own, which means that Grace has to figure out the fun things to do on her own, whether Kendra likes it or not!

In the companion to the Newbery Award-winning book New Kid, Jerry Craft puts together another fantastic graphic novel featuring Jordan, Drew, Liam, Maury, and their friends from Riverdale Academy Day School. They are heading to Paris, excited to experience a new city and culture. But when their guides are replaced at the last minute, their trip takes on a hilarious turn.

This is another fantastic middle grade fantasy, brought to you by Eisner winner K. O’Neill. In this story, Anya is so excited to finally be a Moth Keeper, an important position that is integral to keeping her village alive. The lunar moths are necessary for making the Night-Lily flower, something the village needs. The illustrations are stunning and the story is powerful.