Reviews written by Beth Rodgers, Staff Reviewer

‘Kapaemahu’ by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa, contains beautiful images and an interesting touch of language, since it includes both English and Hawaiian wording. The legend the story tells of is one of four dual male and female spirits which traveled from Tahiti to...

‘Human Kindness: True Stories of Compassion and Generosity that Changed the World’ by John “The Planetwalker” Francis, illustrated by Josy Bloggs, is a deep dive into kindness, even far into the past. The earliest acts of kindness are mentioned, including at least one cave dweller who lived into his 40s....

‘All-Star Love’ by Stephanie J. Scott follows senior tennis player Maisie as she tries to shy away from the scandal that has rocked the school—all brought about by her uncle who used to run the academy she attends. When he left town with the school’s tuition money, Maisie’s life became...

‘The Library Bus’ by Bahram Rahman, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard, tells the story of a young girl’s trip with her mother as her library helper while living in Kabul, Afghanistan. Pari is so fascinated by all of the books that take up the entirety of the library bus that she...

‘If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It: How 25 Inspiring Individuals Found Their Dream Jobs’ by Colleen Nelson & Kathie MacIsaac, illustrated by Scot Ritchie, is the perfect book for anyone who wants to be inspired and learn more about a host of different career opportunities. The book...

‘How Do Kids Make Money?: A Book for Young Entrepreneurs’ by Kate Hayes, illustrated by Srimalie Bassani, is a great read for young people who are looking to make a few extra dollars to help purchase items they’re interested in, save for the future, or to help donate to worthy...

‘Library Girl: How Nancy Pearl Became America's Most Celebrated Librarian’ by Karen Henry Clark, illustrated by Sheryl Murray, tells the story of young Nancy, a girl who loved books so much that she felt different than the other kids. It isn’t until she finds other people who share her love...

‘A Synagogue Just Like Home’ by Alice Blumenthal McGinty, illustrated by Laurel Molk, does a nice job showcasing the beauty of a synagogue, not only by providing glimpses into the look and feel of the place itself, but into the way people work together and engage with each other to...

‘Do Baby Elephants Suck Their Trunks?’ by Ben Lerwill, illustrated by Katharine McEwen, is a great book that will engage any curious reader. With stories of amazing ways that animals are just like humans, the book details how babies are everywhere, and they come in all shapes and sizes, as...

‘The Fog Catcher’s Daughter’ by Marianne McShane, illustrated by Alan Marks, puts readers into an Irish setting and punctuates it with an original story about a young girl who takes matters into her own hands in order to save her father. Eily and her father...

‘I Cannot Draw a Horse’ by Charise Mericle Harper is reminiscent of ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon’ in that the story was about drawing items to help serve a purpose and lead the characters to the next scene in the story. The unseen narrator...

‘How to Be the Best Third Wheel’ by Loridee De Villa throws a wrench into main character Lara’s plans when her three best friends—Kiera, Jasmine, and Carol—all start senior year with boyfriends, while Lara has been in the Philippines visiting family and is boyfriend-less. Add to the trouble that her...

‘Wait—and See’ by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder is full of amazing photographs of praying mantises. Nature is always something to marvel at, and this book goes along with that theme, sharing images of this insect and telling a short, but engaging tale about it. The praying mantis itself is...

‘Ultimate Book of the Future’ by Stephanie Warren Drimmer, a National Geographic Kids book, is a beautiful journey through a wide variety of questions and topics. Could a robot become president? Could humans teleport? Could robots become smarter than people? Could humans live forever? Could Jurassic Park come true? These...

‘A Mouse Tail on Mackinac Island’ by Summer Porter, illustrated by Maggie Chambers, does a nice job of capturing the beauty and flavor of Mackinac Island, a summer destination in northern Michigan that is home to some, but vacation spot to many. When Father and Mother Mouse and their children—Max,...