Reviews written by Connie Reid, Site Manager

Lonely Bird is a fantasy book of a doodle of a bird that has a life at night to go in search of things that inspire art. Along the way, lonely bird sees a friend in a crumpled paper that looks vaguely like an iguana. She braves the scary vacuum...

Alphabeasts went beyond my initial expectations. I expected to find an ABC concept book filled with imaginary monsters. What the story is about are case files of mythical monsters from around the world and we are allowed to see the classified files from A-Z. Therefore, I did not give my...

Runaway Pond features breathtaking watercolor illustrations that look to be digitally enhanced for strikingly clear and realistic renderings of a pond in Vermont in a time over 200 years ago. This story is based on a real pond that flooded downstream and a fast runner warned neighbors so everyone was...

Mo Willems sees into the heart of the young reader and takes a central question of how big are you and helps even the youngest reader start to gain perspective of their place in this wide universe of ours. This big concept is done in simple terms that are age-appropriate...

When Dad’s Hair Took Off is a fantastical adventure of Dad’s hair deciding it wants adventures. Dad loves his luscious locks and takes off with a net to bring back the hair that has been with him since he was a baby. Along the way, a lot of hair-like slashes...

There Was a Party for Langston is based on a photograph the author saw of Maya Angelou and Amiria Baraka dancing at the grand opening of a library wing named after Langston Hughes. The awe that the author feels for Langston Hughes is conveyed through the words and illustrations in...

The Concrete Garden is a fanciful tale of children coming together to create art. The children have been cooped up after a long winter and are excited to get outside. Their apartment complex has a huge concrete area just perfect for sidewalk chalk. Each child bounces off the ideas of...

Patchwork Prince is based on the author’s life in St. Lucia. Reminiscent of The Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton, this author grew up poor in money but not in love or spirit. This story highlights in colorful detail how his mother helped him sneak into the dump at...

Zora, The Story Keeper has a vibrant tone that comes through with the text and the illustrations. Zora has a special relationship with her Aunt Bea. Aunt Bea can tell family stories in a way that is exciting and vibrant. The author and illustrator bring her tales to life so...

Obioma Plays Football is about a girl who loves to play football (Soccer) with her friends. We start the story with a glimpse into her life at school. It is not clear what country she lives in, but it seems to be Nigeria. This book is...

The City Spies face the highest stakes yet in the newest book, Mission Manhattan. They receive intel that a teen environmental leader, Beatriz Santos, may be in danger during her speech in Venice, Italy. Rio gets a spot backstage and befriends her as a fellow person from Rio De Janeiro....

Major Taylor: World Champion was an engaging read about cyclist Marshall Walter Taylor. He arrived on the scene of Madison Square Garden’s six-day race in 1896 as the youngest contestant at eighteen years old and the sole African American among the 28 competitors. The illustrations and...

We Could Fly is based on a song created by Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell. It has a folksy richness that feels like our characters are reaching back through their ancestors and feeling their long-ago yearning to leave earthly bonds behind and go to the promised land. The mother and...

Lisa McMann has hit her stride with Dangerous Allies, book four of the Forgotten Five series. The Forgotten Five and their friends mature a lot in this book as they face one emotional revelation after another. Paired with exciting fast-paced action this book was unputdownable. Troy...

In My Skin is a beautiful poem celebrating all the wonderful things our bodies and minds can experience. Such as how we can all feel hope and love, we can move, rest, think, and so much more all in the skin we are in. It conveys a powerful message that...