Reviewed by Lauren Parnell Marino Review Source: Africa Access Book Author: Too Small Tola by Atinuke is a delightful book which introduces a slate of charming characters to young readers. The collection of three short stories focuses on the daily lives of Tola, a young girl growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, and her Grandmommy, sister, and brother. […]
My Grandma and Me
Reviewed by Ariana Hussain Review Source: The Horn Book, Inc. Book Author: The unnamed narrator recalls her childhood growing up in Iran (where the author also grew up) with her beloved grandmother, who lives with the family. The child accompanies her grandma on her daily routines (“When she swept, I swept. When she cooked, I cooked. […]
Belle, the Last Mule at Gee’s Bend: A Civil Rights Story
Reviewed by: Rebecca Lehr Book Author: As Alex’s mother shops for a quilt in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, he sits outside and spots an old mule eating collard greens from a garden. An elderly woman, Miz Pettway, sits down next to him and begins to tell him why Belle, the mule, is allowed to eat all […]
Julián Is a Mermaid
Reviewed by Beverly Slapin Review Source: De Colores: The Raza Experience Book Author: Dear Readers— Since I wrote and published our review of Julián Is a Mermaid (see it here), there has been much online discussion about this book. Dr. Laura Jiménez has just published a personal and profound essay — entitled Trans People Aren’t Mythical Creatures […]
We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults
Reviewed by Beverly Slapin Review Source: De Colores Book Author: The original title of Kuklin’s book of interviews with undocumented young people was to be Out of the Shadows: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults. This was during the time of the Obama administration’s DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, which allowed individuals who were brought to the […]
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
Reviewed by Deborah Menkart Reviewed Source: Rethinking Schools Book Author: Finally, a book for children about Fannie Lou Hamer, one of the most influential women in the modern Civil Rights Movement. Voice of Freedom is infused with Hamer’s own quotes and the colloquial style that defined her skill as a speaker. It introduces key events […]