Picture books

Dim Sum, Here We Come! By Maple Lam

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  A girl is excited to be heading out for a weekly dim sum family gathering.  She and her parents and sister head to the restaurant where they meet up with extended family: grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Everyone sits at a big round table with a lazy Susan in the middle that is soon filled with baskets of yummy food.  It’s hard to wait for her favorite dishes to make their way to her, but Grandma reminds her that waiting shows respect.  Finally, the basket with the last char siu bun makes its way to her, and she peels off the paper, blows off the steam, breaks it in half, and shares it with her sister.  Dim sum means everyone gets to share, and sharing dim sum means “I love you.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another great story featuring food and family.  Anyone who has enjoyed dim sum will get to savor some happy memories, and anyone who has not (like me) will want to find a place to give it a try soon.  The cute illustrations extend to the endpapers, where various dishes are shown in the front and empty plates and baskets are pictured in the back.

Cons:  Having a little more information about what dim sum is would have been helpful to those of us who have never experienced it.

Abuela’s Super Capa by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by HarperCollins

Summary: Luis loves Saturdays, because Abuela comes to visit and plays sidekick to his superhéroe. When his sister Isabel tries to join in, he pushes her away, telling her that she’s too little. One Saturday, though, Luis’s parents tell him that Abuela is in the hospital. They visit her there, but even after she comes home, Abuela isn’t “superhéroe ready”. Luis tries everything he can think of to help her feel better, but nothing works, and eventually Abuela tells him she has to hang up her capa. One day, Luis is with Abuela when he sees Isabel running around with both capas. At first, he tells her no, but then he notices Abuela’s eyes are shining “like estrellas.” He puts his own capa on Isabel and Abuela’s around his own shoulders, and the two of them become superhéroes who can push Abuela in her wheelchair. Includes a glossary of Spanish words. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: A touching story about a kid dealing with a grandparent’s illness and figuring out a way to still enjoy his time with her. The illustrations are colorful, joyful, and also manage to convey Abuela’s decline in a way that feels realistic.

Cons: I was worried that Abuela was not going to make it to the last page.

The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  In this follow-up to The Proudest Blue, Faizah is happy to be heading to school in the red dress that has been worn by both Mama and her older sister Asiya.  Her teacher has the class brainstorm about what kind of world they want to live in, and the kids put their ideas into practice on the playground, helping and including each other in their games.  After recess, the class lines up for picture day, Faizah feeling great in her new dress.  But when her classmates’ siblings come to pick them up, she notices that many of them are dressed alike, unlike her and Asiya.  Her best friend Sophie saves the day, taking off her red sash and wrapping it around Faizah’s head just like Asiya’s hijab.  Includes an author’s note about her experiences she used to write this book and a photo of her with her older sister and brother.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I was excited to see this book, because I have several girls in my school who wear hijab, and they love The Proudest Blue.  Two of them have checked it out a total of five times in the last year.  I’m sure they’ll enjoy this new story with its focus on kindness, friendship, and family.

Cons:  I couldn’t quite figure out why all the siblings were dressed alike.  Were they also being photographed in family groups?

Very Good Hats by Emma Straub, illustrated by Blanca Gómez

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Rocky Pond Books

Summary:  You may think you know what a hat is, but you are probably limiting yourself.  Acorn caps (as well as raspberries, chewed-up gum, tortellini, and doll shoes) work well if you’re a finger, and a pudding cap will do just fine if you’re a stuffed bear.  Humans can wear their pets as hats, or books (if they have good posture) or bubbles in the bathtub.  Some jobs come with a hat, like cowboy, chef, and pirate.  Hats are everywhere!  Because anything can be a hat if you believe it is.  32 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  A book filled with quirky fun, both the text and the illustrations, and one that is sure to inspire creativity in making hats and thinking of what non-human objects could use for hats.  Also, you will get to say the word “haberdashery.”

Cons:  I try so hard to discourage kids from putting their library books on their heads, and then this book comes along.

Courage in Her Cleats: The Story of Soccer Star Abby Wambach by Kim Chaffee, illustrated by Alexandra Badiu

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Page Street Kids

Summary:  As the youngest of seven children, Abby Wambach learned to be tough, especially on the soccer field.  After a successful high school career that ended with a crushing state championship loss, Abby played at the University of Florida where she was recruited for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team.  She toughened up even more with a personal trainer to become part of the team that won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics.  She was on track to win another medal when she broke her leg shortly before the 2008 Olympics, but her encouragement from the sidelines helped her team win gold again.  After a year of rehab, she was back, scoring her 100th career goal in 2009.  Includes additional information about Abby’s childhood and her post-2009 soccer career, a list of soccer terms with definitions, and a bibliography.  32 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  A lively introduction to Abby Wambach’s life with colorful illustrations and an eye-catching cover that will grab the interest of sports fans.

Cons:  I wish there had been some information on Abby’s activism on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and women in sports.

Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Shannon Wright

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  Zelda Jackson was an artist, poet, and storyteller who dreamed of working for the Black newspaper, the Pittsburgh Courier.  She got her break writing a story about boxing that was published using her childhood nickname, Jackie.  Once she was an established columnist, she tried her hand at art, creating a comic strip character named Torchy Brown, a young woman who moved from her home in Mississippi to New York City.  After marriage and a move to Chicago, Jackie worked for the Chicago Defender, creating a new comic called Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger, which she used to comment on civil rights and other issues important to Black people.  Jackie became a community activist, using the money she made from her comics to fund causes she believed in, and drawing the attention of the FBI, who spied on her for a decade.  After retiring Patty-Jo, Jackie gave up comics, pursuing other forms of art until her death in 1985.  Includes notes from the author and artist, photos, and a bibliography.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  This fascinating biography with striking comic-style artwork will inspire graphic novel fans who may want to try creating comics of their own and shows them how comics can be used for both fun and communicating a more serious message.

Cons:  I wish there had been a bit more information on Jackie’s post-comics art career.

We Are Here by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  The team behind All Because You Matter has created a new book celebrating Black contributions around the world to music, food, fashion, and science.  Written for a daughter that she never met (as explained in the author’s note), the free verse poem and illustrations feature a girl as she learns about the ways Black people have shaped the world throughout human history.  There are references to the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests in both the text and the illustrations, which concludes, “You are brilliant, extraordinary, far-beyond-ordinary, the very best of who we are.” Includes additional information about some of the people and concepts referenced in the text, as well as notes from the author and illustrator.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  An empowering picture book filled with beautiful words and pictures that may inspire readers to delve deeper into the history of Black people all over the world.  

Cons:  The writing is pretty abstract, so, while this is recommended as a picture book for preschool and primary grades, I think older kids would get more from it.

An American Story by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dare Coulter

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  “How do you tell a story that starts in Africa and ends in horror?”  Kwame Alexander was moved to write this poem after he realized his daughter’s fourth-grade teacher wasn’t teaching students about slavery, because she was anxious and hadn’t been trained in how to teach that piece of the American story.  With distinctive illustrations that combine sculptures and paintings, the book portrays life in Africa, people being captured, the Middle Passage, and the horrors of slavery once they arrived in America.  The narrative is interspersed with pictures of a class learning from a teacher who is somewhat hesitant to teach the story, but who is encouraged by her students to tell them the truth.  How do you tell the story? “You do it/by being brave enough/to lift your voice,/by holding/history/in one hand/and clenching/hope/in the other.”  56 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  I have been sharing Kwame Alexander’s The Undefeated with fourth and fifth graders this week, and I think this book is even more powerful.  I know I can feel uncomfortable talking to elementary students about racism and slavery, but they are ready to hear about it, and this is an important book for making sure that happens.  The illustrations are equally powerful and mark my first Caldecott prediction for 2024.

Cons:  I saw recommendations in several places for ages 4-8, but I think it’s more appropriate for older elementary kids.


Chloe’s Lunar New Year by Lily LaMotte, illustrated by Michelle Lee

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Chloe is excited to celebrate Lunar New Year, as she and her parents and younger brother Noah work all day getting ready for the evening’s reunion dinner with extended family.  There are all kinds of food to prepare, as well as a thorough cleaning of the house, sweeping out the old to make room for good luck in the new year.  Chloe mentions her grandmother, A-má, several times throughout the day, but when evening falls, only her aunt and uncle come for dinner.  Everyone enjoys all the foods they’ve prepared, and the final pages show the family lighting incense and putting food in front of a photograph of A-má, honoring their ancestor.  Includes an author’s note about Lunar New Year, with specific information about how it is celebrated in Taiwan, and a recipe for Fortune Cake.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another good resource for Lunar New Year, with a simple story and cheerful illustrations showing a family preparing for and celebrating the holiday.  The bit about A-má is left open for interpretation but provides a good way to show the custom of honoring ancestors.

Cons:  Like A Sweet New Year for Ren, this was a little light on the plot.

Through the North Pole Snow by Polly Faber, illustrated by Richard Jones

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  A little fox out hunting accidentally falls through the roof of a house buried in the snow.  He’s rescued by a pair of red-clad arms belonging to an old, tired-looking man with a white beard.  After getting comfortable, the fox settles in at the end of the man’s bed, and the two enjoy a long winter’s nap.  With the arrival of warmer weather, they wake up, and the man gets to work building all kinds of things to fill his empty shelves.  As the days start to grow short again, snow arrives along with a blizzard of letters.  The man reads each one, using them as a guide to fill his bag.  On Christmas Eve, he hitches up his reindeer, and the fox accompanies Santa Claus as he rides his sleigh into the night sky.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This became my go-to holiday book to read to my PreK-1 students.  They enjoyed gathering clues with the fox to learn Santa’s identity and job.  The pictures at the end will certainly get everyone in the Christmas spirit.

Cons:  The fox seemed a bit slow to catch on. The clues are all there, but he doesn’t completely catch on until he’s taking off in the sleigh with Santa and the reindeer.