As a child, my two favorite things were ballet and books so I am excited to discover a book that combines both. Best of all, it is the true story of a dancer who inspires others to persist in fulfilling their dreams. Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina By Lea Lyon […]
Biographies
RAILWAY JACK – The True Story of an Amazing Baboon A review and chat with debut author KT Johnston
RAILWAY JACK – The True Story of an Amazing Baboon A review and chat with debut author KT Johnston RAILWAY JACK The True Story of an Amazing Baboon By KT Johnston (author) and César Samaniego (illustrator) Capstone Publishing 2020 Picture book for grades 3-5 but older and younger children will also find this book fascinating […]
With a Star in My Hand – Rubén Darío , Poetry Hero, a review
Today is the final day of Hispanic Heritage Month which began on September 15th. To celebrate I’d like to share the latest novel-in-verse by Cuban-American author, Margarita Engle. With a Star in My Hand – Rubén Darío, Poetry Hero Margarita Engle Simon and Schuster (release date: 2/28/20) Historical Fiction in verse for ages 12 and […]
DANCING HANDS: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln on Perfect Picture Book Friday
I am excited to share a perfect picture book biography for Perfect Picture Book Friday- DANCING HANDS: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln By Margarita Engle (author) and Rafael López (illustrator) Published by Atheneum/Simon and Schuster August 2019 Nonfiction Picture Book Biography for ages 4-8 Themes: biography, arts, refugees Places: Venezuela, […]
Ruth Asawa- A Sculpting Life on Picture Perfect Friday
I’m excited that Susan Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday link up is back in business. I have a perfect picture book to share today. RUTH ASAWA – A Sculpting Life By Joan Schoettler (author) and Traci Van Wagoner (illustrator) Pelican Publishing 2018 Nonfiction picture book biography for ages 5-10 Themes/ topics: Art, overcoming adversity, creativity, […]
Who is Matilda Joslyn Gage?
March is Women’s History Month where we pay tribute to fearless women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth, Cady Stanton, and Matilda Joslyn Gage. Wait, you’ve never heard of Matilda Joslyn Gage? Well, there’s a reason for that as you will learn while reading Born Criminal – Matilda Joslyn Gage, Radical Suffragist Written by Angelica Shirley […]
Multicultural Children’s Book Day Review of First Generation – 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great
It is Multicultural Children’s Book Day and I am thrilled to share an important book which should be on your “must read” list in today’s difficult political and social climate. First Generation 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great By Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace (authors) and Agata Nowicka (illustrator) Little Brown […]
If I Kiss You, Will I Get Diabetes? – a review
From time to time, life throws a new challenge your way. I remember the day that our son was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. A whole new road had to be maneuvered, new vocabulary learned, and meal planning became filled with extra importance. I wish back then that we had the book: If I […]
Under the Sea – mapping an unknown world
Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea; Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor by Robert Burleigh (author) Raúl Colón (illustrator) Simon & Schuster (2016) picture book biography grades Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea is a book for anyone interested in maps and map-making. It tells the story of Marie Tharp who,as a girl, loved maps. She […]
B is for Biography – mapping a trip around the world
Welcome to Day 2 of Blogging A to Z where I’m blogging this year about maps found in children’s books. I love to find a biography that includes maps of where the subject lived and traveled. I am fascinated by Nelly Bly and all that she accomplished. She was the ultimate traveler! The Daring Nellie […]
Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library – #ReadYourWorld
SCHOMBURG: THE MAN WHO BUILT A LIBRARY by Carol Boston Weatherford (author) and Eric Velasquez (illustrator) Picture book for ages 7 – adult Candlewick Press: 2017 Can you imagine building a library? I can and I’ve found my inspiration. Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was an amazing man unfamiliar to most people. But, everyone should know his […]
The Life and Legacy of Pura Belpre lives on in Fresno
Here in the Central Valley of California, we are fortunate to have Artes de Americas , a museum whose mission is to make Central California a flourishing place for Latino arts. For the past few weeks, a number of REFORMA de Fresno* members Josie Bustos, Aideed Medina, Armando “Luie”Garcia, Ivan Calimano, Sandra Rios Balderrama […]
V is for Vigilante
Librarians are not shy and meek characters. They are on the forefront of protecting our rights. They fight against censorship and work to make sure that everybody has access to the books and materials they need. Librarians face challenges here but they are nothing like those faced in some other parts of the world. One […]
Thomas times three #atozblogchallenge
We are heading into the final week of the A to Z Blog Challenge where I’ve returned to my librarian roots and have been sharing Library Love. Today is dedicated to the Letter T and I’d like to share two books and the little guy Tomás and the Library Lady by Pat Mora (author) and […]
J is for Juvenile #atozchallenge
J is for Juvenile Juvenile seems like an outdated term but libraries still catalog books for children as Juvenile fiction or Juvenile nonfiction. Did you know that children were not always welcomed in libraries? Early libraries were not free and open to the public. Usually they consisted of books collected by wealthy individuals who […]