Starting the New Year with great adventures... exciting discoveries... and hours of enjoyment!
Everybody Read Aloud:
Illustrator: Nomar Perez
ISBN: 9781728231839
Publisher's Synopsis:
When we see someone new in our neighborhood,
how can we help them feel safe and loved and important?
How can we tell them, you're not alone? There are so many ways!
From the creators of Miry's List, the nonprofit that has helped thousands of refugees, Our World is a Family is an all-ages picture book exploring the complicated topic of human migration in a gentle, loving, and affirming way. It lightly touches on the reason people might leave their homes, like climate change or lack of safety, and inspires children to welcome their new neighbors into their communities with love.
MrsK's Review:
"When we see someone new..."
Our world, our planet... all "living and growing and making a home." This picture book is a perfect addition to every bookshelf... whether it is in a home library, a school library, a public library, and in every Little Free library. With the media portraying racial differences, it is wonderful to have a refreshing and endearing "world" voice to share with all littles. As an educator, there would be so many opportunities for discussions, individualized drafting opportunities (biographies), and world explorations.
United... we can make a difference... with our differences... please get this book shared with our littles!
MrsK
Meet the Authors:
Miry Whitehill is founder and executive director of the award-winning nonprofit organization Miry's List, which supports families resettling in the United States as refugees, from countries including Syria and Afghanistan. She is mom to Reuben and Sabo, whose curiosity and unending questions led to the writing of this book. To learn more about the needs of new arrival families and how your family can help, visit miryslist.org. 
Jennifer Jackson has always been a storyteller. She began her career in live theater as a writer, director, and choreographer before transitioning to the page with her first picture book, The Punkydoos Take the Stage. Now, she is thrilled to be sharing Our World Is a Family, a story that’s so close to her heart. You can visit her at jenniferjacksonbooks.com.
"COME AND EXPLORE WHERE ALL THINGS CREATIVE TAKE ALL KINDS OF SHAPES AND FORMS" My name is Nomar Perez. I was born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, in the city of Ponce, a unique city with new and old Spanish colonial architecture and an amazing array of colors, sounds, and flavors. I'm a kids designer, illustrator and author that loves to create and explore all things creative! My Puerto Rican culture has influenced me throughout my artistic life. I moved from my homeland to Ohio at the age of 10 with my parents and my 5 siblings. All types of media influence my work, most especially animation, puppetry, and computer art.
2nd Grade:
Publisher's Synopsis:
Astrid is afraid of the dark and doesn't want to go on her family camping trip. But her twin brother, Apollo, is excited. When they encounter scary things such as crawly bugs and the creepy dark, Apollo helps his twin through them. And when they encounter the scariest thing of all, Astrid might just be the one to save the starry campout.
MrsK's Review:
Astrid's family is all set to go on their family campout. Astrid's one challenge... she is afraid of the dark. Since this is her first campout, what will she do if her special glow-in-the-dark wand doesn't have enough light for camping?
With the help of her twin brother, Apollo, Astrid will discover that camping out has many new adventures, sausages under the stars, and night-time "scratching" noises.
Step into reading stories can be the most delightful chapter books. Astrid and Apollo are characters that every young reader will relate with. Their sibling relationship emphasizes compassion, humor, support, and acceptance. This is a great series for second grade pass-arounds!
MrsK
Meet the Author:
V.T. Bidania was born in Laos and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has an MFA in creative writing from The New School and received a Mirrors & Windows Fellowship from the Loft Literary Center. In 2021, she won the McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers. She is the author of ASTRID AND APOLLO, a chapter book series starring Hmong American twins Astrid and Apollo Lee (Capstone).
3-4 Grades
ISBN: 9780062970756
Publisher's Synopsis:
Mischief, and her side-cat, Mayhem, are your respectably heinous villains. They’ll spoil new movies, steal cake from parties they weren’t invited to, and hit the good citizens where it’ll dirty them most—their toilet paper. But before Mischief and Mayhem were ever supervillains, they were just Missy and Gizmo, fresh recruits at superhero camp.
Only, Missy lied on her hero application and has exactly zero superpowers, just her brainpower. Missy is humiliated when caught and kicked out, and only fellow camp recruit Melvira stands by her. Unbeknownst to others, Melvira has a villainous agenda, and it involves helping Missy cross the line into villainy as her new alter ego, Mischief. But something about Melvira doesn’t sit right with Missy, and soon she’ll be called upon to battle her former best friend.
MrsK's Review:
Feeling like you can do nothing right? Thinking that the one thing you enjoy doing... always turns out to be trouble? Wondering what strength you might have that would get noticed? So is Missy.
The people of Idleness do not like all the noise Missy creates. Which is exactly what Missy does well. Thinking that she would benefit from a Superhero camp, she discovers that even at that camp she doesn't fit in. What she misses is how meeting others can "play-out" in your future. Thinking that she has finally met a "good" friend, Missy begins to follow the lead of Melvira. Will Missy realize that sometimes going along with behaviors that are not kind isn't worth the price of a misleading friendship?
Crazy and zany graphics. Graphic novels are fun to read. Visual art blocks are inviting with skillful layouts (organization). Emotions and thoughts clearly define characters and their purpose in the storyline. Artistic word choice is emphasized with sounds in design. Is there anything more enjoyable for readers than engagement with a graphic novel (comic humanity)? Enjoy this mischievous super-hero who will need to decide if causing mayhem is better than doing what is right!
MrsK
Meet the Author:
Ken is an award-winning professional dabbler. He was born in the Philippines and moved to the US with his entire family during his teenage years. Currently, he enjoys his life as an author/illustrator of picture books and graphic novels for middle-graders to middle-agers.
In his past life he was a beekeeper, race car driver, filmmaker and chicken herder. He currently lives in Las Vegas (although he doesn’t gamble) where he spends time with his family and two dogs.
Ken was the former Illustrator Coordinator for Nevada Chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). He also teaches graphic novels for Storyteller’s Academy.
ISBN:9781913311261
Publisher's Synopsis:
After years of hard work, Mia Tang finally gets to go on vacation with her family -- to China! A total dream come true! Mia can't wait to see all her cousins and grandparents again, especially her cousin Shen. As she roams around Beijing, witnessing some of the big changes China's going through, Mia thinks about the changes in her own life, like . . .
1. Lupe's taking classes at the high school! And Mia's own plans to be a big writer are . . . stuck.
2. Something happened with Jason and Mia has no idea what to do about it.
3. New buildings are popping up all around the motel, and small businesses are disappearing.
Can the Calivista survive? Buckle up! Mia is more determined than ever to get through the turbulence, now that she finally has . . . room to dream!
MrsK's Review:
This is a true treasure. Mia is an amazing young blogger. Her ability to reach her audience is a blogger's dream come true. Yet, she will need to learn what should be written without causing pain to those who were not notified that she was sharing their story.
Then... when she returns from her family trip to China, Mia sees the changes around her family's motel. For Mia this will become an opportunity to find a way to save her family's motel, as well as neighboring small businesses. Or at least that is her hope!
This story is an excellent reality fiction story that should be shared by all Librarians, as well as classroom teachers (3rd-6th). Don't miss out on Mia....
MrsK
Meet the Author:
Kelly Yang is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of the FRONT DESK series, winner of the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children's Literature. Her books include FRONT DESK, THREE KEYS, ROOM TO DREAM, PARACHUTES, NEW FROM HERE, and other middle grade and young adult novels. She was born in China and grew up in Los Angeles. She went to college at the age of 13 and graduated from UC Berkeley at the age of 17 and Harvard Law School at the age of 20. After law school, she founded The Kelly Yang Project, a writing and debating program for children in Asia. Prior to becoming a novelist, she wrote for many years for the South China Morning Post, The New York Times, Washington Post, and the Atlantic. She lives in Los Angeles.
ISBN: 9780063031012
Publisher's Synopsis:
Deep in the wilds of Scotland, land of ancient warrior kings and myths, there is a deep secret. The secret is a colony of beavers, a species that is craved for their fur pelts, but vilified for what humans consider to be the destruction of their land. No beaver has been spotted in Scotland or England for over five hundred years, until the young beaver, Dunwattle, is sighted!
Dunwattle's flight is driven by the presence of a ghostly figure, a figure of a mysterious young girl who is almost one thousand years old. And now Dunwattle is destined to be destroyed for revealing the hidden colony, but his best friend Locksley is determined to save him. Will their ancient beaver colony survive?
"Dunwattle's eyes flew open. This is not a dream."
MrsK's Review:
Dunwattle is a bit skittish when it comes to the unknown. By far, he is a quick learner, and very inquisitive. His motives are for the good of his colony, and his actions are still in need of training. In his training, he is learning more and more about the "two-legs," and with the help of the little two-legs he will gain an understanding about relationships with those who are not like you. Yet, it is a banning offense to be seen by a two-leg! Will Dunwattle be banned?
Locksley is determined to look after Dunwattle. As friends, they have played, learned, and worked at the assigned dams together.
Elsinore is the reporting swan for Glendunny. Many come to her for guidance, weather reports, and strangers. It is her daily job to fly over Glendunny and oversee the activity below. When she sees Dunwattle hastily swimming where he should not be heading, she alarmed. What could Dunwattle be up to?
Yrynn is a Canuck, beavers from Canada. She is one of the best beaver "guides" of the logs down river. Once upon a time, before the beavers were made into hats, coats, and perfumes, her ancestors enjoyed "wild rivers and enormous forests."
Lorna and Fergus are little "two-legs," their bones have been brought to the surface of Dunwattle's home. Before the massacre in 1296, her family lived in the local village of Scotland.
Grinfyll is the leader of a vicious Lynx gang. He has learned that Dunwattle was seen by a two-legs. This could be a profitable bit of information.
With the weaving of a master storyteller, Glendunny becomes a wonderous wilderness adventure. Characters are expertly crafted, the settings are vividly described, and as Lasky does best... the quest is mingled with page-turning conflicts.
MrsK
Meet the Author:
Kathryn Lasky is the American author of many critically acclaimed books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series.
She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Massachusetts.
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