Three New Picture Books About Hair of Black People

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever noticed that the majority of picture books about hair are about Black people? Have you ever wondered why? My guess is the discrimination that happens to Black people around their hair. According to the CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) Coalition's 2023 Workplace Research Study, over 20% of Black women, aged 25-34, have been sent home from work over their hair. And according to the 2021 Dove and CROWN Study for Girls, 45% of all Black girls say they have experienced hair discrimination. When you think about commercials for hair products what race do you see? Hair products are different for different races because hair between races is very different.

Reflection on 2025 and Thoughts for 2026 -- Word of the Year

 

Each year I take time to reflect on the past year and look towards the new one. I reflect on my word for the year and pick one for the new year. My word for 2025 is hope. I knew with the change of the president I was going to need some hope to survive the year. I will say that our country is in total chaos, but it is not as bad as I worried it would be. It saddens me to see the history he has destroyed with his upgrades but that is for another time. I picked hope for 2025 so I could keep my hope and try to focus on the positive sides of things and the positive that I hoped for. 

New Holiday Books about Rescuing Christmas

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in order to provide honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Yesterday I shared a grouping of new Christmas books for younger children (babies through 7). Today we have another grouping of new Christmas books. Today's will probably become classics, and each story has a rescue theme going in it. Our first book is a new Mr. Willowby Christmas book. A long lost transcript was found to create this book! The book is Mr. Willoby's Head Over Heels Christmas by Robert Barry. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7 but I can see older kids loving this one too!

New Middle Grades Historical Fiction Series about World War II

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I get to share a series of books about World War II. It is historical fiction and the series is really interesting and fun. It is written by Adam Gidwitz. The series is called Operation Kinderspion. The series is for middle grades or ages 8 to 12. The first book is Max in the House of Spies. 

New Fun & Diverse Picture Books Released This Week

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As the summer goes on my middle grades and young adult pile to read seems to be growing. However, this week I have two new picture books to share with you. Each was released this week, and they both are multicultural. Each is special in its own way. The first book is A Día de Muertos Story. Although the young boy in the story is preparing for the Día de Muertos, the book is not necessarily just about a Día de Muertos (a Day of the Dead) but the characters look like the traditional painted skeletons. The book is This Moment Is Special by John Parra. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Two Middle School Rom-Coms for Ages 10+

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

On Friday I shared a roundup of books perfect for summer reading for ages 10+ through young adult. (Note all last week I did roundups for varying ages of new books for summer reading. Ages 4-8 and Middle Grades) Four of them did not include reviews because I hadn't read them yet. Today I am reviewing two of them!! I decided to spend my free time this weekend reading the two middle school romance-comedy books. Both of these books are recommended for ages 10+ and both have characters in middle school. The first book is Meet Me at Wonderland by Julia DeVillers. 

New Books About the Importance of Family

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Family is important. Each family is unique. Each family has its own traditions. And each has its own problems. Family can be blood relatives or ones we pick. Families can be human families or animal families. Today we are sharing a roundup of new picture books about families. These books are for the range of 4- to 8-year-olds. Each has powerful messages and each is very different. We will begin with Fierce Aunties! by Laurel Goodluck and illustrated by Steph Littlebird. 

Hokusai's Daughter -- Bilingual Picture Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

I love introducing kids to artists. There are many ways to do this including books and activities as well as taking them to art museums. Today we are going to talk about a bilingual book about a young artist who has a famous father, Katsushika Hokusai. Hokusai is known for his beautiful Japanese woodblock prints in particular the wave ones. Today's book however focuses on the other artist in Hokusai's household--his daughter, Eijo! The book is Hokusai's Daughter: A Young Artist in Old Japan by Sunny Seki. It is bilingual in both English and Japanese. It is recommended for ages 5 to 14.

Picture Books About Gathering, Helping & Family

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Holiday season is fast approaching. It means we will be gathering with family and friends. We will possibly be seeing family we don't see all the time. We may even be asking our young ones to help others and help out with the holiday preparations. Today I am sharing a round-up of new picture books that are about all of these things--gathering, working together, helping others and family. The first book we will share is Together by Laura Manaresi and illustrated by Giovanni Manna. It is recommended for ages 7 to 9.

Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway -- Book Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you know someone with ADHD? Have you ever wondered what their thought process is? Today we are sharing a new book written by an author with ADHD who bases her character on her own experiences. The book is Hannah Edwards: Secrets of Riverway by Ashley Hards. It is recommended for ages 9 to 12 and is the first book in a series of nine books. 

New Picture Books About Dad and Bedtime

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Father's Day is quickly approaching and today I get to share two fun new bedtime books where Dad is in charge of getting the little one to sleep. The first is by blogger and co-founder of Multicultural Children's Book Day/Read Your World, Mia Wenjen. The book is Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime and is illustrated by Kai Gietzen. It is recommended for ages 3 and up. 

Code Red -- New Middle Grades Novel About Menstruation & Transgender Issues as well as Friendships, Family and more

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Can we talk about an important subject in every girl's life? It was taboo to discuss at one time. But perhaps you remember Stephen King's book, Carrie, or the movie based on it. I remember reading it as a child and of course with my name being Carrie I hear about it all the time. Perhaps it is the first time I really thought about menstruation discussed in public. After all Carrie White is ridiculed by her classmates when she gets her first period in high school. But these days there is more discussion as well as some more issues. Just a year ago we were still experience supply chain issues with tampons and sanitary napkins. Twenty-six states tax menstrual products as a luxury tax! The supplies for the average period is said to cost $20. Some menstruators have to decide between food and menstrual products! (Source) Today I get to share with you a book released today that delves into some of these issues. It is called Code Red and is by Joy McCullough. It is recommended for ages 8 plus. 

Lovepop's Mother's Day Giveaway -- Make sure you enter!!

 

Disclosure: I will receive a small stipend for sharing this giveaway with you. All pictures of cards are from the Lovepop website.

Spring holidays are upon us. That means it is time to think about gifts and cards!! Do you look for the right card for each person? Are you looking for that special one that they will keep forever? Lovepop can help!! You may have heard of Lovepop on Shark Tank in 2015! 

My Home Filled with Love -- a Love Letter to Parents in a Picture Book with Gift/Card Craft Round-Up

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Tabletop Teaching LLC as part of the Blog Tour. I will receive a small stipend for this review.

Today we are sharing a fun new book that reads as a love letter to parents. It is meant to show kids and parents what a nurturing home looks like, however to me it is a love letter to the girls parents. The book is My Home Filled with Love by Desiree Blanchard and illustrated by Hayley Moore. This post includes a giveaway as well as a round-up of gifts and cards kids can make for their parents!

Museum of Lost Teeth -- Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Elyssa Friedland as part of the blog tour and will receive a small stipend for this post. All opinions are my own.

As a child did you ever wonder where the teeth go when the tooth fairy picks them up? I think it is a common thing to wonder about. That is until you find them hidden away in one of your parents' jewelry boxes or dresser. I mean what is a parent to do with all those baby teeth? I know I have Hazel's in my top dresser drawer, and I know my sisters and I found ours in my father's jewelry box. Where do you keep your children's lost teeth?

Needles the Forgotten Christmas Tree

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Foreword Publicity and will receive a small stipend for this post. 

What kind of Christmas tree do you have? Is it real or fake? How big is it? Christmas trees are something I have been discussing this year with my sisters since we spend the holidays at our house on Cape Cod and none of us actually live there. My sister decided to get and decorate a tree there again this year since she plans to spend New Year's there as well. To learn more about the history of Christmas trees be sure to check out this post and to learn about our tree traditions read here. Today I am going to share a wonderful picture book about the small Christmas tree that feels forgotten. The book is Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree by Richard Wagner and illustrated by Sydni Kruger. This book is being released in March of 2023 so it will be for next Christmas! I am including a round-up of Christmas tree crafts and there is a giveaway at the end!

Anything But Pink -- a fun picture book about accepting one's own true colors

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and J.C. Benthin and will receive a small stipend for this review. All opinions are my own.

What is your favorite color? Mine is pink. Would you want everything in your world to be your favorite color? I know I wouldn't. I don't even dress completely in pink ever. Today's book is about being a different color from everyone else. I will admit when I heard the title of the book, the first thought I had was of a baby girl. I remember getting a shower gift that was white with ladybugs. My friend who gave it to me said she got it so I would have something nonpink to put on my baby girl since everything for a baby girl is always pink. I figured the book would be about a girl who didn't like pink. I was very pleasantly surprised. This book is so much better than anything I was imagining. The book is Anything but Pink by J.C. Benthin and illustrated by Andy Catling. 

Anne Bradstreet: Poet, Pilgrim, Rebel #womenshistorymonth

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today we are continuing our celebration of Women's History Month. Today I am featuring Anne Bradstreet. She was the first American poet to be published! As I was doing my research and looking for children's books about her, I discovered Poet, Pilgrim, Rebel: The Story of Anne Bradstreet, America's First Published Poet by Katie Munday Williams and illustrated by Tania Rex. Sadly, I could not find a copy at our local library, but I was able to get a digital copy to review, so I get to share it with you!

Christmas during a World Pandemic

 

Merry Christmas to you and your family! This Christmas has been a strange one. It really hasn't felt like Christmas. We have had an unusually warm December. Then there is the threat of the new variant. I know people who traveled for the first time since December 2019 and others whose plans got completely ruined. This year seems even harder than last year when most of us were not vaccinated. Christmas 2020 we planned differently. We knew we needed to social distance and only have small gatherings. Our family split times with my parents. My sister who lives in Rhode Island, Hazel and I gathered at the Cape house and spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my parents. My sister and nephew from North Carolina came after Christmas to celebrate with my parents so we could not cross contaminate each other. I have not seen my sister and nephew since July 2020 when we visited them at the Cape and only stayed outside with them. 

Latinx Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Focus on Immigration

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for honest reviews. All opinions are my own.

Hispanic Heritage Month started September 15th and ends on Friday. I have four Latinx books to share with you this week in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Each book has its own focus and don't necessarily relate to one another besides having Latinx main characters, so I am going to share two of them today and two later in the week. The two today focus a bit on immigration. One is a more modern picture book and the other is a middle grades novel about a middle schooler immigrating from Cuba in the 1960s. We will start with the picture book. It is I Wish You Knew by Jackie Azúa Kramer and illustrated by Magdalena Mora. It is recommended for ages 4 to 7.