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Elementary School (K-5)

A sweet bond between grandparent and grandchild

Posted by Molly W on Mar 17, 2023
A review of Gigi and Ojiji by
Melissa
Iwai

Gigi's Ojiji, her grandpa, is coming from Japan to live with them and she could not be more excited. She has so many plans to do fun things together including playing tag, reading books and spending time with the family dog, Roscoe.  Unfortunately, things don't work out quite the way she imagined.

Finding a new home

Posted by Janelle C on Mar 17, 2023
Shirin
Shamsi

Azra and her family are having a regular evening when her father comes racing into their home, saying the whole family must leave immediately. Violence and turmoil have gotten out of control in their part of India because of colonial division wrought by the British. In their haste, they leave behind everything they own, including Azra's beloved doll, Gurya. Will she ever see her again? This story, suitable for elementary school children, sheds light on a time in Indian history that even parents and school teachers might not know a lot about.

A mostly good fourth-grader

Posted by Rebecca M on Feb 17, 2023
A review of The Best of Iggy by
Annie
Barrows

“All of us do things we wish we hadn’t done,” reads the first line of The Best of Iggy. Especially when we are 9 years old. Some things really aren’t so bad… we just wish we hadn’t gotten caught. Some things aren’t so bad… buuuuut we probably shouldn’t have taken things quite so far. But some things. Some things we just really really wish we hadn’t done. Iggy does all of these things, with all the hilarity you might expect. (This is a snort-laugh out loud while reading in public sort of book - be warned!)  But also with the humility and remorse that comes after.

Seeing the magic in each other

Posted by Molly W on Feb 16, 2023
A review of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn by
Shannon Hale and
Lueyen Pham

This adorable picture book series is about feeling like you are one thing when you may look like another. Kitty is sweet and little and fluffy and pink and feels like a unicorn. Nobody else thinks Kitty looks like a unicorn and this makes Kitty very sad. Until she meets a unicorn who thinks they look like a kitty! And so begins a friendship of mutual respect, understanding, and support about recognizing each other for who they are and seeing each other for what they want to be.

Also in this series:

What a wonder

Posted by Holly SP on Feb 14, 2023
A review of Where Wonder Grows by
Xelena González
Illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia

"When Grandma walks to her special garden, we know to follow.This is the place where wonder grows and stories blossom."

Celebrating love

Posted by Molly W on Jan 30, 2023
A review of Love, Violet by
written by Charlotte Sullivan Wild
and illustrated by Charlene Chua

As far as Violet was concerned,
only one person in her class raced like the wind.
Only one had a leaping laugh.
Only one made Violet's heart skip.

Pura Belpré Children’s Author Award winner

Posted by Molly W on Jan 30, 2023
A review of Frizzy by
Claribel A. Ortega
illustrated by Rose Bousamra 

Marlene spends every Sunday in a salon having her hair straightened in order to look presentable according to her Dominican mother's standards. Keeping her hair smooth requires her to avoid running around, sweating, and playing outside with the other kids. This makes Marlene miserable. The situation reaches a fever pitch at an older cousin's quinceañera where Marlene is taunted and berated for her wild behavior and unruly hair.

Music and memories

Posted by Abby R on Jan 20, 2023
A review of Holding On by
Sophia
Lee

Lola's house is always filled with music--as she says, "If you want to hold on, you gotta sing your songs"! When Lola starts to seem quieter, more uncertain, it's up to her granddaughter to help fill in the silences. This beautiful picture book features a young girl matter-of-factly supporting her grandmother through memory loss while reflecting on and continuing all the meaningful (and multi-sensory) experiences they have shared over the years.

Truth and consequences

Posted by Rebecca M on Jan 17, 2023

Unicorns, human bats, and two-legged beavers have been discovered on the moon!! Really? Well no… but I made you look? Sorry, librarians are supposed to be dispellers of fake news, not shouting ridiculous headlines for the sake of humor in their book reviews. But fake news is everywhere, and if you don’t have a handy, humorous librarian around to help identify truth from fiction - don’t despair! Elise Gravel’s hilarious new graphic novel for kids breaks it down into bite size, understandable concepts: What is fake news? Why do people spread it? How can it be dangerous?