School Library Journal has given a starred review to Go, Wilma, Go! (Bloomsbury) by Amira Rose Davis and Michael G. Long, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow.
The review says “Eye-catching mixed-media illustrations are equally thought-provoking, depicting Rudolph’s unwavering perseverance throughout her life ”
See the full review here
Go, Wilma, Go! will be published July 16, 2024. Pre order it here
School Library Journal has given a rave review to Waiting in the Wings (Little, Brown) by Julie Andrews, and Emma Walton Hamilton, illustrated by E.G. Keller.
Bookpage has given a starred review for Itty Bitty Betty Blob (Hippo Park) by Constance Lombardo, illustrated by Micah Player.
The review says “Constance Lombaro’s straightforward, sweetly witty prose will have readers rooting for Betty as well as nervously holding their breath on her behalf as she dares to embrace being different. Micah Player’s boldly drawn, emotion-infused illustrations expertly embody everything from Ghoultington Academy’s imposing gothic architecture to the puffs’ extreme cuteness and manic energy. There are a lot of fun little details for itty bitty bibliophiles to discover upon rereads too. Itty Bitty Betty Blob’s nicely balanced combination of humor, emotion and inspiration makes it an absolute treat of a read—a warm and wonderful reminder to celebrate our differences and dare to share joy with others.”
Here is more praise for Itty Bitty Betty Blob!
“Children will enjoy the humor…and will be heartened by Betty’s willingness to embrace what makes her different…A light touch delivers an increasingly common but important message.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A ‘sweet-tempered be-yourself’ tale.” —Publishers Weekly
“Itty Bitty Betty Blob is not your typical monster, being a small, round pink creature who loves rainbows, flowers, dancing, and singing…Most of the illustrations are in black, white, and gray, whereas Betty appears pink in several pictures. Humorous artwork reveals Betty’s body flattening out during sleep, shower time, and while sliding under a log in the forest. Youngsters will get a kick out of this latest tale about just being yourself.” —Booklist
Itty Bitty Betty Blob will be published June 6, 2024. Pre order it here
Poppy Harlow and Laura Jarrett, authors of The Color of Love (Viking), illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, appeared on NBC’s the Today Show, and New York Live, promoting the book, which publishes May 14.
See the videos here and here and here
Get the book here
Congratulations Elisa!
The Children’s Book Committee of Bank Street College of Education has released their list of The Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2024 Edtion, highlighting the best books of 2023.
Included on the list are:
How Do You Spell Unfair? (Candlewick) by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison
Baking with mi Abuelita (Random House) by Julissa Mora
Little Rosetta and the Talking Guitar (Doubleday) by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow
You So Black (Denene Millner Boos/Simon & Schuster) by Theresa the S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D., illustrated by London Ladd
Jump In! (Bloomsbury) by Shadra Strickland
Nesting Dolls (Crown) by Vanessa Brantley Newton
Beautiful Noise (Anne Schwartz Books) by Lisa Rogers, illustrated by Il Sung Na
Black Girls, A Celebration of You! (HarperCollins)by Dominique Furukawa, illustrated by Erika Lynn Jones
Not a Monster (Charlesbridge) by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, illustrated by Laura Gonzalez
Alphabuddies: G is First! (HarperCollins) by Beth Bacon and Karen Kane, illustrated by Eric Barclay
Unstoppable (Little Bees Books) by Michael G. Long, illustrated by Bea Jackson
Breaking to the Beat! (Lee & Low) by Linda J. Acevedo, illustrated by Frank Morrison
Abuela’s Super Capa (HarperCollins) by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
The CBC has announced the CBC Favorites Awards 2024 and several Painted Words artists are on the list!
Making the Children’s favorites list are:
How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee (Candlewick) by Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison
Loud Librarian (Simon & Schuster/Atheneum) Jenna Beatrice; illustrated by Erika Lynne Jones
Making the Teachers favorites list are:
Giraffe Math (Christy Ottaviano Books) by Stephen Swinburne; illustrated by Geraldo Valério
How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee (Candlewick) Carole Boston Weatherford; illustrated by Frank Morrison
Congratulations everyone!
See the full list here
From My Head to My Toes (Henry Holt) by Aly Raisman, illustrated by Bea Jackson has debuted at #7 on the New York Times Chidlren’s Books Best Seller list!
The book is a joyful ode to loving and caring for our bodies, from Olympic gold medalist and advocate Aly Raisman and bestselling artist Bea Jackson.
My body is my own.
My body is just right for me,
From my head to my toes
From My Head to My Toes gently introduces young readers to the topics of consent and bodily autonomy in a positive way. Cheerful and informative, this story focuses on the powerful message of self-love. Aly’s inspiring words are paired with expert-vetted resources, giving adults the tools to begin having these essential conversations with kids from a young age.
Get the book here
School Library Journal has given a glowing review to Freshman Year (Christy Ottaviano Books) by Sarah Mai. See the full review below!
This slice-of-life story follows Sarah, a recent high school graduate who is spending the summer before college in Minnesota, hanging out with her friends. Her boyfriend Ben tells her he loves her and wants to stay together even after she leaves for college. Unsure about a long-term relationship and about majoring in English, Sarah, who presents as white, spends the summer preoccupied, but tries to enjoy each moment. While her mom, who uses a wheelchair, helps her with moving into the dorms, she alerts Sarah to all the things that can go wrong as a college freshman, leaving Sarah feeling woefully uninformed. Luckily, her roommate, who is grounded and makes friends easily, brings Sarah along for college clubs and activities. Readers follow Sarah as she embarks on her freshman year in college: her classes are an intense blur, she tries veganism, bleaches and cuts her hair, and considers art school to cope with the stress. Eventually, Ben breaks up with her and Sarah spirals into self-doubt and depression, even with a new group of friends, including some boy interests. She eventually confides her existential worries to her mom and happily connects with her family and friends on her 19th birthday—her last teen year. A variety of story blocks make each page flow differently, and the grayscale art is realistic. College-bound high school readers will appreciate Sarah’s cluelessness, feelings of being overwhelmed, and existential self-searching with this stage of life. VERDICT A solid addition where realistic graphic fiction is in demand.Get the book here
All Aboard the Schooltrain: A Little Story from the Great Migration (Scholastic), by Glenda Armand and illustrated by Keisha Morris continues to earn accolades! It has been named to both the 2023 BCALA Best of the Best – Book List and the 2024 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books List.
Learn more about the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) annual “Best of the Best” book list here and view the full 2023 list here.
Learn more about the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC) and view the full list here.
Not A Monster (Charlesbridge) by Claudia Guadalupe Martínez, illustrated by Laura Gonzalez has received a Blueberry Honor for nonfiction picture books.
The Blueberry Award list has been curated by librarians, collection development managers, our city’s Sustainability Manager, our school’s sustainability manager, dedicated staff from the Evanston, Illinois Ecology Center, and early childhood development experts to assure parents, teacher and kids that these books are excellent and truthful, but in age-appropriate ways, designed to support delight first and group climate action second.
See the full list here
Get the book here