Museum Recs!

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm always keeping my eye out for picture books that feature Black kids going to different places especially places we don't always see them depicted in media. A few weeks ago when I was taking my niece to a museum for a Juneteenth celebration I thought about how important free events like that were so kids can visit these museums. Which then had me thinking about how you don't see many books featuring Black kids visiting museums. Which meant I had to use my library apps to do a little bit of digging to find some books.

Miss Edmonia's Class of Wildfires

Miss Edmonia (a nod to American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis) and her class of elementary aged WILDFIRES are spending the day at the art museum. Follow Kara-Clementine and Attilio as they explore the museum's collection and discover the character traits that make them special.

Museum Mix-Up

J.C. can't wait for his class field trip to the Famous Black Americans Museum. Even better, Dad is coming too--as a chaperone. But then J.C.'s group gets separated from the rest of the class. Can J.C. help save the day and find his classmates?

The Noisy Classroom Goes to the Museum

Ms. Johnson is a bit, well, odd. So when she announces she’s taking the class on a field trip to the natural history museum, one young girl can’t help but worry. Everyone at school already knows Ms. Johnson, but what will strangers think of her? As the day of the field trip draws nearer, the girl and her friends decide to hatch a plan for their teacher’s sake.

Malola's Museum Adventures : Career Day

When Malola is tasked with sharing with her class what she wants to be when she grows up, she runs to the one place she knows will help her—her favorite room in her favorite museum. But when she asks her favorite paintings what she should be when she grows up, she doesn’t expect them to come to life and take her on a journey to find the answer!

Follow Malola as she travels through a magical exhibit of paintings and learns about the many inspirational women who came before her, paving the way for her to be anything and everything she wants to be.

Ana & Andrew: A Day at the Museum

Ana & Andrew are excited when Grandma comes to stay. During her visit, the family tours the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture and learns about important African American achievements.

Earth Day Book Recommendations

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Earth Day is right around the corner and I am all for talking about respecting the Earth from a young age. For Easter I gave all the young children in my family their own grow kits so they can try growing something of their own. I wanted to recommend some children's books that features kids caring about the Earth.

Zandi's Song

Zandi was always thinking and dreaming about the ocean. Then, one special day, the ocean calls for her. Zandi tentatively approaches the water—and that’s when her adventure begins! She soon finds herself transformed into a mermaid and on an unforgettable underwater journey, where she hears the song of the ocean.

But there is something threatening this magical world. Is the key to protecting it buried in stories from the past? Join Zandi in her mission to protect our beloved oceans, in this inspiring story written by South Africa’s first Black female free diving instructor.

Mermaid Kenzie: Protector of the Deeps

When Kenzie slips on her mermaid tail, she becomes Mermaid Kenzie, protector of the deeps. One day as Kenzie snorkels around a shipwreck, she discovers more plastic bags than fish. Grabbing her spear and mermaid net, she begins to clean up the water and the shore--inspiring other kids to help. 

Miguel’s Community Garden

Miguel is throwing a party at his community garden for all of his friends, and he needs help searching for sunflowers to complete the celebration. What do we know about sunflowers? They're tall with petals and leaves—and, hold on, is that a sunflower? No, that's an artichoke. Where, oh, where could those sunflowers be? Can you help Miguel find them in time for his party?

Jayden’s Impossible Garden 

Amidst all the buildings, people, and traffic in his neighborhood, Jayden sees nature everywhere: the squirrels scrounging, the cardinals calling, and the dandelions growing. But Mama doesn’t believe there’s nature in the city. So Jayden sets out to help Mama see what he sees. With the help of his friend Mr. Curtis, Jayden plants the seeds of a community garden and brings together his neighbors—and Mama—to show them the magic of nature in the middle of the city.

Rocket Says Clean Up!

Rocket, is off to the islands to visit her grandparents. Her family loves nothing better than to beach comb and surf together...but the beach is clogged with trash! When she finds a turtle tangled in a net, Rocket decides that something must be done! Like a mini Greta Thunberg, our young activist's enthusiasm brings everyone together...to clean up the beach and prevent plastics from spoiling nature. 

Earthbred: This Light Of Mine

We all have special ways of being, thinking, feeling and doing that help to make you, YOU!

Emi loves her special connection to the earth, but learns to hide her skills after being teased at school. Can she learn how to learn to let it go? Will she learn how to celebrate her own unique talents before it’s too late for her garden?

Sadiq and the Community Garden

On the way to the library, Sadiq and his family pass an empty lot in their neighborhood. It looks like it could use some attention. Sadiq and his brothers and sisters come up with ideas for what the lot could be. A playground? A skatepark? Then a science unit about plants at school gives Sadiq and Hooyo another idea--a community garden! But where to begin? And how to get people involved? It's up to Sadiq and his classmates to "dig in" and make the community garden a success!

As the Seas Rise: Nicole Hernández Hammer and the Fight for Climate Justice

This inspiring picture book biography introduces environmental scientist Nicole Hernández Hammer, who was recognized by former first lady Michelle Obama at the 2015 State of the Union Address for her efforts to partner with vulnerable communities threatened by climate change.

Nicole had seen many sides of nature,

but nature was changing.

The climate was changing.

Bigger storms were brewing,

and she wanted to know why.

As a baby, Nicole survived an earthquake in Guatemala. She grew up in Guatemala’s beautiful jungles. Throughout her life, Nicole witnessed the power and wonder of nature. But she soon realized nature was in trouble. Her own community in Florida was struggling. And everyone needed to become resilient.

Chapter Book Recommendations for the Reluctant Reader

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I've been reading more chapter books lately in an effort to help my niece discover new books. She enjoys reading picture books but I'm trying to get her to expand her horizons a little bit and get her to read longer books. I've discovered some gems along the way and I thought with summer coming up it would be helpful to parents or guardians who are looking to add to their child's reading list.

Home for Meow

The Home for Meow series by Reese Eschmann is a cute and cuddly series taking place at a family run cat café. The First book in the series is The Purrfect Show

Kira Parker lives above The Purrfect Cup, the cat café that her family owns and runs. Every day is a new adventure with her cat friends! Except lately, The King County Dog Show seems to be the only thing the regulars can talk about!

Kira doesn’t get why everyone is so excited. After all, her cat friends are much smarter and more talented than those dogs. Then Kira has a GREAT IDEA -- she’s going to train the cats, and enter them in the competition. It’s sure to be her best plan yet!

Future Hero

This series is actually a collaborative effort. Remi Black wood consists of Chiemeka Nicely, Isaac Hamilton-McKenzie, and Jasmine Richards. I love that series starts in the UK in a Black British community. And the hero the fantasy world within the story is a Black boy. The first book in the series is Future Hero. 

Jarell has never quite known where he belongs. He’s ignored at home and teased at school for wanting to draw instead of playing sports with the other boys. The only place he’s ever felt truly at ease is his local barbershop where the owner hangs Jarell’s art up on the walls.

When Jarell discovers a hidden portal in the barbershop, he’s transported to a magical world that’s unlike anything he’s seen before. But it’s not just the powerful gods and dangerous creatures that makes this world different―it’s that everyone believes Jarell is the hero they’ve been waiting for.

Wednesday and Woof

This is a great series for reluctant readers and I liked that it included markers throughout to stop and give them praise for reading a certain wordcount or indicate how many pages are left in the story. Walia aka Wednesday has juvenile arthritis but she doesn't let it stop her from doing what she wants to do even if she has to make sure she doesn't over exert herself. The first book in the series is called Catastrophe. 

Can Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, sniff out Mrs. Winter’s missing cat before her big trip? This is the first book of a fun full-color early chapter book series about the best detectives in the Midwest!

Detective Tip #1 Try not to jump to conclusions. Wednesday and her service dog, Woof, are the best detectives in the whole world—or at least their neighborhood. But can they find Mrs. Winters’s missing cat before her big trip? Or will the case of the cat-napped kitty be their first unsolved mystery? 

Abby in Orbit

This series follows a young girl named Abby who has recently started living on the International Space Station with her family and is still getting adjusted to her new life. I like how this series includes science but in an approachable way without using too much jargon for young readers. The first book in the series is Blast Off. 

As Abby gets used to life in space, can she keep the things that are most important to her from drifting away?

It's the first day of third grade, and Abby Baxter is determined not to make any mistakes. It's a little trickier than it was last year, though, because Abby is starting school on the OASIS International Space Station, where her parents are scientists. Abby is so focused on getting used to microgravity, watching her little brother, Nico, and meeting her new classmates that she almost messes up Mami’s big experiment. Can she figure out how to make things right, or is she destined to be sent back to Earth?

Bo at the Buzz

This is a great series for the kids who just started reading on their own. It follows a little boy named Bo whose grandfather owns a barbershop called the Buzz. It's a very good introduction to chapter books with full color illustrations and a short length. There's also not enough books out there for little Black boys to relate to so this is a series they can see themselves in. You can start with Bo and the Basketball Game. 

Bo wants to be the star of his basketball team. But his friend plays better than him during practice. Follow Bo as he learns about being a team player and having fun playing the sport.

Bo’s life is always buzzing. And not just because he lives upstairs from The Buzz, a barbershop. Young readers will love following Bo’s daily life and adventures in these early chapter books.

Spooky Sleuths

This spooky chapter book series is based on ghost stories from Guyana. The Ghost Tree is the first book in this series. 

Asim's new town is freaking him out! There are weird noises at night, eerie lights, and now an evil tree that is growing way faster than it should. he's sure there's something supernatural going on.

His friend Rokshar believes that everything can be explained by science. But even she's worried when the tree takes control of their teacher! It's starting to look like an evil spirit straight out of Guyanese folklore is to blame. Can Asim and his friends save their teacher--and the town--from the ghost tree?

 

Isla of Adventure

This is a story set on a fictional Caribbean island with a little girl who has the power to talk to animals and explores the island having adventures. The adventures begin in Welcome to the Island.

Welcome to the adventurous island of Sol! For eight-year-old Isla Verde, Sol is the perfect place to live. The sun shines bright, the markets brim with delicious food and music, there are animal friends around every corner, and her best gecko buddy, Fitz, is up for almost every adventure!

Yes, Isla’s best friend is a gecko. In fact, that’s part of her big secret…she can speak to animals—and they speak right back! No one else knows about her special talent, not even Mama, Abuelo, or Abuela! But when new girl Tora moves in next door, Isla starts finding it harder to keep her secret under wraps.

Zara's Rules

A young Muslim girl named Zara is the self proclaimed Queen of the Neighborhood is always looking for ways to maximize fun with friends. The first book in the series is Zara's Rules for Record-Breaking Fun.

Meet Zara Saleem, the queen of the neighborhood.

Zara’s in charge of it all: she organizes the games, picks the teams, and makes sure everyone has a good time…and they always do.

When a new family moves in across the street, suddenly Zara’​s reign is threatened by Naomi, who has big ideas of her own about how the neighborhood kids can have fun. To get everyone to notice her again, Zara decides she’s going to break a Guinness World Record—if her little brother Zayd doesn’t mess things up.

But when she finds herself increasingly alone in her record-breaking quest, Zara starts to wonder if sharing the crown and making a new friend might end up being the best rule of all.

Picture Book Roundup

Welcome Back Booklovers! Today I thought it would be a good idea to do a blog post about recent picture books I read for review. I'm always discovering new picture books and I don't always post about them here because my reviews are usually just few sentences. But these are books I think people need to hear about.

Ballet With Heart: Written by Emily Joof, Illustrated by Sawyer Cloud

This is a fun story about a brother and sister who start ballet classes for the first time. It's also filled with some extras about ballet dancers of color and inclusive ballet houses. 

The Together Tree: Written by Aisha Saeed, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham 

A picture book that tells children about the power they have to stand up against intolerance and making a classmate who's different feel welcome.

Fudgesicle: Written by Tinee Furbert, Illustrated by Gherdai Hassell

Novi's mother tells her about all the varying shades of brown within their family and neighborhood by relating them to the sweet treats at the local ice cream shop. Also features locations familiar to Bermuda. 

Platanos Go With Everything: Written by Lissette Norman, Illustrated by Sara Palacios

A Dominican family shows their love through food in this ode to platanos!

Babajoon's Treasure: Written by Farnaz Esnaashari, Illustrated by Nabi H. Ali 

A girl spends the day with her grandfather. While they go around town she sees him speak a different language, collect treasures, use special coins an assumes he must be a pirate.

The Ocean Lives There by M.J. Fievre

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's always exciting to discover more indie publishers putting out amazing stories and Mango Publishing is doing just that. They sent me The Ocean Lives There by M.J. Fievre, so let's dive in!

The artwork is both beautiful and nostalgic, blending bright colors together to bring this story alive. Imane is curious about what's behind the door inside their house that momma always keeps locked. Behind the door is a world she feels so familiar with that holds a large piece of her mother's heart. Inane is transported from Miami to Haiti where they ride the multicolored tap-tap bus, gather shells on the beach, and drink fresh coconut water. It shows the side of Haiti that we don't really see portrayed in the media.

This is a great story for Caribbean diaspora children especially those who are not able to frequently visit the islands. I could easily see this story being taught in schools. It felt like a story that belongs in a school anthology.

Also I wanted to highlight that this picture book is more affordable than some of the ones on the market, has a lot more pages, and dialogue! There's more than a line or two on page and the story feels whole. You see the relationship between a Black mother and her child on full display. Definitely a must add to your child's shelf!

When the World Turned Upside Down by K. Ibura

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It has been a crazy two years and I feel like as an essential worker I've been going going going and haven't had much time to sit down and reflect on everything that's happened. I know there's been some anthologies about lockdown they released in 2020 and beyond and people have mixed opinions about them. This is the first story I've read really tackling the pandemic. I received a finished copy from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows four different children during the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. It's not easy making 4 different characters each sound unique and fleshing out their family dynamics but K. Ibura does a great job here. Taking care of younger siblings, dealing with a depressed parent, helping elderly neighbors, dealing with fighting parents, and processing anxiety were just a few of the issues this story tackles.

When the world shut down in March 2020, my world never shut down. While I heard about the kids struggling with online school I never stopped to think about how much they had to process with everything else going on. These children were at least lucky enough to have each other since they live in an apartment building even though they had to take precautions while interacting with each other. It also brought me back to just how little we knew about this virus back then which only added to the terror at the time. 

I liked that this book had the kids trying to help out in their local community. Social Justice is more than just issues of racial injustice and I feel like sometimes in stories aimed at Black kids there's a hyper focus on that. Of course it's impossible to tell a story about the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and not mention the impact of George Floyd's death. So that is mentioned here with care. I never watched the video, I refused to. But the news was everyone and it was sparking major conversations. This story shows it through the eyes of children who are having uneasy conversations with their parents. The kids have been really processing a lot and we don't give them enough credit. 

Books to Check out During UK Black History Month

 

Welcome Back, Booklovers! October is Black History Month for my friends across the pond and during the past 2 years I've been making a conscious effort to include Black British stories on my TBR. I know often the UK gets lumped in with the US during discussion but let's be honest many people haven't read a book by a Black British author outside of Queenie, Love in Colour or The Brown Sisters trilogy.  I also encourage you to read at least one book for Black Britathon hosted by heroinescorner. 

I've been meaning to read If I Don't Have You since I bought it over a year ago so this month I'm going to find a way to squeeze it in. 

Afro-Brazilian filmmaker Ren is recovering from a romantic betrayal. Kayla is a Black British artist and journalist keen to make her mark. Thrown together during a string of interviews in New York for Ren's latest film, they’re struck by an irresistible attraction. The two surrender to one night of searing honesty and passion, which leaves them with more questions than answers about the future. With secrets lurking between them, letting their romance continue could upend the separate lives Ren and Kayla have so carefully built. But can they really risk losing their miraculous connection?

While not one of my favorites it felt distinctly British and if you liked West Side Story you might enjoy this quick read, Notting Hill Carnival: A Westside Story.

Sapphire is the hot-headed leader of the Red Roses in an area where gang loyalty is all that matters. But after a tragic event, Sapphire vows to leave her old life, friends and her gang behind. Life without the Red Roses and the violence that always followed them is certainly quieter.

When she meets a boy called Apollo on her way to Notting Hill Carnival, she forms an instant bond with him. She thinks he could be the one. Until she discovers he's a member of rival gang, the Gold Teeth. Will she ever escape her past with the Red Roses, and how many lives will be ruined until she does?

Do You Dream Of Terra-Two? is a very character driven sci-fi about a group of young people prepping for a 20+ year journey into space. 

A century ago, an astronomer discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star. She predicted that one day humans would travel there to build a utopia. Today, ten astronauts are leaving everything behind to find it. Four are veterans of the twentieth century’s space-race.

And six are teenagers who’ve trained for this mission most of their lives.

It will take the team twenty-three years to reach Terra-Two. Twenty-three years locked in close quarters. Twenty-three years with no one to rely on but each other. Twenty-three years with no rescue possible, should something go wrong.

And something always goes wrong.

This space opera is actually releasing this month by acclaimed author Tade Thompson. Far from the Light of Heaven is already getting a lot of praise. 

The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having traveled light-years to bring one thousand sleeping souls to a new home among the stars. But when first mate Michelle Campion rouses, she discovers some of the sleepers will never wake.

Answering Campion’s distress call, investigator Rasheed Fin is tasked with finding out who is responsible for these deaths. Soon a sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel, one that will have repercussions for the entire system—from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet Bloodroot, to other far-flung systems, and indeed to Earth itself.

I started this one and I like what I've read so far but had to shelve it for when I'm in more of a high fantasy mood. 

A sibling rivalry to fuel your worst nightmares. The dysfunctional triplet gods of Sleep, Dreams and Nightmares Theo, Fanta, and Tores are kept separate by the deadly Gates of Horn and Ivory. Only one fact keeps them tightly bound: each of them is a suspect in their mother s murder. Their knife-edge feud worsens when a mortal enters the world with astounding abilities that threaten to change the game for them all. In this thrilling young adult fantasy, Ashaye Brown brings to life a visionary world infused with Kenyan, Brazilian, Caribbean, and Grecian cultural references. A story like no other with stakes as high as they come.

We can't talk about Black British history without mentioning the Windrush Generation has made on society. The Place for Me: Stories About the Windrush Generation sheds a light on that history.

With a foreword from Baroness Floella Benjamin, DBE.

This book presents 12 moving tales of sacrifice and bravery, inspired by first-hand accounts of the Windrush generation. 

I read When Life Gives You Mangos last year and it was a good book about a close knit island community with an unexpected twist.

A small village on a Jamaican island. 

A girl who doesn't remember the previous summer. 

A best friend who is no longer acting like one; a new girl who fills that hole in her heart. 

A summer of finding fallen mangos, creating made up games and dancing in the rain. 

Secrets she keeps from others...and herself.

The courage to face the truth even in the toughest of storms.