January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Interview with Dean Robbins

About the Holiday

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates the life and legacy of the man who dedicated his life and work to teaching—as Coretta Scott King once stated—“the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service” and who led a non-violent Civil Rights movement to enact racial equality and justice through state and federal laws. President Ronald Reagan created the national holiday in 1983, setting it on the third Monday of January to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on January 15. To commemorate the holiday, learn more about the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. We still have a long way to go before there is true justice and equality for all, and it’s more important now than ever to look for ways to offer help and hope.

Thank you to Scholastic Press for sharing a copy of You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. with me. All opinions on the book are my own.

You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Written by Dean Robbins | Illustrated by Anastasia Magloire Williams

Opening the cover to this visually engaging biography, readers are first introduced to Martin Luther King, Jr. as he stands at a podium on August 28, 1963 ready to address the throngs of people who had joined the March on Washington and now filled the National Mall. He wonders if he’s prepared the right words to offer hope for a better future. His thoughts take him back to when he first experienced discrimination, and readers follow along, learning about segregation in schools, restaurants, recreation areas, even at drinking fountains.

Kids learn that even when Martin Luther King, Jr. was their age he was already thinking that “someone had to change these unfair rules” and deciding “Why not me?” Through the book’s first-person narration, children gain a close portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a committed intellectual, believer in the foundations of America, and outspoken advocate for equal rights. They learn of his life as a minister, his work with Rosa Parks and others to end discrimination on public busses, and his adoption of nonviolent protests to affect change.

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Image copyright Anastasia Magloire Williams, 2025, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2025. courtesy of Scholastic Press.

Readers come to understand how success in Montgomery spurred Martin Luther King, Jr. and others to work toward ending segregation in other places—like stores and restaurants—and even to “challenge American leaders to make a national law against segregation.” They learn how Martin Luther King, Jr. ended up in jail in Birmingham, Alabama, after a peaceful protest and wrote a letter to the world about oppression. Kids also hear about the Children’s March, which took place at the same time and during which more than 2,000 children were also arrested.

Returning to the March on Washington, Dr. King decides to abandon his written speech and talk from his heart. The result is his now-famous “I have a dream” speech. Following this gathering of 250,000 people and more calls for a national law against segregation from around the country, Dr. King reveals that “In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights act.” But even then Dr. King says, “I knew we had more work to do. Many places still had rules to keep Black people from voting.”

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Image copyright Anastasia Magloire Williams, 2025, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2025. courtesy of Scholastic Press.

Another peaceful march was planned for Selma, Alabama, with a 50-mile march to Montgomery. This time, however, Alabama’s governor send troops to attack the marchers. The participants were not intimidated, though, and even invited more Americans to join them. Thousands answered the call. “Maids, students, and movie stars. Parents pushing baby carriages. People on canes and crutches.” Five days later, they reached Montgomery. “The Selma protest was our movement’s greatest victory,” Dr. King tells readers. “It led to a national voting rights law!”

Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds readers, though, that there’s still more to do to “see the good in one another,” “live with each other in peace,” “join together and change the world with love,” and “make my dream come true.”

Beneath the narration of Dr. King’s story, a comic-style panel highlights a single talking point, event, or fact—such as during the Montgomery bus boycott, one man “rode to work on a mule”—often with a light-hearted approach. On the righthand page, Robbins defines concepts such as nonviolent protests, boycotts, freedom of speech, protest songs, the Children’s March, polling place intimidation, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in easily understood language.

Extensive back matter includes an Author’s Note, how children can “Be Like Martin,” notable quotations by Martin Luther King, Jr., four types of Nonviolent civil rights protests, a brief timeline of Dr. King’s life from his birth on January 15, 1929 to 2011, when the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC. Also included are a glossary of important terms and a list of resources.

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Image copyright Anastasia Magloire Williams, 2025, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2025. courtesy of Scholastic Press.

Dean Robbins’ immediately welcoming and dynamic first-person narration style not only draws young readers into Martin Luther King’s life and the history of the Civil Rights Movement, but makes children feel that they have a personal connection with Dr. King’s legacy. Robbin’s clear, factual writing, is presented in short, separated sentences. These make it easy for children to digest and understand King’s nonviolent approach to protest as well as the social and legal issues of the time and how, unfortunately, vigilance is still needed today. Robbins ends on a note of hope and an invitation to readers to join others and use their talents to help make Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream come true.

Accompanying Robbins’ text are Anastasia Magloire Williams’ compelling illustrations that are at once realistic and accessible for today’s visual learners. Her stirring depiction of Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at the 1963 March on Washington sets the tone for children to discover the impact King has had on people’s hearts, minds, and actions for more than 60 years. Through Williams’ expressive portraits, children see Martin Luther King, Jr.’s commitment to studying, practice, and rallying support as well as the effects of segregation, the determination of protestors during the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, and how people from all parts of society working together created—and can still bring about—much-needed change.

With its graphic-style illustrations and well-researched content, You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. is vibrant and captivating. The book offers exhilarating learning opportunities for individuals, classrooms, and homeschoolers and may spark extended study or activism for a favorite cause. It is highly recommended for home bookshelves and a must for school and library collections.

Ages 5 – 7 and up

Scholastic Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1338895100

Meet Dean Robbins

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Photo credit David Giroux

Dean Robbins is a journalist and the author of the children’s picture books Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing, and Miss Paul and the President: The Creative Campaign for Women’s Right to Vote. His award-winning books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews and have been praised in the New York Times and USA Today. Dean grew up idolizing Apollo astronauts and loved working with Alan Bean on The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon. Learn more at deanrobbins.net.

Hi Dean! I’m thrilled to be talking with you today about your latest book, the impact heroes have always had on your life, and the importance of having heroes for children.

This biography about Martin Luther King, Jr. joins your You Are a Star series that began in 2022 with the story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Other inspirational figures in the series are Jane Goodall and Malala Yousafzai. Can you discuss a little about how this series came to be and how you choose the subjects?

My passion is writing about my personal heroes, some of whom are relatively unknown and whose stories I can share with children for the first time. But then there are those like Jane Goodall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Malala Yousafzai who are widely admired and frequently represented in children’s books. I developed the You Are a Star series with Scholastic to present such iconic figures in a new way for young readers, striving to combine emotional storytelling and humor. Each title tells an exciting life story from the subject’s point of view, including anecdotes and quirky details that don’t appear in other picture-book biographies. I hope this approach makes Jane, Ruth, and Malala feel like human beings that kids can relate to rather than like distant statues on Mount Rushmore.

In You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr., you so clearly present and connect the pivotal moments in King’s life as well as the Civil Rights Movement so children can understand and even feel as if they know Martin Luther King, Jr. How did you approach writing this biography? What kind of research did you do? What was the most meaningful part of the research and writing for you?

It’s a challenging subject to write about for elementary school students—that is, to write about both clearly and entertainingly. I tried to explain such important ideas as desegregation, free speech, and civil disobedience while also telling a page-turning story that, while concise, does justice to Dr. King’s life and work. I’m so glad you think I pulled it off! As a journalist, I love to do research, so the best part was immersing myself in the extensive literature on the civil rights movement to find material that might surprise and delight young readers.

As a library assistant in the children’s department of my local library, I see how excited kids are to read graphic novels. I love the way the format of the You Are a Star series bridges traditional picture books with that of the graphic style. Can you talk about the design of this striking series, and especially about Anastasia Magloire Williams’ dynamic illustrations in this book?

The format is what allows me to have so much fun with You Are a Star. It features a main story that flows throughout the book, supplemented by a two-panel comic and an essential-fact sidebar on each spread. The comics and sidebars offer the chance to introduce key concepts and funny details without bogging down the narrative.

As you noted, the format also provides a showcase for Anastasia’s brilliant illustrations. She artfully combines poignant and playful images, making Dr. King and his movement come alive on the page. She also has a genius for visualizing abstract ideas so that kids can understand them and feel their power. In one of the sidebars, for example, I introduce Dr. King’s comment that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” How on earth do you illustrate such a thing? Anastasia’s creative solution was to show Black and white hands building a wall together, with bricks marked “Justice,” “Equality,” “Unity,” “Change,” “Love,” “Peace,” and “Freedom.” What a lovely way to help children grasp Dr. King’s humane vision.

You’ve talked about the wide range of heroes you had as a child, from sports stars to early social and political reformers. Some of these are represented in the books you’ve written, but could you name some others? What do you think it was about them and yourself that drew you to these specific people?

Ever since I read Superman and Wonder Woman comics as a child, I’ve been attracted to those who overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to make the world a better place. And how thrilling is it that our world has real-life analogues to Superman and Wonder Woman? I hope I live long enough to publish a children’s book about every heroic figure whose picture hangs on my office wall, ranging from Jackie Robinson to Emily Dickinson to Louis Armstrong.

Why do you think it’s important for children to have heroes?

Someone has to demonstrate the best that human beings are capable of, right? Especially when we’re so often confronted with the worst. The more kids who grow up to be like Dr. King, the better our world will be. In the back matter of You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. is a list of tips titled “Be Like Martin,” which I hope will facilitate this process!

I’ve read that you relish traveling to historical sites. Which place is your favorite or made the biggest impact on you and why?

One of the most stirring places I’ve seen is Susan B. Anthony’s house in Rochester, New York. On my tour of this national historic landmark, the guide pointed out the parlor where Susan would have tea with her neighbor and fellow activist Frederick Douglass. It was news to me that Anthony and Douglass socialized in this way, and I was moved by the idea of two titanic reformers humbly sipping tea while sharing their hopes and dreams. The experience inspired me to write my Scholastic picture book Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.

Not only has your life included careers as a K–12 school teacher, a journalist, and an author, but you also present fascinating pieces about famous people—from Houdini to Theodore Roosevelt to Harrison Ford to a full stadium’s worth of musicians and sports stars—and their connection to Wisconsin on Public Radio. How did this collaboration come about? Could you take readers through a bit of your process in writing and recording the segments?

It’s yet another way to spread the word about my heroes, and I like doing so in a different medium—one with sound effects! I’ve included some of these pieces in a book of essays that will be published in April by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me offers my perspective on heroic figures with often surprising connections to Wisconsin, including Oprah Winfrey, Duke Ellington, and Georgia O’Keeffe. It makes the case for Wisconsin as a notably influential place: a crossroads for people who transformed the world.

What do you enjoy most about being a children’s author?

When kids tell me that one of my heroes has now become one of their heroes. I can’t begin to describe how gratifying that is.

As a former teacher, you must love going to schools for presentations. From the photos on your website, it looks like you and the kids have a fantastic time! Could you describe what your presentations are like?

My own child has inspired much of my writing but is now 28 years old, so these days I visit schools to hang out with my favorite demographic. With their curiosity and enthusiasm, elementary school kids never fail to restore my hope for the world. The presentations are geared toward maximum interaction so we can get to know each other. I joke, read, ask questions, and give them lots of chances to clap and shout things out. I tell them about my favorite heroes, and they tell me about theirs.

What’s up next for you?

Next year, Scholastic will publish a book about another one of my heroes: Albert Einstein. The Genius Next Door is based on a little-known true story that, I hope, will make Einstein seem relatable and math seem fun!

Thanks so much for sharing your insight and some background on your wonderful You Are a Star series. I wish you all the best with this book and am looking forward The Genius Next Door.

Look for the rest of the books in the You Are a Star series!

You can visit Dean Robbins on his website at deanrobbins.net | Instagram | X

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activity

Students and kids at home will enjoy spending time with these fun and thought-provoking printable activities about Martin Luther King, Jr. from A Day in Our Shoes.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Activity Pack

You can purchase You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. at these booksellers

Mystery to Me (Dean Robbins’ hometown independent bookstore)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

October 24 – National Food Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 2011 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, National Food Day aims to raise awareness of nutrition issues and encourage people to “Eat Real.” Eating real means “cutting back on sugary drinks, overly salted packaged foods and fatty, factory-farmed meats in favor of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and sustainably raised protein.” Prominent food activists help people discover where they can find food that is healthy and affordable. Another goal is to promote food production that is mindful of the environment, farm animals, and farmers. The efforts of National Food Day continue year round and culminate on October 24 with special events.

Thanks to Astra Young Readers for sharing a copy of The Most Perfect Persimmon with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

The Most Perfect Persimmon

By Hannah Chung

When Joo Hong gazed at the persimmons growing on the tree in her backyard, she saw the full moon, the glowing sun—perfection. She picked one, wanting to give it to her grandma, but her mother told her, Grandma’s visit was weeks away. Joo Hong wanted to taste that persimmon now, but when she took a bite, she discovered that the fruit wasn’t ripe yet. She decided to help the persimmon tree along by watering it, wrapping its trunk in a warm blanket on cool nights, and shooing away the magpies. At last they were ready.

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This time when Joo Hong tasted one, it was “shiny on the outside. Soft and sweet on the inside. They were so perfect!” Joo Hong couldn’t wait to serve them to Grandma. But she would have to. Grandma’s visit was still a week away. It was so hard for Joo Hong to wait. But the persimmons were not waiting. They “got redder and started to show wrinkles. Some even had brown spots.” Joo Hong was upset even though her mother tried to reassure her that they were just ripening. Joo Hong hid the boxes of fruit from the sun and kept her cat away, but “the persimmons kept changing.”

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By the time Grandma arrived, the persimmons “were no longer perfect.” Joo Hong held out her gift with tears in her eyes. “Grandma Gave Joo Hong a big, warm hug” then took the fruit, peeled the skin, and gave Joo Hong a spoon. Joo Hong tasted it. It was delicious! Grandma smiled. “‘A persimmon becomes a hongshi with lots of love and care over time,'” she said, then exclaimed it was the best persimmon she’d ever eaten. Joo Hong was so excited that she gave a persimmon to her cat and even to the magpie. Then she and her mother and Grandma set out a picnic on this perfect day and enjoyed hongshis all afternoon.

An Author’s Note reveals Hannah Chung’s homegrown inspiration for her story.

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In her delightful and poignant debut picture book, Hannah Chung captures all the emotions of a young child with a big heart planning a special surprise for a beloved family member. From Joo Hong’s impatience for Grandma to arrive to her determination to ensure the persimmons are perfectly ripe to her tangled feelings and disappointed tears when Grandma does arrive and Grandma’s tender reassurances, Chung hits all the right notes, creating a story that kids and adults will love sharing and bond over.

Chung’s easy-to-understand, straightforward storytelling flows naturally and at a quick pace while also allowing readers to empathize with Joo Hong’s anticipation. In her bright, uncluttered illustrations Joo Hong’s facial expressions clearly show her changing feelings and make it simple for even the youngest children to understand how important the persimmon and Grandma are to Joo Hong. The relationships between Joo Hong, her mother, and her grandmother are sweet and tenderly drawn.

A perfect read aloud for story times as well as for bedtime, The Most Perfect Persimmon is a book that will be asked for often and is highly recommended for home, public library, and school library bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 8

Astra Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-1662620843

About the Author/Illustrator

Hannah Chung is an award-winning designer and entrepreneur in health care design for young patients. She is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and has presented at numerous conferences including TEDx and SXSW. Hannah spends her time both in Providence, Rhode Island, and Seoul, South Korea.

National Food Day Activity

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Shop the Farmers Market Maze

It’s a perfect day to visit the farmers market! Find your way through the stalls to enjoy all the delicious food!

Shop the Farmers Market Maze with no colored border | Shop the Farmers Market Maze with colored border

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You can purchase The Perfect Persimmon at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

January 5 – Blog Tour Stop for Everybody Counts!

Posted by Kath Carroll

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I’d like to thank Matt Forrest Esenwine for sharing a digital copy of Everybody Counts! with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Everybody Counts!

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Emma Graham

Children are invited to a lively international food festival in this rhyming and educational book that introduces readers to twelve nationalities through their cardinal numbers from 1 to 10 and a favorite dish that kids will be eager to try. As they visit each “booth,” readers learn about the ingredients and how each meal is made and meet an animal commonly found in each country. Along the way, they also gain a sprinkling of history, traditions, and information on the featured language. Kids even discover which number is considered the luckiest in China and why.

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Image copyright Emma Graham, 2023, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2023. Courtesy of The Little Fig.

With a verse that plays on the idea of counting, Matt Forrest Esenwine starts off his world tour by prompting readers to look not only for the special attributes of each animal and their country but for those inside themselves and in those around them too: “Everyone is helpful, / in large or small amounts. / Everybody matters. / Everybody counts!” The enthusiasm in these words carry over onto each page spread, which includes a deliciously descriptive rhyming verse, a charming paragraph of explanatory text, and a row of numbers along the bottom, presented in their written form and how each is spelled in the particular language.

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Image copyright Emma Graham, 2023, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2023. Courtesy of The Little Fig.

Emma Graham immediately captivates readers with her vibrant opening spread that frames Esenwine’s introductory verse with a series of beautifully patterned plates representing the countries found within the book’s pages. With a page turn, kids are invited into the festival to meet some of the excited participants as they chat with their neighbors and show off their dishes. Graham packs her pages with personality, adorable animals, images of ingredients, and symbols, patterns, landscapes, and colors that give kids plenty to talk about and to jumpstart research projects or new recipes to try.

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Image copyright Emma Graham, 2023, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2023. Courtesy of The Little Fig.

The multifaceted approach of Everybody Counts! is sure to engage kids in many ways—from feeling pride in their own heritage to the sense of accomplishment in learning to count in another language to wanting to try new tastes and foods. For teachers, homeschoolers, parents, and other adults, the book provides an enticing way to introduce geography, language learning, math, and even art lessons. The book’s familiar frame of an international festival can also spark ideas for events in classrooms, schools, and extracurricular clubs or organizations.

Sure to prompt enthusiasm for story times, educational reading, and a host of extended activities, Everybody Counts! is highly recommended for home libraries and is a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

The Little Fig, 2023 | ISBN 978-1633330559

About the Author

Matt Forrest Esenwine’s children’s poetry can be found in numerous anthologies, including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry. His various poems and picture books have received numerous positive reviews, including a Kirkus star. Flashlight Night was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the Best Books for Kids and chosen by Kirkus as one of the Best Picture Books of the Year. Matt currently has twelve other books under contract and coming soon. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife, kids, and more pets than he has fingers. You can visit Matt on His website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.

About the Illustrator

Emma Graham is a versatile and experienced illustrator and graphic artist. Since graduating from Norfolk Institute of Art she has build a vibrant portfolio including children’s picture books, private commissions, and Wild In Art sculptures. She was longlisted for the Picture Books Hooks mentoring scheme and a finalist in The Hook at the SCBWI BI conference. As author, she was a finalist in the Stratford Literary Festival’s Salariya Prize for picture books. Emma is commissioned illustrator for the Children’s Appeal at Ipswich Hospital(UK)–a charity raising funds for a full refurbishment of the children’s ward. You can connect with Emma on Her website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.

**You can find Everybody Counts! at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local, independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 18 – It’s Family Stories Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children benefit so much from close relationships to grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family members. This month and next, as family gathers together for special holiday events, it’s fun for adults to share family history and their own funny or moving stories of growing up with the younger generation. Letting kids know how much they’re loved by everyone in the family is important too. It helps them develop a sense of belonging, a good self-image, and confidence. Reading together is a perfect way to spend time together and get conversations started.

Thanks to Amazon Crossing Kids and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of My GrandMom for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

My GrandMom

By Gee-eun Lee | Translated by Sophie Bowman

Gee-eun’s Grandma sits on the floor, holding her sobbing granddaughter in her lap. Breakfast is on the table and toys are strewn about. A gray cat comes to see what’s going on. “‘Dear me, your mom will have to take a boat to work to get across all these tears,'” she says. Grandma, who Gee-eun calls Halmoni in Korean, distracts her by letting her help make kalguksu. She gives Gee-eun a bit of the noodle dough, and while Halmoni rolls out the dough and slices the noodles, Gee-eun fashions little figures of her, her mom, dad, grandma, and their cat, Mari. When it comes time to make the kalguksu, Gee-eun’s dough family goes into the boiling pot along with the other ingredients. “‘…You tell them to hang on tight to the noodles so they stay afloat,'” Halmoni says.

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Gee-eun has been waiting and waiting for Family Sports Day to arrive, but when it does, her mom has to work and can’t go along as she had promised. Gee-eun was looking forward to doing the cheer dance, the tug-of-war, and the running race with her. Now who can she go with? Halmoni tells her granddaughter that she will go. She then relates tales from her own childhood, when she was so strong at tug-of-war that she “could pull all the other kids over with only one arm,” she was such a fast racer that they called her “Speedy Horse,” and was such a good dancer that it “goes without saying.” Then she shows Gee-eun some of her moves.

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At Family Sports Day, Gee-eun feels confident in her and her grandma’s chances. But things don’t pan out exactly as she’d hoped, and Halmoni even trips and falls during the race. Gee-eun is so disappointed that her tears flow freely. Walking home, Halmoni and Gee-eun get a curry bun—and then a second one that is their secret. “No matter how you may be feeling, curry buns are always delicious, especially when shared with Grandma,” Gee-eun says.

They then buy mackerel, bean sprouts, and eggs for dinner, while Gee-eun’s grandma assures her that her father would easily beat a mackerel in a swimming race, that she once bought a bean sprout as big as Gee-eun to season just for her mom, and that a hen always misses her eggs. “‘Halmoni,'” Gee-eun then asks, “‘when will Mom get home?'” The food is on the table when her parents get home, and she runs to the door to greet them so they can eat dinner together…because “nothing beats a mean made by Grandma.”

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Gee-eun Lee’s story is infused with those types of events in life, both inconsequential and significant, that are filled with emotional power that make them memorable. From Gee-eun’s meltdown at her mother’s leaving to her grandma’s quick thinking that leads to bonding over food and creativity to the bravado and disappointment of the Family Sports Day, Lee invites readers into the touching and humorous relationship between Gee-eun and her grandmother. Wily, proud, comforting, and understanding, Gee-eun’s grandmother is the heart of the family, bridging the generations with her wisdom and constant love. Lee’s storytelling draws readers in with her warm and familiar dialogue that ingeniously pivots back and forth in time, tying together moments in Gee-eun’s mother’s life, her grandmother’s life, and Gee-eun’s experiences.

Gee-eun Lee’s soft colored pencil and paint illustrations are delightfully childlike, as if the character Gee-eun had drawn them. In that vein the expressive depictions of Gee-eun’s adult grandma fiercely besting a dozen children at tug of war, her smooth dance and nimble dance moves, and her and Gee-eun’s “set and ready” stance at the track while other mother/child pairs stretch, play, and tie laces are comical joy. The theme of bridging generations also appears cleverly in the image of Gee-eun’s dough family floating together in the soup and the portrait of Gee-eun brushing her doll’s hair while her grandmother brushes and braids Gee-eun’s, among others.

Written with a unique voice that echoes universal truths about family relationships, My GrandMom is a humorous, poignant, and heartening read aloud that will quickly become a favorite for parents, grandparents, other caregivers, and children to share. The book is highly recommended for home and classroom libraries and a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022 | ISBN 978-1662508257

About the Author

Gee-eun Lee is an award-winning Korean author/illustrator. She recently won the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award in the comics category for her book, The Story of How the Korean Shaved Ice Dessert Was Born, and is also a top winner of the Korean Young Illustrator Award. She studied design and illustration in Korea and the UK. Her first picture book, Paper Dad, was made into a children’s musical in Korea. My GrandMom is the second book she both wrote and illustrated and is based on her own grandmother. You can connect with Gee-eun on Instagram: @studio_geeeun

About the Translator

Sophie Bowman is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, studying Korean literature. She was awarded the ICF Literature Translation Fellowship at Ewha Womans University. In 2015, she won the Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award grand prize for poetry with her translations of Jin Eun-young and co-translated Kim Bo-Young’s I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories. She recently translated the picture book Magic Candies by Heena Baek, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Follow her on Twitter @SophieOrbital.

**You can find My GrandMom at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 11 – It’s Children’s Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy program in the United States. The history of the holiday goes back to 1913, when Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, toured the country to promote a higher standard in children’s books and proposed a Children’s Book Week. He then enlisted the help of Frederic G. Melcher, editor of Publishers Weekly, who believed that “a great nation is a reading nation,” and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children’s Works at the New York Public Library to help spread the word. This year’s theme is “How Do You Book?” The thought-provoking theme encourages readers to think about what they read, where they read, and how they read. To learn more about this literary holiday, visit Every Child a Reader to find out more about the week, how to join online, and lots of bookmarks and activities to download.

Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chávez Taught Children to Make Music from Trash

Written by Carmen Oliver | Illustrated by Luisa Uribe

As a child, Favio Chávez looked to music as an important touchstone. When he grew up, he was still involved with music, but his profession was as an environmental engineer. He was given a job in “Cateura, Paraguay—a small village built on a landfill—to try to help the families who lived and worked amid the hills of trash.” When trucks came and dumped load after load of trash, recyclers, called gancheros, filled bags of items they could resell. The air was choked with the stench of garbage, and anywhere the gancheros walked “they waded through filth.” It made Favio sad to think of people living this way.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

As Favio supervised the gancheros, he “became friends with them and their children. He worried about what kind of lives they would live when they grew up. Besides his job at the landfill, “Favio conducted a youth orchestra in a nearby village.” One day, the people he worked with came to listen. They wondered if their kids could also learn to play instruments. Favio was excited by the prospect.

He even brought his own guitars and violins for the children to play, but soon he had more kids in class than he had instruments. But there was another problem too. The instruments were valuable and could attract thieves to the homes of his students. He needed another idea, and while watching Nicolás “Colá” Gómez, a talented carpenter, picking through the trash, he thought of something that might work.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Colá began searching through the piles for anything that he could use to make instruments. He collected cans and pipes, crates and buttons, even X-ray film and eating utensils. As he looked at his materials, Colá envisioned how he could create a violin. Finally with violins and other instruments for each child, Favio began teaching them how to play and how to read music. They practiced and practiced until they were ready to perform for their parents.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

At a local church, with the audience packed and excited, the notes of the children’s first song ‘”New York, New York’ floated out the windows and into the warm night air.” The adults were overcome with happiness. While their lives had been only about survival, they now “had hope in their hearts and dreams for a better tomorrow.”

Back matter includes further information about Favio Chávez and the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura from 1975, when Favio was born in Argentina to 2006, when he arrived to work at the Cateura landfill to today, when the Orchestra supports more children and families with building projects, food, computers for school, scholarships, and many more humanitarian efforts. A selected bibliography is also included.

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Image copyright Louisa Uribe, 2022, text copyright Carmen Oliver, 2022. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

From its earliest days the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura has inspired musicians, authors, movie makers, and listeners from around the world. In Building an Orchestra of Hope, Carmen Oliver tells the story through the lens of a hope fulfilled. As Favio Chávez begins his new job at the landfill educating the gancheros on how to work more efficiently, his initial thought is for the future of the children of the village. Oliver shows how Chávez not only supervised the workers but became their friend, honored to be included. While relating Chávez’s eagerness to share his love of music with the children, Oliver hints at what’s to come with lyrical descriptions of the sounds the glass, metal, and plastic makes as the gancheros rake through the piles of trash. She also includes pertinent facts that allow readers to understand the challenges the community faced and what a monumental undertaking the idea was.

While this story revolves around Favio Chávez, his idea could never have been brought to fruition without the talents of Nicolás “Colá” Gómez, who could envision the instruments and even hear their sound as he pored through the trash for materials. Oliver provides a satisfyingly detailed list of the types of items Colá repurposed and later reveals which items were used to create violins, drums, violas, flutes, saxophones, and trumpets, pages that are sure to pique young crafters’ interest. The emotional ending to this true story will swell the hearts of readers—those who already know about the orchestra and those being introduced to it for the first time.

Louisa Uribe’s soft-hued illustrations realistically depict the village of Cateura and the landfill it is built upon. They meet Favio Chávez and Nicolás Gómez and witness the idea of creating instruments from trash come to life. Uribe’s close up of a violin lets kids see how disparate items are used creatively to replicate each part of the instrument. As instruments are made, the number of children filling the courtyard grows until their hard work and practice is rewarded on a real stage, a microcosm of the growth and impact of one man’s caring and creativity.

Special Note: The inspirational back matter, worthy of its own picture book, will astound readers with just how far-reaching one idea when explored in collaboration with others can be. Themes of the vital importance and life-changing impact of the arts, persistence, determination, overcoming seemingly insurmountable challenges and odds, and the power of hope are what this true story is built on, and this factual back matter is sure to affect readers and get them thinking about how they can make a difference to a cause they believe in.

Powerful, accessible, and impactful, Building an Orchestra of Hope is a must for all home, school, and library collections, not only to tell this compelling, ongoing story but to remind them that their actions, too—from a single kind word or smile to large community effort—can change lives.

Ages 4 – 9

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022 | ISBN 978-0802854674

You can learn more about Luisa Uribe, her books, and her art on her website.

You can connect with Carmen Oliver on Twitter.

Children’s Book Week Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bookworm-bookmark

Bookworm Bookmark

Are you a bookworm? If so, then this bookmark is for you! Just print, color, and cut along the dotted line. This little worm will happily save your page for you!

Bookworm Bookmark Template

**You can find Building an Orchestra of Hope at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 24 – National Food Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

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About the Holiday

Established by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, National Food Day is celebrating its fourth anniversary with 8,000 events across the country, including festivals, film screenings, and even massive apple crunches. Other events will take place on university campuses, in public school systems, in restaurants, at farmers markets, and online. National Food Day aims to shed light on issues of food justice, including access to healthy food and food production that is mindful of the environment, farm animals, farmers, and food workers.

The holiday also aims to raise awareness of nutrition issues and encourage people to “Eat Real,” which means “cutting back on sugary drinks, overly salted packaged foods, and fatty, factory-farmed meats in favor of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and sustainably raised protein.” Prominent food activists help people discover where they can find food that is healthy and affordable. Another goal is to promote food production that is mindful of the environment, farm animals, and farmers. The efforts of National Food Day continue year round and culminate on October 24. To learn more about the Center for Science in the Public Interest and National Food Day, visit the CSPI website.

Thanks to Twirl Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Mr. Bear’s World of Food with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Mr. Bear’s World of Food

By Virginie Aracil

Do you have a little one who’s just discovering how many types of food there are? Is your child eager to try anything on their plate, or are they a bit more picky? No matter how your child interacts with food, they’ll be fasciated by Virginie Aracil’s whimsical Mr. Bear’s World of Food, a charming and boldly illustrated menu to tastes and flavors.

Mr. Bear meets readers outside the Bakery, where’s he’s already bought a loaf of bread. “When I take a bite of bread all my senses wake up! What happens is wonderful,” he says. Young children may want to know what these senses are, and Mr. Bear is very accommodating in teaching them. Flaps at his ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and heart reveal the five senses—and a sixth: “feelings.”

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Mr. Bear and a sweet muffin then invite kids to explore … well … foods that are Sweet, such as carrots, honey, sweet potatoes, candy, and more. Next, a saltshaker joins Mr. Bear to exhibit some Salty foods, like popcorn, cold cuts, and cod fish. Yum! But, sometimes, foods make your nose crinkle and your mouth pucker. Those would be foods that are Bitter, such as grapefruit or dark chocolate, and Sour, such as lemons, pickles, and others.

Ahhh! Now it’s time for some foods that just taste delicious and fill your tummy with warmth like roast chicken, roast beef, or scalloped potatoes. Feeling too warm now? Kids will enjoy cooling down with Fresh yogurt, cucumber, watermelon, or lettuce. Do you smell something? I smell something—something Pungent! It must be the blue cheese, sauerkraut, century egg, or durians.

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Now perhaps it’s time for a dish that’s a little bland—but still tasty! Matzo bread, crackers, tofu, or mozzarella will hit the spot, along with a glass of water, of course! Mr. Bear has some Favorite Foods, including French fries, milk and cookies, and mac and cheese. And, finally, there are foods that are perfect for Sharing, such as pizza, kebabs, paella, and even that loaf of bread Mr. Bear bought at the beginning of this sensory trip!

Now that his tour through the different flavors and tastes is over, Mr. Bear has one last question for readers. In a large-scale, double-page pop-up, Mr. Bear, wearing a chef’s hat and coat, has arranged an array of foods in front of him and wonders, “What is your favorite food?” and “What do you want to eat today?” Kids will love answering and will most likely want to go back to point out their favorite dishes!

In addition to the above-mentioned categories, Mr. Bear also introduces kids to the flavors Umami, Rich, and Smoky. There’s also a page of Seasonings that highlight or enhance a food’s flavor, such as ginger and chili peppers.

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Virginie Aracil’s delightful guide to foods and tastes from around the world is well conceived, with large and realistically illustrated images that immediately make each type of food recognizable and appealing to her young audience. Vivid colors and attractively designed pages of board book quality will hold readers’ attention while enticing them to try foods that might be unfamiliar to them. Children who are learning to recognize letters and those who are beginning to read will enjoy testing their new skills with the names of each food, which are presented in a prominent and clear typeface.

Each flavor profile is portrayed in a two-page spread. On the left Mr. Bear is joined by a representative of the category for a short, humorous conversation that will get little ones giggling, while the foods appear on the right. The size of the book is perfect for lap reading or for sharing on the floor or at a table, and an attached baguette-shaped bookmark will hold your place between tasting sessions.

A fun foodie adventure that’s sure to get kids excited about trying new foods and different tastes—and even going to the grocery store or farmers market—Mr. Bear’s World of Food would be a welcome addition to home bookshelves as well as to preschool and kindergarten classrooms, where it would make a terrific introduction to lessons about food and taste-testings. School and public libraries will also find it to be a popular choice among patrons.

Ages 3 – 5

Twirl Books, 2022 | ISBN 979-1036345173 (Board Book)

Discover more about Virginie Aracil, her other Mr. Bear books, and her design work on her website.

**You can find Mr. Bear’s World of Food at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 11 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Madani’s Best Game

Posted by Kath Carroll

Thanks to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for sharing a copy of Madani’s Best Game with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Madani’s Best Game

Written by Fran Pintadera | Illustrated by Raquel Catalina | Translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel

“Our whole neighborhood knows it: no one plays soccer like Madani does.” Thus, a teammate of Madani’s begins the story about this friend who captivates the neighborhood (and sometimes it seems the whole world) with his barefoot ball-handling prowess. Madani has elevated the team’s game to “the best soccer we’ve ever seen.” After Madani has scored a “Gooooal!” the sound of the cheers soars above the playing field and “…crosses through doorways, rushes past the magazine stand, slips down alleyways, swirls around the fountain, and, growing fainter and fainter, climbs the steps up to Madani’s house.”