A queer middle school historical reenactor brings Civil War history into the present.
Sarah
A lovely story about the importance of knowing and setting boundaries. I love my curly hair, but it’s not an open invitation to touch!
Kayala
Dhonielle Clayton has a fresh, new take on the magic school trope in this entrancing and inclusive new series starter. Ella is the first conjurer to attend the Arcanum Magic Institute, and she must contend with others' prejudice while exploring her own power. Perfect for fans who didn't see themselves in those other magic books.
April
A very sweet story about consent. Not everyone likes touching or hugs or high-fives and that's okay!
Hazel
"Oops, I accidentally created a new person instead of Frankenstein-ing my sister back. That's okay, I'll just start over, right?" A creative and heartbreaking look at what it means to exist as an individual and how we deal with loss and grief.
Stacey
Reading this beautiful book, I certainly learned more about Australian wildlife, the Australian Aboriginal language Kunwinjku, and Bininj approaches to art. But I also feel like I learned more about the nature of counting?!? The way that Kunwinjku constructs the names for numbers is really neat, and a good intro to the concept of base-10 vs base-5, for example.
Piera
For a picture book that just came out this year, this one already feels like a classic. The story is about community and paying it forward, and the art is absolutely gorgeous. This is a picture book you’ll read over and over again (and I may have already gifted it to several babies in my life).
Katherine
Ever since her home was ravaged by a hurricane, high school senior Eliza has found comfort and carthasis in vocalizing her passion for combating climate change in her hometown. However, her world is flipped dangerously and disastrously upside down a second time when a certain tourist named Milo enters her world and leaves a sandy footprint. Surely the volley of her heart can't be attributed to him...? Rich with resonance, Don't Call Me a Hurricane is a whirlpool of a story about love and home and the price of getting stuck in the riptide of feeling.
Cindy
What do you do when your big weekend plans go awry? This picturebook's mother-daughter duo remind us all to take a deep breath - whew! - recenter, and keep on enjoying ourselves. After all, the best thing we can share is our company. Vibrant textural collages are the icing on the cake.
Kendall
Such a sweet book highlighting how even the tiniest of things can create great change. Lovely illustrations paired with a lyrical story that will reach in and touch your heart.
Jane
