You’re a Winner, Gracie Wei

Gr 2-5–Meet Gracie Wei, a fourth grader who lives with her loving family consisting of her lawyer dad, ornithologist mom, big sister, and adorable baby brother, Felix. Gracie has been practicing for the school spelling bee and is sure she’s going to win. Gracie really wants to win because she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t have something on her family’s award wall. At school, Gracie’s very supportive friends offer her encouragement, but bossy Elena announces that she has also been practicing hard for the spelling bee and that she intends to win. During the spelling bee, Elena has a bit of meltdown; Gracie goes to help her and ends up missing the bee but winning a different kind of award. This is a lovely beginning chapter book. Black-and-white illustrations, created with pencil and rendered digitally, capture expressive characters and key narrative moments. The characters are well developed enough for readers to recognize them and include a multiethnic family as well as students with disabilities. There are themes of friendship and kindness, emphasizing that kindness is a choice. Even if it doesn’t usually come with recognition like a certificate, compassion is something worth celebrating. Gracie, who is biracial with a white mother and Chinese father, is a well-rounded character that lots of readers will identify with.