Age Level

Donna Barba Higuera’s Newbery Award and Pura Belpré Award winning novel nimbly mixes Spanish and English and draws from various storytelling genres to do what speculative fiction does best - imagine the latent possibilities in a given society, challenge readers to contemplate the promises and risks, and invite us to form new understandings about the world we live in now.

Weaving past and present together through image and anthem, master illustrator Bryan Collier gifts us the inspiring message of the protest song “We Shall Overcome” in the form of a picturebook. Immersed in Collier’s deeply symbolic collages, readers accompany a young Black girl wearing a bright yellow dress as she leaves her home, goes to school, and gathers with friends to paint a mural near a street with bright yellow lettering that reads ‘Black Lives Matter.’ The illustrations fuse past events with the present narrative; historical figures and monuments are represented by Collier in black and white, while the present is represented in bright colors. This moving picturebook invites us all to reflect on the contributions of the freedom fighters who have come before us, and on all of our roles and responsibilities in sustaining the continuing journey toward freedom.

Written by Michael GenhartIllustrated by Loris LoraPublished by Cameron + Company, 2021ISBN # 978-1951836221Grades PreK – 3 Book ReviewWhat kinds of food do you associate with family celebrations and holidays? In this visually appetizing Pura Belpré honor book, author Michael Genhart and illustrator Loris Lora welcome readers to a Mexican American family home inspired by […]

The new classroom book club program for grades 3–8 includes the titles, educator and discussion guides, and access to a podcast hosted by Alexander.

Union Square Kids has acquired five new Mo Willems books; new picture books by Willems and Ruby Bridges will publish on September 6, 2022; Nikki Grimes receives another award; "Surfside Girls" to become streaming series; and more in this edition of News Bites.

The new Literati Book Fairs will begin in select states this spring.

A We Need Diverse Books judging committee named Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley and Red, White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca the 2022 Walter Awards winners.

After over a decade, the much-awaited sequel to the Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee has arrived–and at just the right time. The return of fastidious zookeeper Amos and the beloved animals he cares for feels like coming home to an old friend.

The post Life’s Simple Problems Are Solved with the Help of Steadfast Friends in Amos McGee Misses the Bus: Teaching Ideas for this Much-Awaited Sequel appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Pat Scales takes questions about Common Sense Media, who should select the novels taught in an English class, and more.