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Danielle Sachdeva Each fall, people in India and across the globe celebrate the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness during the five-day festival of Diwali. In this column, we honor Diwali by spotlighting books for all ages with characters and creators of Indian heritage.  The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie. Radhika Sanghani. (2025). Carolrhoda Books. Twelve-year-old Priya feels pressure to be perfect. Her parents argue all the time, keeping her awake at night and too tired to focus on school. Her gymnastics schedule is rigorous, leaving little time for Priya to hang out with her best friends Sami and Mei. Priya suffers silently until one day, she dons a magic bangle, which forces her to tell the truth whether she wants to or not. At first, her inability to lie helps. She grows closer to Sami and Mei, discovers her crush on teammate Dan Zhang is mutual, and is given Friday nights off from gymnastics. But when Priya begins sharing things she shouldn’t, she alienates her loved ones and creates a mess that seems impossible to fix. Priya’s dilemmas, from navigating family dynamics to repairing broken friendships, are relatable and will resonate with middle grade readers. While The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie features believable characters who confront real issues like divorce, grieving, and bullying, the story is fast-paced and often humorous, reflecting the ups and downs of middle school. (Gr 5-8)  The Golden Necklace: A Darjeeling Tea Mystery. Mitali Perkins. Illus. by Maithili Joshi. (2025). Charlesbridge. When her friend Tara’s gold jewelry goes missing, it is just one more problem for 12-year-old Sona, a Nepali girl who lives on a tea plantation in Darjeeling, India. Sona worries about many things, including her overworked and tired mother, a plantation worker, and her brother, who was once falsely accused of theft and now seems like a prime suspect for the missing jewelry. Through careful sleuthing, Sona finds the jewelry, saves her brother’s reputation, and helps Tara, who wants to run her own tea plantation that treats workers fairly. While the story’s pace is slow at times and the characters are not well-developed, the large font and short chapters could support readers making the transition to chapter books. The book also highlights India’s cultural and linguistic diversity by including characters from different ethnicities like Nepali, Bengali, and Tibetan, and addresses issues like water access and workers’ rights. This book is for readers who enjoy a mystery and do not mind a slow burn. (Gr 3-5)  The Greatest River. Namita Moolani Mehra. Illus. by Khoa Le. (2025). Harper. Often called “mother” by India’s people, the Ganges River, or Ganga, is revered as a goddess with the power to heal. When her mother becomes ill, Ananda and her aunt, Maasi, visit Ganga seeking peace. As Ananda soaks in the cold water, all she can feel is “Ganga’s warm embrace.” Ananda and Maasi float diyas down the river and chant prayers, admire the “million floating diamonds” on Ganga’s surface, and journey across for the evening aarti at an ancient temple. When it is time to leave, Ananda takes a pebble from Ganga’s banks for her mother while Maasi collects healing water. The visit to Ganga gives Ananda peace, a feeling she will long remember. The theme of peace is supported by rhythmic text enhanced by alliteration (“Ganga glistened/Ganga gurgled/Ganga glowed”) and short sentences that invite the reader to pause (“A river rhapsody - sacred, graceful, powerful”). Muted shades of brown, blue, and pink further complement the theme. An outstanding choice for reading aloud, The Greatest River will help readers appreciate Ganga’s significance and sacredness. (Gr K Up)  Happy Holi!: Celebrating the Festival of Colors. Chitra Soundar. Illus. by Amberin Huq. (2025). Bloomsbury. Usually occurring in March, Holi is a Hindu holiday celebrating the arrival of spring. Happy Holi! is told from the perspective of a child who shares their family’s Holi traditions with readers. On the day before Holi, the family makes sweet treats, gathers sticks and wood, and collects flower petals to make dyes. That night, they assemble around a bonfire and tell stories. When they wake up the next morning, everyone blasts one another with colorful dyes and powders in honor of the Festival of Colors, and they enjoy a lunchtime feast with neighbors and friends. The rhyme scheme and alliteration (e.g., “later, by the full moon’s light, we make a bonfire blazing bright”) make it perfect for repeated read-alouds, and a glossary defines Hindi words appearing in the text. The cartoon-style illustrations are brightly colored and include accurate cultural details. Happy Holi! captures the joyful spirit of this much-anticipated spring celebration. Gr (PreK Up)  Home Has No Borders. Samira Ahmed & Sonia Charaipotra. (2025). Harper. In this anthology by South Asian writers, teens will encounter 16 short stories about the meaning of “home.” In “Love the One You’re With,” bullied teen Ali finds home in the freedom and anonymity he feels while working his weekend job at a haunted house attraction. For Damon in “Star Anise,” home is in the kitchen, creating food for others, while for heartbroken Ava in “Lovesick,” home is the unconditional love of her best friend. The stories featured in this collection are written by notable authors, including Newbery Honorees Rajani LaRocca (Red, White and Whole) and Veera Hiranandani (The Night Diary), and 2025 Notable Books for a Global Society recipient Samira Ahmed (This Book Won’t Burn). Protagonists include characters from a variety of religious traditions and backgrounds, such as Indo-Fijian and Pakistani, which presents readers with the cultural richness of South Asia and its global diasporas. This diverse collection has a story for every reader. (Gr 9 Up)  Kai Po Che: Mini’s Perfect Kite. Suhasini Gupta. Illus. by Devika Oza. (2025). Gnome Road Publishing. During Sankranti, the Indian festival of kites, people not only fly kites but enter kite battles, cutting down one another’s kites and shouting “Kai po che!” with each victory. Finders of fallen kites get to keep them. This Sankranti, the weather is breezy and perfect for kite flying. Mini is excited to join for the first time, but the problem is that she doesn’t have a kite. She puts her craft skills to work, and with her own ingenuity and a little help from her older brother Bhai, she is soon flying a kite of her own. Everything is going well until a large red kite looms nearby, cutting down other kites, even Bhai’s. With some careful maneuvers, Mini cuts down the red kite, catches it, and wins her first kite battle: “Kai po che!” Digitally rendered, cartoon-style illustrations support the text, and readers will experience the joy and fun of kite flying through Mini’s infectious excitement. Educators can capitalize on the back matter, which includes the science behind flying kites and math connections. (PreK-Gr 1)  Maya in Multicolor. Swati Teerdhala. (2025). Hyperion. After a failed relationship and disappointing first semester at Neadham University, Maya is ready for change. While old Maya would rather spend Friday nights at home watching Bake Off, new Maya wants to fully embrace her college experience. Her first step? Planning the Hindu Student Association’s spring Holi celebration. Maya is thrilled to revive her cherished Holi traditions for the Neadham community, but her excitement turns to dismay when Nishant, the biggest heartbreaker on campus, signs up as co-chair and insists on a new vision for Holi. As Maya and Nishant clash and compromise, she learns he is more than a flirt and handsome face. Their surprising new friendship begins deepening into something more, and Maya must decide if she should guard her heart or take a chance on love. Readers will cheer for Maya as she faces her own vulnerabilities, embraces new challenges, and starts believing in herself. Though the story’s ending is predictable, it is no less satisfying. Teens will adore this sweet and charming love story. (Gr 8 Up)  Midnight Motorbike. Maureen Shay Tajsar. Illus. by Ishita Jain. (2025). Neal Porter Books. On a night when it is too hot to sleep, a girl and her mother hop on their motorbike and travel the roads of South India toward the Bay of Bengal. Along the way, they observe the scents, sights, and sounds of the night: the glow of snake eyes, a cup of steaming chai, an old man weaving garlands of jasmine, temples with stone-carved monkeys, and the wind at their feet. The girl’s imagination soars as she listens to Amma’s stories and experiences the sensations of the night until finally, she is lulled to sleep. The text is rhythmic, lending itself to reading aloud, and the inclusion of metaphors and sensory details makes readers feel as if they are along for the ride. The illustrations, created in an expressionistic, textured style using gouache, crayons, and colored pencils, are stunning and perfectly complement the story. Vibrant reds, pinks, and oranges make the sunset glow on the page, while indigos and deep blues envelop readers in the warm night. This outstanding picture book can be read and appreciated multiple times and will appeal to readers of all ages. (Gr K Up)  Sanskari Sweetheart. Ananya Devarajan. (2025). Harper. It’s the National Bollywood Dance Circuit finals competition, and for senior and two-time champion Raina, it’s the last time she will compete. The stakes become even higher when Raina makes a deal with her mother. If she wins the Nationals scholarship, she can study dance at college. But if she loses, she will pursue a STEM major. As Raina prepares for Nationals, other problems weigh on her like the constant fights with Aditya, her dance team co-captain and boyfriend of four years, and the scrutiny from aunties in her Indian community who question if Raina is sanskari, or traditional, enough. When Aditya breaks up with her right before their big dance number and she is injured on stage, Raina enters a time loop and continually relives the day of the competition. To break the loop, Raina must prevent losing Aditya, save her dance team, and learn a few things about herself. The characters are not well-developed and the plot is slow in the second half, diminishing the book’s appeal to a broad audience. However, readers who enjoy romance will be invested in Raina and Aditya’s love story, and readers interested in dance will also find this book appealing. (Gr 9 Up)  The Singular Life of Aria Patel. Samira Ahmed. (2025). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. At the precise moment when her mother’s life is about to end in a tragic accident, Aria suddenly finds herself in front of a house that isn’t hers (where is she?), sporting bangs (when did she get a haircut?) and platform Uggs (why is she wearing these hideous shoes?). Thus begins Aria’s journey into the multiverse. She moves from one universe to another, inhabiting the lives of other Arias until a splitting headache and shimmer of light appear and transport her somewhere else. Desperate to save her mother, Aria tries to uncover the meaning of a cryptic poem that surfaces in each universe, certain it contains the key to getting home. But when Aria enters yet another universe, one not unlike her own, one where her father is alive again and she has an adoring little sister, she must decide whether to stay in the warm comfort of this world or go home and face the possibility of losing her mother. Thought-provoking and filled with both humor and heartache, Aria and the bittersweet moments of her journey will linger with readers long after the last page. (Gr 8 Up)  The Sunshine Project. Uma Krishnaswami. Illus. by Julianna Swaney. (2025). Groundwood Books. At first, the new solar panel factory sounds like a great idea for Anil’s city. More solar panels mean more clean energy. When Anil and his classmates are assigned to investigate a local issue and interview residents, they learn there is more to the factory’s plans than what the mayor and media are reporting. Not only will the factory destroy the mangrove trees and the tidal ecosystem at the building site, but local villagers will lose their homes. Anil and his friends must speak out before the new factory breaks ground and causes devastating environmental impacts. Though The Sunshine Project is the final book in a trilogy, readers do not need to be familiar with the first two books to understand the storyline. The short chapters, fast pace, and straightforward plot make it ideal for emerging chapter book readers. Importantly, The Sunshine Project draws attention to environmental concerns, the necessity of considering all sides of an issue, and how kids can work together to make a difference. (Gr 3-5)  A Vaisakhi to Remember. Simran Jeet Singh. Illus. by Japneet Kaur. (2025). Kokila. Vaisakhi is a festival celebrating the spring harvest and a significant day in the Sikh religion. The narrator, a young Punjabi girl, loves the festival’s traditions like dancing, preparing meals with her grandmother, and celebrating with her family and neighbors at the gurdwara (a Sikh community space). When she moves from her rural village to a big city, she fears that Vaisakhi will never be the same. But when Vaisakhi morning comes, her parents surprise her with a visit to a local gurdwara, where there is familiar music, delicious food, and new friends. The narrator happily concludes that “even in our new home, Vaisakhi is still the best day.” The text, sprinkled with multiple Punjabi words, could be challenging for those unfamiliar with the language; yet, this aspect invites readers to research the vocabulary. The watercolor illustrations contribute to the book’s wistful tone but include many elements, making the pages appear “busy” and unfocused. However, A Vaisakhi to Remember is notable in its portrayal of a celebration that may be new to some readers. (Gr 2 Up) Danielle Sachdeva, Ph.D., is Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education at the University of North Georgia and a past president of the CL/R SIG.
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Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus For this column we reviewed recently published books that celebrate the power and magic of poetry and will entertain, inform, and engage readers from preschool through middle school and may also inspire them to express themselves creatively through writing their own poems. We encourage teachers to read aloud poetry daily, to incorporate it across the curriculum, and to add poetry books to classroom and school libraries for independent reading.  And, Too, the Fox. Ada Límón. Illus. by Gaby D’Alessandro. (2025). Carolrhoda. In this picture book adaptation of a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, readers follow a day in the life of a fox. A series of stunning double-spread illustrations created digitally by Gaby D’Alessandro show a red fox running and bouncing in a wooded area as he hunts for food (“. . . his work, / which doesn’t seem / like work at all but play”). In a second series of pages, he also stealthily moves through a neighborhood to forage through the trash at night. “Fox lives on the edges, / pieces together / a living out of leftovers // and lazy / rodents too slow for the telephone pole.” The book ends with a thought-provoking connection between humans and wildlife as Fox is pictured eating blueberries in a backyard while a silhouetted child and adult watch from a window before he moves on. (PreK Up) —CA  Black Diamond Kings (Sports Royalty). Charles R. Smith Jr. Illus. by Adrian Brandon. (2025). Candlewick. Charles R. Smith’s latest Sports Royalty book features poems about 12 outstanding legends of Negro league baseball, including John Henry “Pop” Lloyd, Ray Dandridge, James “Cool Papa” Bell, and Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, complemented by Adrian Brandon’s stylized illustrations, hand-sketched and digitally painted. Smith uses vibrant wordplay, imagery, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, riffs, and varied poetic forms, including free verse, concrete poetry, and name poems, to draw readers in. For example, the poem “INTRODUCING” with its descriptive verses “the magician on the mound / with the endless bag of tricks / with his windmill windup / and high-leg kick, / makes batters disappear / with a quick flick of the wrist” is accompanied by Brandon’s energetic representation of Leroy Robert “Satchel” Paige, the first Black pitcher in the American league, in his characteristic pitching pose. Back matter includes “Player Notes” with biographical information and other interesting factoids about each of the players and a “More About the Negro Leagues” section. (Gr 3 Up) —NB  Cows and Sheep and Chicks That Cheep: Farm Poems. Douglas Florian. (2025). Beach Lane. Douglas Florian’s collection of 23 poems about life on a farm opens with “Our Family Farm,” which concludes with “A farmer’s day is never done, / but still our farm is lots of fun!” and an illustration in which a young child stands, arms outstretched, atop a pyramid of seven bales of hay marked with the letters F, A, M, I, L, Y, F, A, R, M. Subsequent poems, printed on single pages (either verso or recto), highlight Florian’s clever wordplay (cows are “udderly big”; the goats naaay “inside their naaay-borhood”) about animals, buildings, chores, crops, a scarecrow, and even a field of five hundred sunflowers. Florian’s childlike, multi-media illustrations on opposing pages contain hidden letters spelling out words. Young children are sure to enjoy visiting Florian’s farm poems with their simple rhymes, humor, and clever artwork. (PreK Up) —NB  Five Little Friends: A Collection of Finger Rhymes. Sean Taylor. Illus. by Fiona Woodcock. (2025). Candlewick. Each of Sean Taylor’s 35 playful, short poems is paired with a colorful, mixed-media illustration by Fiona Woodcock featuring a child acting out movements to accompany the lines of the rhymes that will serve as a visual guide for young children to follow. As Taylor suggests in the introduction, the verses are meant to encourage reader interaction with the poems. For example, the four couplets of “The Wind”—"Here comes the wind. / The trees swish and sway. // Hold on to your hat! / Or it will blow away! // Great gusts of wind / whirl their way on through. // Hold on to your pants! / Or you might lose them, too!”— are likely to get listeners using their fingers, hands, arms, legs, feet, or whole body in response to the rhymes. (PreS) —CA  A Forest Song. Kirsten Hall. Illus. by Evan Turk. (2025). Random House Studio. Evan Turk’s vibrantly colored, textured illustrations, rendered in gouache, dramatically set the scene for Kirsten Hall’s cento poem in which she weaves words and phrases from the poems of other writers to tell the story of a young child’s adventurous exploration of the natural world. Hall begins A Forest Song by borrowing from lines by Edward Thomas, Robert Frost, Nikolas Lenau, and Sarojini Naidu. “Into the forest, dark and deep, / With miles to go before I sleep . . . // Beneath the holy oaks I wander. / Here, O my heart, just listen!” Back matter includes an author’s note, a list of the poets and the lines they wrote, and “About Cento Poems” and “Write Your Own Cento Poem” sections. (PreK Up) —CA  The Gift of the Broken Teacup: Poems of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Me. Allan Wolf. Illus. by Jade Orlando. (2025). Candlewick. Allan Wolf’s collection of 30 contemplative poems is organized into three sections. “The Gift of the Broken Teacup” starts off the Mindfulness section with “I drink my tea / from a broken cup. / …” and ends with “I’ve learned my tea / tastes better this way.” The second section introduces meditative activities in “The Om Poem,” “Yoga,” and other poems. By the time readers have reached the Me section, they are ready to apply strategies such as nurturing oneself through journaling and transforming worry and anger into wonder and relinquishment. The book concludes with a celebration of the present, today, in “The Very Best Day of the Year.” Jade Orlando’s relaxing and refreshing illustrations (created in mixed media and rendered digitally on double spreads) depict children and adults immersed in activities related to the poems and leave young readers with a sense of self-empowerment. (PreK Up) —NB  If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of Possibility. Irene Latham & Charles Waters (Eds.). (2025). Candlewick. “If you’re reading this, / it’s time to unlock / the door to Possibility. / Trust yourself— / turn the key.” Following their introductory poem, “Welcome,” Irene Latham and Charles Waters selected “best day” poems by 29 poets including Emily Dickinson, Nikki Grimes, Georgia Heard, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Lilian Moore, and Janet Wong for this compelling anthology in which all of the poems begin with “If,” a word that ignites the imagination. Divided into four sections—Everyday Magic, The Power of You, Kinfolk and Companions, and Anything is Possible—the carefully placed poems are showcased against Olivia Sua’s alluring mixed-media illustrations. For example, the Kinfolk and Companions section includes Lisa Rogers’ titular poem that begins with the lines “If I could choose a best day / it would be sunny / it would be summer // and it would be with you.” Back matter includes “A Note from Irene Latham and Charles Waters” about how they chose these poems from an open call for submission and also previously published poems to create a beautifully balanced collection. (PreK Up) —NB  In the Desert (Paws, Fins, Feathers, Claws #9). David Elliott. Illus. by Gordy Wright. (2025). Candlewick. David Elliott’s collection of playful, spare poems introduces readers to the desert horned viper, deathstalker scorpion, fennec fox, Nubian vulture, and ten other animals that have survived to make their home in the Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert. The verses, created in a variety of poetic forms, are presented on stunning double-spread paintings by Gordy Wright featuring the animals in their natural habitat. For example, a huge Nile crocodile with a gaping mouth, pictured sitting by a pool, fills the double spread that provides the background for the couplet, “And what are you thinking of now, Old Grinner? / I’m thinking of you, my dear. I’m thinking of dinner.” The back matter includes informative notes about the Sahara Desert and each of the featured animals. (PreK Up) —CA  Seven Skies All at Once. Ted Kooser. Illus. by Matt Myers. (2025). Candlewick. “The skies had hung out their freshly washed clouds / to dry, wanting them to smell the air, / but it looked like rain might be coming.” Former U. S. Poet Laureate Ted Kooser’s evocative verse tells the story of different personified skies gathering their clouds over the city before it grows dark and finally starts to rain. For example, “… a third sky was carrying away / great armloads of altocumulus…” Matt Myers’ exquisite, double-spread illustrations, done in oil on wood panels, accurately portray different cloud formations—from wispy cirrus to huge cumulonimbus—as they pass overhead while also telling a second story (presented visually) of the friendship between a boy and a girl who pass messages over the clothesline between the rooftops of their buildings as they help their parents do the laundry. (PreK Up) —CA  A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers). Matt Forrest Esenwine (Ed.). Illus. by Jamey Christoph. (2025). Eerdmans. Editor Forrest Esenwine’s anthology features poems that explore nature with playful and insightful language from 20 creative poets (including Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy, Nikki Grimes, Heidi E.Y. Stemple & Jane Yolen, Marilyn Singer, and Esenwine) to celebrate the array of rainbow colors in the universe from rainbowfish to moonbows to the rainbow nebula. Each entry includes a poem and a sidebar with additional science-related information displayed against one of Jamey Christoph’s eloquent, multicolored illustrations. For example, in “If the Mountain Could Talk,” Janet Wong ruminates, “The stripes / of Vinicunca / point up to the sky / asking us / to stare at the clouds for a change” on a double spread, with an illustration of the mountain’s colorful pinnacles in the Peruvian Andes and a sidebar describing its seven layers of brightly-hued minerals. Back matter includes recommended resources (books and websites) and a glossary. (PreK Up) —NB  Wise Up! Wise Down! John Agard & JonArno Lawson. Illus. by Satoshi Kitamura. (2025). Candlewick. What happens when you mix a poetic throw-down between two poets, British Jon Agard and Canadian JonArno Lawson, with a Japanese illustrator, Satoshi Kitamura, chipping in his black-and-white ink and watercolors for extra punch? Throughout 40 pairings, the poets wittily bat their ideas back and forth regarding backyard pests, animals (both real and imaginary), reflections on characters from children’s literature (such as Humpty Dumpty, Cinderella, Goldilocks), and other far-ranging subjects. In the concluding duel, Agard addresses the question of a distressed earth in “Inheritance” with “… Should we dance / or break into gnashing of teeth / at the news of our inheritance?” while Lawson counters in “I’ve Always Liked This Planet” with “… figuring out this strange world will never / be anything less or anything but / a forever-and-ever adventure.” Back matter includes a “Write Your Own Wise Up! Wise Down! Poems” section. (PreK Up) —NB  Words with Wings and Magic Things. Matthew Burgess. Illus. by Doug Salati. (2025). Tundra. Young readers are pulled into this illustrated poetry collection through seven entry portals (Welcome, Wonders, Wild, Wheee!, Whoops & Whallops, Windows, and Whispers & Well Wishes) that each lead to seven original poems in which Matthew Burgess creates new worlds “Where words appear / and fly you far— / Beyond all fear / of who you are.” Through his exploration of fanciful topics in poems such as “The Dragon Piñata,” “The Hungry Yeti,” “The Tiger in My Belly,” and “A Terrible, Horrible Idea,” which employ short rhyming couplets, tercets, quatrains, and creative placement of words, his humorous poems exude action and foster contemplation. Doug Salati’s lively artwork, created with mixed media, splashes across double spreads to sometimes appear on following pages or pops up in vignettes that complement Burgess’s playful poems. Words with Wings and Magic Things will keep children and their grownups engaged to the last word. Back matter includes an index of titles. (PreK Up) —NB Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English at Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.
Each year, Banned Books Week reminds us that stories matter, and that the freedom to read is intertwined with the freedom to imagine, question, and belong. In recent years, book challenges have surged, but as noted in a Washington Post article (December 2023), 60% of more than 1,000 challenges nationally came from just eleven people. This amplifies that censorship tends to be a small effort with outsized influence. For the first time, our column highlights newly published children’s books (2025) that may face such scrutiny because they courageously address sociopolitical issues, belonging, climate justice, systemic racism, family structures, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, citizenship, and more. By annotating these selected texts, we aim to empower educators, caregivers, and readers of all ages to see beyond the rhetoric of censorship and into the transformative potential of stories and literature. We also want to remind readers that these books are not only for reading, but also for conversation. Educators and families can use them to spark inquiry, invite children’s questions, and connect stories to their own lived experiences. Together, we can stand as advocates for inclusive stories that honor children’s histories, identities, communities, and futures. Read on! Editor’s Note: Because book banning impacts readers of all ages, and these titles speak to the universal right to read freely, we have chosen not to include age ranges in the recommendations. We see these books as invitations for readers, whether children, teens, or adults, to engage with their stories and reflect on the themes that censorship seeks to silence.  Cup Of Quiet. Nikki Grimes Illus. Cathay Ann Johnson. (2025). Bloomsbury. With lyrical language, A Cup of Quiet captures a small, loving moment between a grandmother and her granddaughter. In an effort to find a few moments of peace and quiet “to drown out the sound of Grandpa’s hammer,” the grandmother leads her fidgety granddaughter to the garden and hands her an imaginary cup to fill with the sounds of nature around her. The magical cup grows bigger and bigger as the granddaughter uses her imagination to scoop up the sounds of nature: “A soft wind whistles through the branches of a tree….I snatch the sound right out of the air and pop it in the cup.” The text blends seamlessly with the whimsical images of insects and birds flying around the garden, reminding readers of the healing power of quiet, soul-renewing moments in nature. This story offers a particularly delightful read-aloud opportunity with children ages three to six, especially when read with elders with whom they have a special bond.  A Kids Book About Systemic Racism. Jelani Memory. (2025). A Kids Book About. Direct and accessible, this book creates space for children and adults to learn together about racism as more than individual prejudice. With clear definitions and concrete examples around systemic racism, it explains how inequities show up in laws, schools, stories, and institutions, insisting that “we need to change the system and erase the racist ideas that live in our laws, schools, stories, and other institutions.” The design is text-centric, using bold words and red, black, and white color scheme, making the content shine and allowing the words to lead readers. An intro and outro written for grown-ups provide encouragement and guidance, positioning the book as a tool for honest, hopeful dialogue across generations. Both straightforward and invitational, it gives readers of all ages a shared language to name and have conversations about injustice and imagine change. This book is geared for intergenerational conversation and best suited and read with children ages five to nine.  Banned Together: Our Fight For Readers’ Rights. Ed. by Ashley Hope Perez (Ed). Illus. Debbie Fong. (2025). Holiday House. Fifteen authors of children’s and adolescent literature contribute to Banned Together to offer information for teens, and all readers, who are concerned with the increasing rise in censorship attempts across the US. Using a diverse and engaging range of genres, such as poetry, essays, fictional short stories, and graphic narratives, the contributors share their unique lived experiences with writing about challenging topics, while emphasizing the power stories have to support healing, stir questions, and cultivate empathy. The authors also remind young people about the fundamental right readers have to access stories and information that can help them as they grapple with wonderings and questions they face. Woven throughout each essay are resources to help youth understand the larger issues at play in our society, take action in their own spheres of influence, and cultivate hope amid a climate of increased book challenges.  Becoming Boba. Joanna Ho. Amber Ren. (2025). Orchard Books. Becoming Boba is a playful yet powerful story about identity, belonging, and embracing difference. Set in Milk Tea Town, where tradition rules, Mindy’s bright colors and unique flavors cause a stir. At first, she tries to blend in by taking culture classes and even honoring classic milk tea history, but she soon realizes that sameness isn’t what makes a community strong. With help from her friends and some well-researched discoveries, Mindy uncovers a rich history of blending and mixing that has always been part of milk tea. Amber Ren’s lively illustrations bring warmth and humor to this deliciously layered tale. Back matter from both author and illustrator personalizes the story, tying it back to their own first sips of milk tea. A delightful reminder that true strength comes from celebrating differences, Becoming Boba invites readers age four to eight to savor diversity in all its forms.  How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up. Ruth Spiro. Illus. Teresa Martinez. (2025). Penguin Random House. This playful yet serious picturebook positions children as the explainers of climate science to adults, elevating their knowledge and expertise. The reversal validates children’s questions and concerns, showing them guiding adults through explanations, visual comparisons, and concrete examples. Using accessible dialogue and illustrations, Ruth Spiro and Teresa Martinez make complex concepts, like greenhouse gases and global warming, understandable without oversimplifying. Their work together balances humor with scientific accuracy, enabling readers to see that climate knowledge can be informative, engaging, and empowering. The book closes with the prompt, “What will you explain next?” followed by a glossary and age-appropriate actions, extending the learning beyond the story. Framing kids as teachers, this text becomes an invitation for intergenerational conversations and action. Written as a picturebook, this would be best suited for readers age six through eleven, though older and younger children may well be interested in the text.  Mixed Feelings. Llana Finck. (2025). Rise x Penguin Workshop. Acclaimed cartoonist Liana Finck uses gel pens and printer paper to bring her signature wit and honesty to the complexities of growing up and navigating identity. Through a series of expressive illustrations and short, poignant reflections, Finck captures the contradictions of wanting to belong while needing independence, craving love while guarding vulnerability. The book doesn’t shy away from difficult emotions, instead validating them as part of the human experience. Its format, part graphic memoir, part reflection, invites readers to pause, reflect, and see themselves in the messy, beautiful reality of “mixed feelings.” This book, best suited for readers age three to five, serves as a powerful reminder that it’s ok to feel more than one feeling at a time.  My Abuela Is A Bruja. Mayra Cuevas. Illus. Lorena Alvarez Gomez. (2025). Knopf. Vivid images and rich language capture the indelible memories Mayra Cuevas has with her Puerto Rican grandmother, who she affectionately calls a bruja - or witch - because “there is magic in everything she does”. The story illuminates everyday moments of connection between the two as they sing, plant seeds in the garden, walk in the forest, and cook together. The story celebrates language and a sense of place by weaving Spanish words throughout the book, such as “She makes music with her chancletas” and “When we stir the sofrito in the guisado, it tastes like the warmth of an island sunrise.” The book concludes with a “Glossary of Abuela’s Spanish Words” along with recipes for Sofritos and Flan. The story is a celebration of heritage and family, and an invitation for readers around four to eight years of age to conjure up loving memories and moments of connection they’ve had with elders in their own family and community.  Pride. Eric Huang. Amy Phelps. (2025). Quarto Publishing Group. Pride offers a heartfelt look at family, history, and celebration through the eyes of Brian, a child preparing to join his dads at a Pride parade. As he learns about the history of Pride Month and the LGBTQIA+ rights movement at school, Brian also wrestles with a big question: what to wear. His creative solution, designing shirts that form a rainbow when his family stands together, captures the spirit of unity and self-expression. The illustrations highlight the joy of community while the detailed endpapers provide rich back matter, from the Stonewall Uprising to global Pride celebrations, plus hands-on activities like making a Pride flag and cookies. The book is recommended for readers age five to seven and includes back matter that serves as a springboard for learning about LGBTQIA+ history and traditions.  Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States. Rajani LaRocca. Illus. Huy Voun Lee. (2025). Candlewick. This picturebook offers young readers an expansive view of what it means to belong in the United States. This book portrays the diverse journeys people take as they work, study, and build lives in new communities through an informational narrative structure. Rather than presenting citizenship as a single, uniform path, the story and multimodal art highlight multiple ways of contributing while honoring heritage and identity. The back matter provides personal and informational grounding, encouraging readers to view citizenship as both a process and a practice. In a moment when immigration and belonging are often politicized, this book affirms that democracy is enriched by the varied experiences and commitments of its people. Written in accessible language this book is recommended for young readers ages five through nine.  The History of We. Nikkolas Smith. (2025). Penguin Random House. Opening with the invitation, “Let us travel back to the start, so far back that all of our roots begin to tell the same story. The origin of humankind. The history of WE,” this beautiful picturebook positions children within the long, connected arc of human history. Represented with bold, emotive paintings, Smith highlights collective resilience, affirming that our roots and futures are shared. In his author’s note, he reflects on how omissions in school history lessons shape what children learn about society’s values and explains that he often creates art as a voice for the silenced. Rich back matter, including a timeline reaching 233,000 years and detailed illustrator’s notes, invites deeper engagement. Poetic, inspiring, and political, this book offers readers an expansive vision of belonging and solidarity. The picturebook uses clear language making it a thoughtful text to read with children ages four through ten.  Under One Rainbow. Chris Ayala-Kronos. Illus. Sol Salinas. (2025). Clarion Books. Through vibrant digital illustrations and simple, rhythmic text, Chris Ayala-Kronos and Sol Salinas invite readers into the colorful world of a Pride parade. Children see the many ways people gather, whether it’s by biking, rolling, walking, or skipping, each adding to the spirit of inclusivity. The story captures not just the celebration but also resilience, as the parade continues even when storm clouds threaten. At its heart, the book reminds us that joy, acceptance, and belonging are found when we come together “under one rainbow.” In a time when LGBTQ+ stories are frequently challenged, this book offers young readers (age four to eight) both representation and hope, making it an essential addition to homes, libraries, and classrooms.  Water Is Life: The Ongoing Fight for Indigenous Water Rights. Katrina M. Phillips. (2025). Lerner. Historian and Ojibwe author Katrina M. Phillips introduces readers to the central role of water in Indigenous lifeways and the continuing advocacy to protect it. Photographs ground the narrative in specific people and places, while informational features and “Reflect” prompts invite readers to pause, question, and connect to their contexts and knowledge. One chapter focuses on the Stories of Water, illustrating how cultural knowledge and lived experience intersect with science and history. This framing affirms water as more than a resource—it is sacred, relational, and alive. Back matter and source notes extend the learning, positioning the book as both an entry point for inquiry and a call to care. In a climate where Indigenous histories and perspectives are often excluded, this book honors resilience while empowering readers to imagine a more sustainable future. Written in a traditional informational text format, this book would be best read with children aged seven through twelve. Erica Holyoke, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Responsive Literacy Education at The University of Colorado Denver. Her research focuses on justice, equity, and belonging in literacy teaching and teacher preparation.
Lori Elliott, Ph.D., is an associate teaching professor in the Responsive Literacy Education program at The University of Colorado Denver, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in children’s literature. Chelsey Bahlmann Bollinger, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Early, Elementary, and Reading Department at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She teaches graduate and undergraduate literacy courses. |
AuthorsThese reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG). Archives
October 2025
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