Anxious. Luciana DeLuca. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.] A lot on the short side and not what I was expecting considering the usual style of children’s books. There wasn’t a story just a straight diagnosis … almost a checklist of anxiety symptoms presented with pretty pictures. Relatable but not something I’d want to give to a child.

The Color of Your Skin. Desirée Acevedo, Silvia Álvarez, ill. 2021. Cuento de Luz. 32 pages. [Source: Provided via Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.] The Color of Your Skin follows a young artist, Vega, who is drawing a special picture she aspires to have grace her mom’s “gallery” on the refrigerator. She’s interrupted by a friend asking for the “skin-colored” pencil, which sets the story for the rest of the book. The request is an innocent one, yet it prompts the kids to ask exactly whose skin is being represented as the standard when, in fact, they and those they know in their community, have skin of countless shades and tones. I like the premise of this book, translated from Spanish, and how it addresses the normalization of dominant identities/phenotypes as well as the importance of intentionality in language. Sure, kids might not see it that way, but this book presents a palatable lesson about the importance of both diversity and representation, even in something seemingly as simple as crayons. By having the kids consider the myriad shades reflected in their daily lives, they affirm each other as worthy of being represented in the crayon box. I…

Waiting on Mr. Sloth. Katy Hudson. 2023. Capstone. 32 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.] I don’t often review children’s books anymore, but I can’t turn down anything sloth related. I was in for such a treat with Waiting on Mr. Sloth and am sure the little in your life will love (and relate) to this story. All Sasha wants to do is go swimming with Mr. Sloth. But, being a sloth, he’s so slow and is keeping her from enjoying the only thing she wants to do. It’s not just Mr. Sloth that keeps Sasha from her swim — the two encounter obstacles that exist solely to derail an otherwise fun day in the water. I love this book’s choice of a sloth as Sasha’s foil. He’s nothing if not true to his nature — he’s not rushing anything. Sasha’s frustration, however, leads to a great teachable moment about patience, mindfulness, and just going with the flow. It’s perfectly worded for young readers and is presented in a way that makes the lesson easily digested and understood. As a treat, the book also provides a list of easy and accessible…

Island of the Blue Dolphins. Scott O’Dell. 1960. 194 pages. Houghton Mifflin. [Source: personal copy.] Admittedly, this is a book I should have read years ago. Like, over 20 years ago when my grandmother gave me a copy. But a good book is both timeless and ageless, so when my little one had to read it for class, I decided it was past time for me to read it as well.  I’m upset that I didn’t read this sooner; 10-year-old me would have loved it; adult me, however, had better context for the book and appreciated it more than I could have at that age. Island of the Blue Dolphins centers on Karana, a 12-year-old girl whose family lives on the remote island of San Nicolas. It recounts the coming of Aleuts, who exploit the island’s resources, hunting and failing to pay what they agreed to the island’s inhabitants.  The result is a decimated population, with many of the men gone, and the women and children left to figure out how to survive.  One day, another ship comes, bearing people who will take the inhabitants to a new home.  Everything is fine until Karana’s brother is left behind and she jumps ship to stay with…

  The Queen of the Frogs. David Cali & Marco Soma, ill. 2017. 38 pages. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.]   Today is release day for The Queen of the Frogs, a hilarious story with a moral that everyone can relate to. The story is set at a pond with a community of frogs, flies, and dragonflies. One day, a shiny gold object drops into the pond – the frogs aren’t quite sure what it is, but it looks a lot like a crown. The frog community decided that the frog who found the “crown” should be their new queen, and then the fun ensues.