Reviews written by Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer

A young boy and his grandfather start their late summer day in the city after his mother heads to work. There's a leisurely breakfast to the sound of the record player, followed by a walk outside. They meet and talk to people, pass parks and other sights, and get a...

This very simple picture books lists items that are loved by cats, dogs, and children. Starting with the question "What do YOU love?", the reader is treated to very simple illustrations on a white background that show items of which the various entities are fond. Cats like boxes, food, windows,...

A new mother tells her baby how she has learned to care for an infant. From the beginning, the mother enjoyed holding and watching her baby, and as the child grew, she learned how to stop her from crying, and figure out the signs that the child is hungry or...

May has seven brothers and sisters in her blended family, so all of the activities she does with her siblings are loud and BIG! When May's friend Stella comes over and the children decide to make a pizza, they try to make it BIG, but not too big. They make...

Lily is a young fairy whose wings are not as big and strong as those of her friends, Sky and Jasmine. Fairies all have special gifts, and when they find them, they can grow. Sky is super strong, and Jasmine can fly very high. Lily talks to her human friend,...

Anton is being raised in South London by his mother, a project manager for social services charities, while his father is imprisoned for a violent crime. He's in ninth grade, and hangs out with a group of boys including Kehinde, Marcus, and Caleb. The boys see no point in school,...

Alex has been in poor health since he was young, but it has recently come to light that his mother Clarissa suffered from Munchausen by proxy syndrome and has been poisoning him with mercury, salt, and other substances. He also suffers from a battery of psychiatric disorders, and hallucinates and...

Did you know that Sir David Attenborough will be 100 years old on May 8, 2026? It's fitting that he is the first entry in this collective biography of influential environmentalists, since he has worked so tirelessly to support green initiatives. In all, this book highlights 24 changemakers who are...

Margot Stafford's father died before she was born, and her mother, Ruth-Ann, who has recently lost her job as a kindergarten teacher, has struggled with depression. Margot and her older brother Eli try to help as much as possible, but have their own interests. Margot's best friend, Suzanne, and her...

Ben Ripley, the main character of Gibbs' Spy School series, wants to shed some light on the history of spy craft. After a brief mention of the history of espionage, he concentrates on the creation of the US involvement in World War II in 1941, when the need for the...

Life in Cold Creek, Colorado in 1910 is very regimented for young Stansislava. She must help out around the house, attend a kolo dance club, and attend church. Going to school and checking out books from the penny library in town are real treats. Her mother is unhappy that the...

Sana Merali lives on the charming Love Street in Toronto with her mother, who runs a flower shop. Her father has remarried and has a wife and daughter, Sarina, who value different things. Sana, a hopeless pansexual romantic, loves wearing clothes from Cosmic Vintage, where she works part time, and...

Frankie and her dog give us instructions for how to make a jelly sandwich. First, we need to get bread. Then, we need to open the jelly and apply it. Next, the sandwich must be assembled, and finally it must be cut. Of course, those are just the basic steps,...

Lucy loves playing the guitar and taking lessons from Mr. Martin at the community center with Karina and Gabe. She's excited when the annual recital is announced, and can't wait to get up on the stage and have all of her friends watch her perform. She invites her best friends,...

It's Opposite Day at Brewster Elementary School, and Lucy is all set. She has two shirts and a hat on backwards, even if wearing her glasses upside down didn't work. Principal Pennypacker is in a t shirt and jeans, and Ms. Welli is having the students teach some of the...