Reviews written by Beth Rodgers, Staff Reviewer

‘Grow Up, Tahlia Wilkins’ by Karina Evans will have readers on the edges of their seats, wondering what is going to happen to Tahlia next. Problem after problem befalls her as she starts her period for the first time at the most inopportune moment—her mother has just gone out of...

‘Missing the Beat’ by Cait Marie tells the story of Maya and Xander, two people who once knew each other and only recently reconnected. Their relationship is filled with plenty of ups, downs, and misunderstandings. Shared trauma and issues that torment them each individually are what keeps them apart, but...

‘June Bloomed Anyway’ by Ivy Strohmaier, illustrated by Cara McFarlane Varela, is the story of a California poppy named June. Her family has been part of Ms. Beansprout’s garden for more than 30 years, and June is happy with the way things are. She lives alongside her mother, father, and...

‘Our Principal is a Scaredy-Cat’ by Stephanie Calmenson, illustrated by Aaron Blecha, is about Mr. Bundy, the principal of PS 88. He doesn’t know what’s happening exactly, but he does know that there is something out there that is laughing at and teasing him, and he’s scared! He doesn’t know...

‘Meeting the Star’ by Cait Marie combines crushes, frustration, love, manipulation, and misunderstandings to create an exciting exploration of the world of movies overlapping with real life. When Eliza learns that her best friend, Maya, is going to be in a movie with star Lucas Warner, she can hardly believe...

‘Binny’s Diwali’ by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, is a beautiful book that explores the holiday of Diwali and how a little girl shares her holiday with her school friends. Binny is nervous, but excited to talk about Diwali at school. She doesn’t know quite what...

‘The Great Mathemachicken: Hide and Go Beak’ by Nancy Krulik, illustrated by Charlie Alder, tells the story of Chirpy, a curious chick who wants to learn more about the world outside of the confines of her coop. When she finds the opportunity to sneak out, she follows the kids who...

‘Donkey Hodie In a Pickle!’ provides a glimpse into the new series of ‘Donkey Hodie’ available on PBS Kids. A Fred Rogers Production, ‘Donkey Hodie’ is a sweet and friendship-filled show, and this book captures the same themes. The story is simple, but provides useful tools and...

‘A Recoger Manzanas!’ or “Apple Picking Day!’ by Candice Ransom, illustrated by Erika Meza, is about two siblings, a sister and brother, who are excited to go apple picking together. The story is told in a rhyming format, which is an easy way for kids to get more invested in...

‘Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros?’ by Shel Silverstein is an adorable tale about a child and a rhinoceros, and how they come together to do funny, sweet things. The boy in the book loves his new pet and wants to make his relationship with the rhinoceros special, so they spend...

‘Weird But True! New York City,’ from National Geographic Kids, paints an interesting, wild, thoroughly engaging picture of the Big Apple. From facts such as how the New York Public Library has a collection of 40,000 historical restaurant menus to how frozen custard was invented at Coney Island in 1919,...

‘Donkey Hodie Helps an Elephant,’ a Level One Ready-to-Read book, showcases the adorable new series of ‘Donkey Hodie’ available on PBS Kids. A Fred Rogers Production, ‘Donkey Hodie’ is a sweet and friendship-filled tale. The book includes easy sight words, a simple plot and dialogue between characters, and familiar topics...

‘Snoopy on the Job,’ a Level Two Ready-to-Read book, is yet another cute tale from the imagination of Charles M. Schulz, creator of the original Peanuts cartoons. Based on ‘The Snoopy Show’ episode of the same name, the book tells the story of Lucy’s yard sale and how Snoopy and...

‘A Song of Frutas’ by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Sara Palacios, is a sweet tale of a granddaughter and her grandfather as they sell fruit on the streets of Cuba. The illustrations are vibrant and exude the beauty of the location and the relationship between a granddaughter and her abuelo...

‘Listified!’ by Andrew Pettie, illustrated by Andres Lozano, is a fascinating addition to the Britannica Books. There are 300 lists in the book to engage anyone with interest in almost anything. Some pages detail odd jobs, such as teddy bear surgeons, dog food tasters, and professional sleepers, while other pages...