Reviews written by Beth Rodgers, Staff Reviewer

'R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul' by Carole Boston Weatherford, art by Frank Morrison, includes incredible images, highlighting the artistry of one of the musical greats, Aretha Franklin. While the pages of the book start with words that match with Franklin's life and times, poetic couplets provide a glimpse...

'Wonders of America: Yosemite' by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by John Wallace, will make readers eager to take a vacation to Yosemite National Park. Besides the colorful and descriptive images that paint a picture of the beauty of the park, there are interesting facts about sequoia trees, waterfalls, and even...

'The Good Song' by Alexandria Giardino, pictures by Penelope Dullaghan, combines colorful, powerful illustrations of a family and their time together. The book begins when a little boy is born and proceeds to show his relationship with his grandfather and their closeness. They talk of songs and what makes them...

'What's Inside a Flower? (and Other Questions about Science & Nature)' by Rachel Ignotofsky, is a beautifully illustrated book with engaging descriptions of various kinds of flowers, as well as more information about the colors, shapes, sizes, and other facts that make flowers grow and thrive. ...

'Fiver Finds Home' by Jill Bugbee, illustrated by Jennifer Davison, is a story of friendly Fiver, a blue giraffe who is half the normal size of other giraffes. As a result of these traits that make him "different," he doesn't see how he fits in with the other giraffes, and...

Flip Flap Snap: Farm by Joanna McInerney, artwork by Carmen Saldaña, will immediately engage young readers. While lifting the flaps to read about each type of farm animal the book describes – cow, dog, rooster, pig, and goat – one can also see the sounds that each animal tends to...

Flip Flap Snap: Dinosaurs by Joanna McInerney, artwork by Carmen Saldaña, is an adorable book for young readers. While lifting the flaps to read about each type of dinosaur the book describes – Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Diplodocus, Oviraptor, and Pterodactyl – one can also see the sounds that each dinosaur...

‘The First Holidays’ by Cait Marie is a sweet story of friendship and love. Readers will feel the warmth between the characters as they come to terms with how they feel about each other. Despite the short nature of the book, it shares the beauty of how friends can come...

‘Merci Suarez Can’t Dance’ by Meg Medina follows main character Merci Suárez through seventh grade. She has a lot to live up to, from her brother Roli's influence on her academic career, to holding her own against Edna Santos, the girl who is in charge of the annual Heart Ball....

‘The Missing: The True Story of My Family in WWII’ by Michael Rosen shares the story of a family who disappeared during WWII and the Holocaust. The narrative, written more for a juvenile audience than an adult one, does a nice job of connecting with both children and adults. At...

‘The Mother of Monsters’ by Fran Parnell, illustrated by Sophie Fatus, tells the story of Ntombi, the chief's daughter. She lives her life without fear, doing what she likes when she likes. However, her father, the chief, wants her to be married. As she tries to cross adventures off of...

‘Grim, Grunt and Grizzle-Tail’ by Fran Parnell, illustrated by Sophie Fatus, is great for younger elementary readers and anyone who enjoys a good story. When the king gets upset with his daughters, he decides to turn them into oranges. Yes, oranges. While far-fetched, it showcases how the...

‘The Story Blanket’ by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz, illustrated by Elena Odriozola, is the story of Babba Zarrah, who tells stories to children who come to visit her. They love to sit on her story blanket to hear the tales. Babba Zarrah, the...

‘My Best Friend Prince Charming’ by Cindy Ray Hale tells the story of Ryker and Shannon, two best friends who care deeply about each other, but are too afraid of their relationship unraveling if either reveals the truth. While Ryker has known of his feelings for Shannon for some time,...

‘Admission’ by Julie Buxbaum is a modern and definitely current read on a topic that has been in the news. When Chloe Berringer is admitted into her college of choice, she is thrilled. Or, she should be, but she just can’t help but feel that something is wrong. Her SAT...