BookDragon Children/Picture Books

It’s a Book by Lane Smith

01 Nov, by SIBookDragon in Absolute Favorites, Adult Readers, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Middle Grade Readers, Nonethnic-specific, Young Adult Readers

Delighted guffawing is inevitable as soon as you open the pages. And most especially fitting if you are a proud, obstinate Luddite like me! Move over Kindles, Nooks, iPads, Vooks, and whatever other...

Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow | A Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix by Gary Golio, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe

29 Oct, by SIBookDragon in Biography, Black/African American, Children/Picture Books, Nonfiction

Growing up in Seattle, Washington, young Jimi Hendrix first made music on a one-string ukulele. He drew, he told funny stories, he hung out at the local record store with his friends "who never teased him about his worn-out clothes and wild hair ...

Game Set Match Champion Arthur Ashe by Crystal Hubbard, illustrated by Kevin Belford

19 Oct, by SIBookDragon in Biography, Black/African American, Children/Picture Books, Nonfiction

To better appreciate this biography of tennis legend Arthur Ashe – first-ever African American Grand Slam champion, #1 tennis champion in the world – read it backwards. That is, turn to the back and first read the "Author's Note" on the last page. Why? Because author Crystal Hubbard...

Rosa’s Bus: The Ride to Civil Rights by Jo S. Kittinger, illustrated by Steven Walker

14 Oct, by SIBookDragon in Black/African American, Children/Picture Books, Nonfiction

Here's a solid piece of history ...

Elsie’s Bird by Jane Yolen, illustrated by David Small

13 Oct, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Nonethnic-specific

The versatile Jane Yolen – apparently she hates the word "prolific" according to a recent interview – debuts her 300th title bearing her good name over the half century she's been writing! No, that's not a typo. Yes, truly 300 books! No wonder she's been called...

Seaside Dream by Janet Costa Bates, illustrated by Lambert Davis

12 Oct, by SIBookDragon in Black/African American, Children/Picture Books, Fiction

Family and friends from all over are arriving to celebrate Grandma's 70th birthday. Together they gather to eat and laugh ...

The Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

05 Oct, by SIBookDragon in Canadian, Canadian Asian Pacific American, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Pakistani American, South Asian American

Pakistani Canadian writer Rukhsana Khan takes on sibling rivalry once again, but unlike her adorable 2005 title, Silly Chicken, this time, all her characters are all of the human variety ...

Eight Days: A Story of Haiti by Edwidge Danticat, illustrated by Alix Delinois

30 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Black/African American, Caribbean, Caribbean American, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Haitian, Haitian American

This has been one tragic week: the deadly Oaxaca, Mexico mudslide, the two Rutgers freshmen whose abusively invasive actions led to the suicide of a third first-year student, the deaths of iconic actor Tony Curtis and director Arthur Penn ...

The Boy in the Garden by Allen Say

28 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Japanese, Japanese American

Jiro and his father arrive at Mr. Ozu's to wish him a happy new year. As the grown-ups talk, Jiro wanders first out of the room, then into the garden where he sees a striking, unmoving large bird. As he approaches it, laughter breaks out...

Mad at Mommy by Komako Sakai

26 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Japanese, Nonethnic-specific, Translation

"Mommy, I – I – I AM SO MAD AT YOU!" Okay, Mommies (and Daddies) ...

Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival by Grace Lin

22 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Chinese American, Fiction

What a festive day this is in most Asian and the Asian American communities throughout the world ...

In front of my house by Marianne Dubuc, translated by Yvette Ghione

16 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Canadian, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Nonethnic-specific

"On a little hill, behind a brown fence, under a big oak tree, is ...

The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault

14 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Latin American, Middle Grade Readers, Nonfiction

María Luz's family is in trouble. Their land in the hills of Honduras, which provides them with the corn and beans they need to live, has "lost its goodness." In order for the family to survive, María Luz's father must leave home and find work....

Betsy Red Hoodie by Gail Carson Levine, illustrated by Scott Nash

12 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Nonethnic-specific

Eight years after making her debut in Betsy Who Cried Wolf!, young shepherd Betsy is back ...

Betsy Who Cried Wolf! by Gail Carson Levine, illustrated by Scott Nash

12 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Nonethnic-specific

Possibly best known for her award-winning, mega bestselling Ella Enchanted (the book, by the way, is far better than the film, ahem!), Gail Carson Levine is certainly not unfamiliar with rewriting, re-spinning fairy tales. This one – not unlike "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" –...

Spork by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

02 Sep, by SIBookDragon in Absolute Favorites, Canadian, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Hapa/Mixed-race

First off, Spork is one of the cutest, most clever books on mixed-race issues to land on my desk in a long time. Both story and illustrations create a perfect package of ticklish, delightful fun ...

Joha Makes a Wish: A Middle Eastern Tale adapted by Eric A. Kimmel, illustrated by Omar Rayyan

23 Aug, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Middle Eastern, Nonethnic-specific

Sometimes the simplest things are beyond understanding … exactly because of their simplicity. While resting against a crumbling old wall, Joha happens upon a wishing stick … but everything he wishes for has exactly the opposite results. He gets himself in trouble again and again, eventually...

Raindrops: A Shower of Colors by Chiêu Anh Urban, illustrated by Viviana Garofoli

13 Aug, by SIBookDragon in Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Nonethnic-specific, Vietnamese American

Since we’ve been greeted the last few mornings with showers, I figure Raindrops was the most appropriate title to post today … This chunky book for little fingers proves to be a most clever adventure in learning colors … not just the basics, but how certain...

From North to South | Del Norte al Sur by René Colato Laínez, illustrated by Joe Cepeda

12 Aug, by SIBookDragon in Bilingual, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Latina/o/x

José and his Papá live in San Diego. Mamá used to live with them until the factory where she works was raided, and Mamá was sent away to Tijuana, Mexico. Two weeks since her sudden disappearance, José and Papá will finally be able to see...

In Celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage: A Survey of New & Notable Books [in Bloomsbury Review]

10 Aug, by SIBookDragon in Adult Readers, Children/Picture Books, Fiction, Graphic Title/Manga/Manwha, Middle Grade Readers, Nonfiction, Pan-Asian Pacific American, Repost, Young Adult Readers

I've been doing an annual New & Notable roundup of APA titles for The Bloomsbury Review for more than a few years now. This year's installment is running a little later than usual. I know you can't see it here, but the roundup is referenced...