★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Hot Dog
By: Doug Salati
Illustrated by: Doug Salati
Medal Winner
Reviewed by: Sarah Kim
Also read and recommended by: Christine Kallner, Sandy Hall
If you'd much rather be at the beach in the summer than rushing around a crowded city in the heat you'll definitely relate to this sweet dog and his kind owner who realizes he needs a break. The illustrations are full of movement and both the illustrations and the text evoke the sounds and sensations that the dog is experiencing. You'll breathe a sigh of relief with the dog as he runs across the sand and appreciate the simple beauty of getting out into nature.
Ain't Burned All the Bright
By: Jason Reynolds
Illustrated by: Jason Griffin
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Jason Reynolds and his best bud, Jason Griffin, had a mind-meld. And they decided to tackle it, in one fell swoop, in about ten sentences, and 300 pages of art, this piece, this contemplation-manifesto-fierce-vulnerable-gorgeous-terrifying-WhatIsWrongWithHumans-hope-filled-hopeful-searing-Eye-Poppingly-Illustrated-tender-heartbreaking-how-The-HECK-did-They-Come-UP-with-This project about oxygen. And all of the symbolism attached to that word, especially NOW.
And so for anyone who didn’t really know what it means to not be able to breathe, REALLY breathe, for generations, now you know. And those who already do, you’ll be nodding yep yep, that is exactly how it is.
From the publisher
Berry Song
By: Michaela Goade
Illustrated by: Michaela Goade
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.
Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry.
Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.
Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all. Michaela Goade's luminous rendering of water and forest, berries and jams glows with her love of the land and offers an invitation to readers to deepen their own relationship with the earth.
From the publisher
Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
By: Angela Joy
Illustrated by: Janelle Washington
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Mamie Till-Mobley is the mother of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally murdered while visiting the South in 1955. His death became a rallying point for the civil rights movement, but few know that it was his mother who was the catalyst for bringing his name to the forefront of history.
In Choosing Brave, Angela Joy and Janelle Washington offer a testament to the power of love, the bond of motherhood, and one woman's unwavering advocacy for justice. It is a poised, moving work about a woman who refocused her unimaginable grief into action for the greater good. Mamie fearlessly refused to allow America to turn away from what happened to her only child. She turned pain into change that ensured her son's life mattered.
Timely, powerful, and beautifully told, this thorough and moving story has been masterfully crafted to be both comprehensive and suitable for younger readers.
From the publisher
★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Knight Owl
By: Christopher Denise
Illustrated by: Christopher Denise
Honor
Reviewed by: Sherry Early
Also read and recommended by: Christine Kallner, Sandy Hall
“Since the day he hatched, Owl had one wish. To be a knight.”
At first Owl is just a child playing dress up. But eventually he is accepted into Knight School where he learns to be a real knight, and upon his graduation he is assigned to the Knight Night Watch on the castle walls. Then, one night Owl confronts a real, live dragon. Can he act with bravery and cleverness like a real knight? Can he find a way to keep the dragon from eating him as a snack?
For the legions of children who are enamored of knights and castles and fire-breathing dragons, this picture book would be a real treat. Or it might be an introduction to the world of knights and dragons, a tame and rather peaceful introduction. Owl does indeed make peace with the dragon, and no owls are harmed in the course of this story.
Read full review