Starred Reviews from ALL FIVE Publishing Journals*
Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and weaves them into one funny, poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.
A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein
The true story behind the writing of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Small in the City by Sydney Smith
A little boy offers advice to his cat, which is lost in the city, from taking shortcuts through safe alleys to finding a friend in the park.
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
The Newbery Award-winning author of The Crossover pens an ode to black American triumph and tribulation, with art from a two-time Caldecott Honoree.
Starred Reviews from FOUR of the Publishing Journals
Birdsong by Julie Flett
When a young girl moves to her new home far away from the sea, she feels lonely and out of place. But soon she meets an elderly woman next door, who shares her love of nature and art. As the seasons change, can the girl navigate the failing health of her new friend?
Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard
Using illustrations that show the diversity in Native America and spare poetic text that emphasizes fry bread in terms of provenance, this volume tells the story of a post-colonial food that is a shared tradition for Native American families all across the North American continent.
Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly
Twelve-year-old Lalani Sarita takes on the impossible task of traveling to the legendary Mount Isa, towering on an island to the north. Generations of men and boys have died on the same quest–how can a timid young girl in a tiny boat survive the epic tests of the archipelago?
The Line Tender by Kate Allen
Following a tragedy that further alters the course of her life, twelve-year-old Lucy Everhart decides to continue the shark research her marine biologist mother left unfinished when she died years earlier.
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she’s always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her.
Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga
Sent with her mother to the safety of a relative’s home in Cincinnati when her Syrian hometown is overshadowed by violence, Jude worries for the family members who were left behind as she adjusts to a new life with unexpected surprises.
Saturday by Oge Mora
When all of their special Saturday plans go awry, Ava and her mother still find a way to appreciate one another and their time together.
This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
Ben and his friends are determined to find out where the paper lanterns of the annual Autumn Equinox Festival go, so they follow the river as far as they can until the only followers left are Ben and Nathaniel.
*The five Publishing Journals are
1. School Library Journal
2. Kirkus Reviews
3. Publisher’s Weekly
4. Booklist
5. The Horn Book