Wash by Ebony Stewart
Though available, I read via an online reader copy. I did not read all of the poems by Ebony Stewart in their collection Wash. This is because it is difficult to read poetry online for me and second, they were terribly intense and it was not something I really needed to immerse myself in at the time. However, I will find a finshed copy and just sit and read. Stewart has a passionate voice that needs to be slowly enjoyed. And I hope this does […]
Emily Saw a Door by Mel Rosenberg
Robin and the Stick by E. B. Goodale
Recently two books (one due mid April 2026, the other late February/early April 2026; both read via an online reader) I read did not “grab me” in the way I had hoped. They were nice, but I was not the audience for them. I figure that probably a toddler to about six or so would be a good reach. They would be good bedtime stories or just relaxing stories. Both have interesting concepts and deal with self-confidence and imagination. Both have their own distinct style […]
Halloween Tree by Susan Montanari
When I first saw the title Halloween Tree I thought the cover was not matching what I was thinking. What I was thinking about was Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name. But then I wondered if it was possible to adapt it to a picture book format? Especially with such a cute cover? Yes, it is possible, but the real question is should it be adapted. Well, thankfully (I guess) it was not that Halloween Tree but its own unique story. Susan Montanari’s Halloween […]
Music Plants Hope by Tonnye Fletcher and Natalia Bruno
A concert for plants? That is probably about as unique as it gets. And if you want to learn about that statement, then read Music Plants Hope by Tonnye Fletcher and illustrated by Natalia Bruno. I read it via an online reader copy, as it is due late May/early June 2026. But I think I might find a copy to donate to the local library and maybe for a few gifts for teacher friends. The text itself was enjoyable as there was a poeticness to […]
Xander's Panda Party by Linda Sue Park
To try and expand my reading and to have some sort of order to it I started a reading challenge of a book per letter of the alphabet. It hit a few bumps (it is not as easy as you might think) but really hit hard with the letters Q and X. I did a little research and came up with Xander’s Panda Party for X (Q will be Queer Ducks by Eliot Schrefer. Hopefully). I thought, “Pandas?” That’s good. A party? Okay, that could […]
The First Girl on Stage: Tunga Dances the Yakshagana by Shruthi Rao
Are you looking for a good story about breaking the gender barrier with a subject not many might know about. The First Girl on Stage: Tunga Dances the Yakshagana by Shruthi Rao and illustrator Devika Joglekar might be what you are looking for. The girl of the story becomes obsessed with the dances she sees on stage. The swirling, the costumes, the colors, the excitement she copies all the time. At first, her family finds it amusing, then not so much, as she continues to […]
