Cynthia L. Copeland’s Cub (2019)
Cynthia L. Copeland’s new middle-grade graphic memoir, Cub, is an intimate and atmospheric coming-of-age story that follows 12-year-old Cindy as she navigators the hormonal halls of middle-school and an informal […]
Abramchik’s Is Your Family Like Mine? (1993)
Written by Lois Abramchik, with realistic black and white charcoal illustrations by Alaiyo Bradshaw, Is Your Family Like Mine? (1993) is about a little girl named Armetha. After starting Kindergarten, Armetha grows self-conscious that she doesn’t have a father. She begins to ask her diverse classmates about their families and […]
Corey R. Tabor’s Fox the Tiger
Written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor, Fox the Tiger, is an accessible story about a fox who wishes he was big, fast, and sneaky like a tiger. The fox, named Fox, reinvents himself with painted stripes and a new name – Tiger. Fox’s transformation inspires his friends. Turtle becomes […]
Zetta Elliott’s Benny Doesn’t Like to Be Hugged
Benny Doesn’t Like to Be Hugged (2017), written by the brilliant and prolific Zetta Elliott and richly illustrated by Purple Wong, is a sweet and accessible story about the relationship between a boy with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and his sister. At the end of the book, Elliott provides a […]
Jen Wojtowicz’s The Boy Who Grew Flowers
I love the cozy, whimsical, slightly melancholy, illustrations in The Boy Who Grew Flowers (2005), which is cleverly written by Jen Wojtowicz and beautifully illustrated by Steve Adams. The cover depicts a pinkish boy with blushing cheeks, flowers in one hand, green shoes in the other. This is a love […]
Julia Finley Mosca’s The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin (2017), written by Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel Rieley, is a smart biographical children’s picture book about Dr. Temple Grandin, a compassionate scientist with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Born in 1947, Temple Grandin became an important […]
Alice Reeves’ Vincent the Vixen (2018)
Written by Alice Reeves and illustrated by Phoebe Kirk, Vincent the Vixen is a children’s picture book full of welcome surprises. The story, about a transgender girl-fox, encourages conversations about acceptance, self-awareness, and gender identity. It begins with several foxes playing together. The foxes, identified as siblings, are seen without […]
Xelena Gonzalez’s All Around Us
All Around Us, written by Xelena Gonzalez and illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia, is a meditation. Garcia’s images are digitally generated and seem to straddle the line between spiritual and material, curving into a circle under the weight of Gonzalez’s poetic prose. This is fitting since the text explores time […]
Rob Sanders’ Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag
Written by Rob Sanders and illustrated by Steven Salerno, Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag (2018), is an invaluable contribution to children’s literature that should be […]
Maya Gonzalez’s When a Bully is President: Truth and Creativity in Oppressive Times
Maya Gonzalez’s necessary children’s picture book, When a Bully is President: Truth and Creativity in Oppressive Times (2017), sends a positive message to children about the power of creativity, awareness, self-care, and community engagement. When a Bully is President requires reflection and discussion, preferably with a knowledgeable person who can […]
