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MADreads for Kids

Book reviews for children by library staff and guest contributors

Caldecott Honor Book: Choosing Brave

Cover of Choosing Brave: How Mamie
A review of Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy Illus. by Janelle Washington

This book opens on August 31, 1955, when Emmett Till's body was found and his mother, Mamie, chose to have him sent home - the braver thing. We then jump back in time to Mamie's childhood, learning about her family, her schooling, her marriage, and Emmett's birth, with each of Mamie's brave choices highlighted. Emmett's childhood comes next, noting his stutter of speech that came from polio, and his trick of whistling to calm him down.

Jan 31, 2023

Music and memories

Cover of Holding On
A review of Holding On by Sophia Lee

Lola's house is always filled with music--as she says, "If you want to hold on, you gotta sing your songs"! When Lola starts to seem quieter, more uncertain, it's up to her granddaughter to help fill in the silences. This beautiful picture book features a young girl matter-of-factly supporting her grandmother through memory loss while reflecting on and continuing all the meaningful (and multi-sensory) experiences they have shared over the years.

Jan 20, 2023

Truth and consequences

Cover of Killer Underwear Invasion!
A review of Killer Underwear Invasion!: How to Spot Fake News, Disinformation & Conspiracy Theories by Elise Gravel

Unicorns, human bats, and two-legged beavers have been discovered on the moon!! Really? Well no… but I made you look? Sorry, librarians are supposed to be dispellers of fake news, not shouting ridiculous headlines for the sake of humor in their book reviews. But fake news is everywhere, and if you don’t have a handy, humorous librarian around to help identify truth from fiction - don’t despair! Elise Gravel’s hilarious new graphic novel for kids breaks it down into bite size, understandable concepts: What is fake news? Why do people spread it? How can it be dangerous?

Jan 17, 2023

Growing and changing

Cover of Ride On
A review of Ride On by Faith Hicks

I was looking for some graphic novels to read over the holidays and placed a hold on this book, but even as I did I wondered if it would be too horse-y for me. I never really went through a horse phase as a kid beyond a couple trail rides at summer camp, but I shouldn't have worried. Yes, this book is about horses, but it's really about evolving friendships, growing up, changing interests - and fandoms!

Jan 10, 2023

Who is she?

Cover of What We Saw
A review of What We Saw by Mary Downing Hahn

Have you ever wondered what you would do if you saw something suspicious? Best friends, Abbi and Skylar, think they’re having an adventure à la Nancy Drew spying on two strangers meeting under their tree fort. So when a woman is later found dead in the woods, they realize they may hold the key! As much about relationships as it is about solving a crime, this fast-paced thriller is sure to grab the attention of school age through middle school readers. Do they decide to keep a secret? Or expose a life-altering truth?

Jan 6, 2023

Get ready for Taste-O-Rama fun

Cover of Kitty Sweet Tooth
A review of Kitty Sweet Tooth by Abby Denson and Utomaru

The only thing Kitty Sweet Tooth loves more than going to the movies is eating delicious desserts. When her Pop-Pop's movie theater falls on hard times, Kitty introduces the concept of a gourmet movie house. Special film screenings paired with custom-made treats created by an enthusiastic scientist and an inspired witch are poised to excite a new generation of movie goers. The ambitious team sets to work cleaning up the theater and dreaming of new ideas for the "Taste-O-Rama." Pop-Pop gives Kitty thirty days to prove that Taste-O-Rama will succeed.

Dec 19, 2022

Stunning lyrics, stunning illustrations

Cover of Still This Love Goes On
A review of Still This Love Goes On by Buffy Sainte-Marie

Gorgeous lyrics by Academy Award-winning Cree singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie are accompanied by absolutely stunning illustrations by Cree-Métis author, illustrator, and artist Julie Flett. The book is based on a song of the same name and celebrates nature, changing seasons, and Indigenous traditions. The author and illustrator notes, addressed to "readers and listeners," are also beautiful and full of love, and the sheet music is included at the end of the book so you can sing along. 

Dec 9, 2022

To Mars and back?

Cover of A Rover's Story
A review of A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

As with many of the books that land on my hold shelf or in the digital queue on my phone, I'm not sure where I heard about this charming, heartwarming, a little heartbreaking, gem of a book. Wherever it was or whoever it was who suggested it? Thank you.

Dec 2, 2022

Come for the history, stay for the inspiration

Cover of Pride: An Inspirational Hi
A review of Pride: An Inspirational History of the LGBTQ+ Movement by Stella Caldwell

October was LGBTQ+ history month, and it's not too late to celebrate by brushing up on your LGBTQ+ history with Stella Caldwell’s Pride: An Inspirational History of the LGBTQ+ Movement? Beginning thousands of years ago with LGBTQ+ figures from Ancient Greece, China, and Japan, Caldwell provides a comprehensive and accessible history of LGBTQ+ people, culture, and struggle for rights from ancient times all the way up to the present.

Nov 22, 2022

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