Margaret McNamara

When Sophia was little, she loved bugs. Once she got to school, the other kids made fun of her and hurt the grasshopper she brought to class. To cheer her up, her mom suggests she write to some bug scientists, and she gets lots and lots of responses from all kinds of bug scientists telling her not to give up on bugs.

This true story was fine but kind of lost the plot in a kid-telling-a-story way. Seems to be more about the adults than the kid. Having a bunch of strange adults telling her on social media (a thing she is legally not allowed to use) that bugs are cool does not actually help her with her peer problem. What does help, in the end, is developing some other interests in addition to bugs, but the book presents that as a thing that just happened, not a conscious decision or a sign of maturity.… (more)

These pages center around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but instead of diving into this great man's history, accomplishments and facts, it heads toward a broader direction.

It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the class is on a fieldtrip to learn more about what the day means. Of course, the kids are packed full of ideas and Mrs. Connor knows exactly how to grab their attention and shift their thoughts in an inspiring direction.

This is a book for those readers, who have learned enough words to handle many sentences on their own but still need practice. The words are in a larger font, nicely spaced, and kept to a minimum. There are illustrations on (almost) every page, too. Plus, it does build vocabulary gently along the way. So, it's great for beginning readers.

The students and Mrs. Connor come across with kindness and fun. The kids' responses are very natural, and Mrs. Connor has an amazingly patient and caring way of reacting to them. It shows a wholesome classroom setting with classmates, who are kind to one another, use their imagination, and will connect with many young readers. The situations and settings are familiar and, again, easy for readers to recognize and identify with. There's enough of a light humor to bring slight smiles, and the pacing moves along steadily to keep boredom away. It's a nice, simple, and quick read.

At first, I was surprised that there wasn't much information about Martin Luther King Jr. but have to admit that it wouldn't have worked well in this level of read. The very basics are explained...just what the age group can understand...and then, the author cleverly brought it into the big dream direction and left with a very inspiring message. So, kudos on that end.

It's a gentle and fun way to introduce beginning readers to the holiday while improving the reading skills in a way, which won't scare them away. I received a complimentary copy and found it well done, especially as an early reader.… (more)

"The children of fictional Stanton Elementary School educate themselves and their community about the vote in this picture book.

With its illustrations of simple shapes in bright colors imbuing a sense of positive action and a diverse cast of characters, this picture book rocks—and that’s even before the narrative takes hold. When Stanton’s students learn that their school becomes a polling station every two years, they want to be part of it—but learn they can’t vote until they are 18. Undeterred, they take action. The kids do their research and then engage their community to encourage those of voting age to go to the polls. They go door to door with voter-guide pamphlets, they hold a bake sale (with clever reminders like “Donut forget to vote”), and remind their families to vote. Each child-empowering scenario is paired with an adult’s excuse (“I’ll be away”; “I’m not even registered”; “I can’t walk so far”), and with each comment, the kids have an answer that draws on their research: “You can vote by mail”; “It’s not hard to register”; “A volunteer can drive you!” These kids mean business; it’s their future after all. Children and adults depicted represent a range of skin colors, hair textures, and gender presentations; one girl and her aunt wear hijab. Backmatter includes a quick listing of kid-relevant federal legislation.

Essential—the energetic narrative and uplifting illustrations will inspire and empower young readers to get out the vote. (Picture book. 5-9)" www.kirkusreviews.com, A Kirkus Starred Review… (more)