| This Baby. That Baby. by Cari Best; illustrated by Rashin KheiriyehTwo babies who live on neighboring streets have parallel experiences in this lighthearted slice-of-life picture book. Rollicking verses and winsome artwork make for an "utterly irresistible" (Kirkus Reviews) read. |
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| Soren's Seventh Song by Dave Eggers; illustrated by Mark HoffmannTeenage humpback whale Soren is sure he can improve on the boring songs of his elders. (Maybe add some maracas, for a start?) Composing a hit song, however, is tougher than expected. Playful humor enlivens this look at the creative process. |
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| Tomorrow's Lily by Chris RaschkaIn verses as sweet and delicate as the pastel watercolor illustrations, this quiet picture book uses the briefly blooming daylily as the focal point for a kid-friendly meditation on fleeting beauty and enduring memories. |
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| The Fix-Its: Nail Needs Help by Sarah Lynne ReulJust when anxious, anthropomorphic Nail starts worrying that he’ll never get free from the wood he’s been driven into, the best-suited tool from the box saves the day. Short, colorful, and packed with easy-to-read speech balloons, this gently funny easy reader is sure to charm. |
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| The Blue Pickup by Natasha Tripplett; illustrated by Monica MikaiIn a lushly illustrated Jamaican town, Ju-Girl and her Granddad bond as they repair cars, culminating in a vibrant tour of their neighborhood in Grandad’s freshly restored old pickup.
Read-alikes: Margarita Engle’s All the Way to Havana and The Old Truck by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey. |
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April is Middle Eastern and North African (MENA)/Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) Heritage Month |
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These Olive Trees
by Aya Ghanameh
It's 1967 in Nablus, Palestine. Oraib loves the olive trees that grow outside the refugee camp where she lives. Each harvest, she and her mama pick the small fruits and she eagerly stomp stomp stomps on them to release their golden oil. Olives have always tied her family to the land, as Oraib learns from the stories Mama tells of a home before war. But war has come to their door once more, forcing them to flee. Even as her family is uprooted, Oraib makes a solemn promise to her beloved olive trees.
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Behind My Doors : the Story of the World's Oldest Library
by Hena Khan
In this enchanting picture book, told from the unique perspective of the Al-Warawlyyin Library—the oldest library in the world in Morocco, readers can experience the magic and adventure in this special place where young and old gathered to discuss, debate and discover the world.
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The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale
by Aya Khalil
Upon learning that the books with kids who look like her have been banned by her school district, Kanzi, an Egyptian immigrant, descends into fear and helplessness. But her classmates support her, and together--with their teacher's help--they hatch a plan to hold a bake sale and use the proceeds to buy diverse books to donate to libraries. The event is a big success; the entire school participates, and the local TV station covers it in the evening news. Prodded by her classmates to read the poem she has written, Kanzi starts softly but finds her voice.
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Not Yet : the Story of an Unstoppable Ice Skater
by Zahra Lari
This empowering story of courage, determination and perseverance follows five-time Emirati National Champion Zahri Lari, the first figure skater to compete internationally in a hijab, whose mantra “not yet” gave her the self-confidence she needed to make her dreams a reality.
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Banana Dream
by Hasan Namir
Growing up in Iraq after the Gulf War, Mooz didn't always like his name, which means banana. But when he learns the story behind it, he's proud, even when being teased by his classmates. Now all he yearns for is to taste a banana--a lofty dream in a time when few countries are trading with Iraq, where bananas don't grow. Inspired by author Hasan Namir's own childhood, Banana Dream is at once a celebration of a seemingly ordinary fruit and a snapshot of how war can alter a landscape.
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Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 0-8!
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