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“Go Forth and Tell” and other new picture books

February 9th, 2024

Spring Books 2024

  • I reviewed “Mazie’s Amazing Machines” awhile back, and wanted to give it another shout-out. It’s a heck of a picture book. (Written by Sheryl Haft, with illustrations by Jeremy Holmes; Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House; 2023, all ages, $18.99.) Whether she’s building a Roly-Ramp, a Pulley-Lifter, or a supercool Waker-Upper Rocket Machine, Mazie McGear is always getting creative and helping others at the same time. Woof, Doodle! Love this one for bringing STEM and STEAM to life. (In honor of National Engineering Week, Feb. 18-24.)
  • “God’s Little Astronomer,” is science and theology from writer/elementary teacher Tina Cho, with sweet drawings by Spanish illustrator Marta Alvarez Miguens. The littles are given Bible verses along with info on the constellations, dwarf planets, and all 100 billion galaxies in the universe. (WaterBrook, scheduled for release Feb. 20, 2024, 40 pages, all ages, $12.99.)
  • “Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller,” is the newest release from Breanna J. McDaniel and April Harrison. Augusta Baker’s story needs to go in all the school libraries, asap. You know how I feel about librarians, especially the ones with big personalities and huge spirits. This was Baker, who was the first Black coordinator of children’s services at all branches of the New York Public Library, and a champion of books, always. Beautiful work from McDaniel, who also wrote “Hands Up!” and “Impossible Moon,” and Harrison, who is a 2023 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award winner.
  • “Algo, algun dia” (“Something, Someday”) is a lovely new book by Amanda Gorman, author, and Christian Robinson (Viking/Penguin Random House, 2024, ages 4 and up, $18.99). The translation was done by Jasminne Mendez, and the book is also available in English. The Presidential Inaugural Poet has a done a deft job, with a light hand and confidence, in giving us this tale of a child, who with the help of his friends, sees hope and growth where others see brokenness and trash.

1 Comment

  1. Tina says

    Thank you for sharing my book, God’s Little Astronomer!

    February 12th, 2024 | #

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