October & November 2022

Corazon Aquino {Little People, Big Dreams series} (Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, illustrated by Ginnie Hu)

This biography tells us about the first female president of the Philippines, Corazon Aquino. She started out as a quiet, studious girl and turned into an outspoken activist. She and her husband, Ninoy Aquino, were vocal critics of President Marcos, the dictator of the Philippines at the time. Despite being exiled to the United States, eventually the Aquinos were able to defeat him and bring democracy back to their country. (J BIOGRAPHY Aquino, Corazon Cojuangco) 

Hiawatha and the Peacemaker (Robbie Robertson, illustrated by David Shannon)

This version of Hiawatha is not the version in the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem. This version is one that Robertson had heard when he was a child. It follows Hiawatha’s journey with a man known as the Peacemaker, and his message of peace brought together five nations into what we know as the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy. This was not an easy journey for Hiawatha, whose family was killed by the Chief of one of the other nations. After they joined together, they called their government The Great Law of Peace. This law inspired Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, as well as others who helped to create the US Constitution. (J FIC Robertson, Robbie)

Florence Nightingale (Demi)

How refreshing it is to read about a real person who has done amazing, selfless things to make the world a better place. Young Florence Nightingale knew she wanted to become a nurse, and, while she was recovering from whooping cough, made a small hospital for her dolls. Despite her parent’s wishes to do otherwise, she was determined to help sick people. Not only did Florence care for people in need, but she also went above and beyond to learn as much as possible. She used her knowledge to organize and make hospitals much cleaner and have them provide healthier food for the patients. She had to work hard to convince other how important these changes were, but as a result many lives were saved. (J BIOGRAPHY Nightingale, Florence)

Francis, the Little Fox written by Veronique Boisjoly, illustrated by Katty Maurey (STORIES Boisjoly)

I really liked this because it teaches a lesson: never be bad or bad things will happen.

~Review from Sam F., age 9

5 Books About Voting

It’s voting season! Here are some books to help you learn more about the voting process and what different roles call for.

1. Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel. Learn about the process of running for president (or really, any political position) with the help of Bad Kitty! He wants to do something about the stray cats in the neighborhood, but first, he must win an election to be president of the neighborhood cats. Can Bad Kitty jump through all the hoops? Read the book to find out. J ABC Fic Bruel
2. I Voted by Mark Shulman, illustrated by Serge Bloch. This is a great introduction to the idea of voting for preschoolers and young elementary school students. It focuses on what voting is, and then scales it up to why it is important for adults do it. ON ORDER
3. Lillian’s Right to Vote by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Shane W. Evans. This story traces the history of the fight of Black people to vote in the United States, from enslavement to poll taxes and impossible tests. It was only in 1965 that the Voting Rights Act was passed, and Supreme Court cases about the Act have been coming up regularly since 2013. This book could help parents with discussions around that topic. STORIES Winter
4. Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts. Part of the Questioneers series (a favorite of mine), this book looks at Sofia Valdez, who wants to do something to better her community. The adults around her say, “Sure, you do it.” So she does. This book reminds young people that they have the ability to make change too. STORIES Beaty 
5. Vote! by Eileen Christelow. Out of all the books on this list, it’s probably the most in-depth about the voting process. Focusing on a mayoral race, two dogs explain the concept of voting from why we vote to how the process works on Election Day. J 324 Christelow

5 Books About Sheep

There has always been a soft spot in my heart for sheep. For starters: they’re fun to look at. I like the way they feel and the gentle sounds they make. It’s comforting to watch them as they stick together as a group and this sweet animal represents love.

1. Baabwaa & Wooliam by David Elliott. Best friends Baabwaa and Wooliam are sheep. One loves to knit and the other loves to read. The two decided to change things up one day and go on an adventure. Trouble showed up when they crossed paths with a rather unkempt looking sheep. This hilarious tale is full of laughter, surprises and colorful illustrations done by the ever-popular Melissa Sweet. STORIES Elliott
2. Brave Little Finn (Sweet Pea & Friends series) by John and Jennifer Churchman. Based on a true story: a baby lamb named Little Finn is born too early and has to be raised indoors by his humans. Like a pandemic baby, he had not been to many places nor had the opportunity to meet new friends until the following spring. You will be awed by the captivating, gorgeous overlapping, photographs of Little Finn throughout the book. STORIES Churchman
3. From Sheep to Sweater by Robin Nelson. Come learn the basics of how sheep are raised, what they eat, when their coats are clipped, and all the way through to spinning, dying, and knitting the wool. Each easy-to-read page presents new terms along with a photograph that shows the various steps through this interesting process. J 746.43 Nelson
4. Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton. Russell the sheep has a hard time falling asleep. He tries many different things like counting his feet or the stars but none of them help. Then he came up with an interesting idea…to count sheep. Be sure to check the soft, detailed illustrations along with Russell’s long awesome hat. STORIES Scotton
5. Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw. Five sheep go for a drive in a jeep and probably shouldn’t. Through this fun, rhyming story, the sheep run into troubles more than once. A few neighboring pigs come to the rescue. But will the sheep learn any lessons? BOARD BOOK Sheep