Little Rebels by Yuyi Morales (9780823447541)

Welcome to the world of little rebels. You can be one too! Little rebels are looking for stories. They make poetry. They are dreamers and while rebellious they make sure to take care of others along the way. They know to turn to their ancestors when things get too big for them to change and also to change smaller things as they can. They learn and grow, making their own magic rather than waiting for it to happen. 

Based on the author’s childhood experience at a freshwater lagoon and then her return in adulthood to find it dried up, this picture book explores nature with three BIPOC child characters who serve as additional voices in the story via their speech bubbles. Accompanied by animal friends, the three travel a landscape of frogs, plants and then desolation. Morales is calling for action, for caring for one another, for kindness and awareness in this book. 

Strong and haunting. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy provided by Neal Porter Books.

Together, United by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier (9781338752052)

This is the final book in the All Because You Matter trilogy. It is a picture book that speaks to the fact that all children were born of stars and brought to just this place via gravity and the Big Bang. The book is about using your voice and finding your gifts to share with others. It strongly points out that if we work together the impact of our efforts is far beyond what we could do alone. This is a book for our times and for children of today. As always, Collier’s art is tremendous, particularly when combined with the poetic skill of an author like Charles. Combined with the other books in the series, it is a call to action, a demand that we use our voices and an empowering book to share with children who may feel scared and powerless. Appropriate for ages 5-10.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Scholastic.