Tag: diverse

cover of Our Favorite Day of the Week showing a teacher with six students
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Our Favorite Day of the Week

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Our Favorite Day of the Week* (Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026) by Ashley Franklin and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell is a fun book about how different days of the week are special. (This book is a sequel to Our Favorite Day of the Year and comes out the end of September.)

Musa is excited about tying his own shoes, but Zohra is sad about missing tomorrow–Tuesday–because it’s her favorite day of the week. He shares his favorite day, and then Zadie, Mo, Luna, and Moises share theirs. The kids are surprised to find out their teacher’s favorite day.

Favorite days include recycling, swimming, family time, religious events, sports, culture, and time with students. “‘What makes a day special is how it make you feel,’ said M. Gupta.” So true!

Read about Ashley here and check out her books here. Previously I recommended her book Not Quite Snow White.

See Rahele’s books and sample illustrations here and read about her here. I love how the cover hints at what we’ll find inside with each kid having something to represent their favorite day.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

cover of The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup - stairs going down the left side of the cover with someone in black running away with a gold trophy
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy (Henry Holt and Co., 2026) by Angela Cervantes is a fun and timely story with secret tunnels! And was released in both English and Spanish.

Sixth grader Diez Espada is named after the number from the jersey of his father’s favorite futbol (soccer) player. His dad has high hopes for Diez’s futbol career, but Diez would rather be a detective. He notices things. Sees clues. And right now he’s on the case of the missing school mascot, Louis the Lobster. He has to leave the futbol game before it is done for the big reveal of “who done it,” which makes his father unhappy. But all this is just the prequel for the big important mystery of the stolen World Cup Trophy.

Along the way, we meet Diez’s first crush Rio, a famous detective, and plenty of bad guys. Plus, a parrot named Soledad.

Read about the award-winning author here. See her books here. And here’s an interview with her about this book.

Cover of Courage Hats - Two characters looking out a train window, a child in a paperbag bear hat, and a bear in a paperbag human hat.
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Courage Hats

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Courage Hats (Chronicle Books, 2022) by Kate Hoefler and illustrated by Jessixa Bagley is a fun read about courage and making friends.

Some don’t like train travel…
Mae is afraid because “the train went deep into bear places.”
Bear is afraid because “the train went deep into people places.”
They both create courage hats to wear. Guess where they each end up sitting?

I love the innocence of each character. And especially the phrase “…when you take your hat off, someone else will, too.”

Read about the author here and check out her books here. Kate’s newest book is The Couch in the Yard.

Jessixa is an author and an illustrator. Read about her here, see her books here, and illustration samples here.

cover of picture book titled "Between Us and Abuela"
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Between Us and Abuela

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2019) by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios is a good story to introduce what’s it like to have family on opposite sides of the line between two countries. And it’s still a timely story.

Maria and her little brother Juan have not seen their grandmother for five years. Maria and her mother knit a scarf for Abuela and Juan makes a picture. But when they are at the fence of the border and get to see their grandmother nothing can be passed through. Juan is brokenhearted. Maria turns his picture into a kite and they fly it across the border.

Mitali has lived in six countries and knows what it is like to leave people behind. Read about her here and check out her books here. Plus, she’s one really nice lady–I got to meet her in February.

See Sara’s illustrations here. Read about her here and see her many books here.

photo of globe with dolls dressed as from other countries - different skin color faces
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Inclusive Picture Books

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Books

I haven’t been reading and recommending picture books lately, but thought it might be helpful to share some that include other cultures, immigrants, and books about acceptance of those who are “different.” I strongly believe that exposing young children to these topics will help them understand our beautiful diverse world better. And perhaps there will be a little less “othering.”

Little Bird Laila (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2025)
by Kelly Yang and illustrated by Xindi Yan

New (HarperCollins, 2025)
by Niña Mata

So Loud! (Annick Press, 2024)
by Sahar Golshan and illustrated by Shiva Delsooz

The Light Within You (Two Lions, 2023)
by Namita Moolani Mehra and illustrated by Kamala Nai

American Desi (Little, Brown and Company, 2022)
by Jyoti Rajan Gopal and illustrated by Supriya Kelka

Powwow Day (Charlesbridge, 2022)
by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight

The Capybaras (Greystone Kids, 2021)
by Alfredo Soderguit

Swashby and the Sea (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020)
by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

When Your Daddy’s a Soldier (Viking Books for Young Readers, October 2022)
by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan and illustrated by EG Keller

The Star Festival (Albert Whitman & Company, 2021)
by Moni Ritchie Hadley and illustrated by Mizuho Fujisawa

Federico and the Wolf (Clarion Books, 2020)
by Rebecca J. Gomez and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri

Let’s Dance! (Boyds Mill & Kane, 2020)
by Valerie Bolling and illustrated by Maine Diaz

No Party Poopers (little bee books, 2020)
by Gretchen McLellan and illustrated by Lucy Semple

Ohana Means Family (Neal Porter Books, 2020)
by Ilima Loomis and illustrated by Kenard Pak

A Friend for Henry (Chronicle Books, 2019)
by Jenn Bailey and illustrated by Mika Song

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story (Roaring Brook Press, 2019)
by Kevin Noble Maillard and illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal