Early morning wakeups and homemade pancakes,

Raucous bus rides and schoolyard games,

Family games and bedtime rituals…

These are the small moments that shape a child’s day. I’m From is an invitation into the vivid world of one small boy, a poetic account of all the people and places and things that shape who he is and define where he is from.

A Kentucky Bluegrass Award Nominee

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Everybody in the red brick building was asleep. Until . . .

WaaaAAH!

Rraak! Wake up!

Pitter patter STOMP!

Pssheew!

A chain reaction of noises wakes up several children (and a cat) living in an apartment building. But it’s late in the night, so despite the disturbances, one by one, the building’s inhabitants return to their beds—this time with a new set of sounds to lull them to sleep.

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¡Todos en el vecindario sueñan con poder probar el delicioso guiso de Omu! Uno por uno siguen su nariz hacia el maravilloso aroma. Y Omu les ofrece un poco de su comida, uno por uno. Al poco tiempo la olla se queda vacía. ¿Omu fue tan generosa que se quedó sin guiso para ella?

En su primera obra, la autora e ilustradora Oge Mora le da vida a una entrañable historia sobre compartir y sobre el sentido de comunidad, utilizando coloridos diseños con recortes de papel tan exquisitos como el guiso de Omu, con una porción extra de amor. Una nota de la autora explica que “Omu” (que se pronuncia “Amu”) significa “reina” en igbo, el idioma de sus padres, pero que durante su infancia ella utilizaba esa palabra para decir “abuela”. Las figuras femeninas fuertes de la vida de Oge Mora fueron su inspiración para este libro.

La edición en inglés, Thank You, Omu!, también está disponible.

¡No te pierdas Saturday, también escrito e ilustrado por Oge Mora!

A Caldecott Honor Book

In this cozy, sweet story perfect for fans of Last Stop on Market Street as well as for the Thanksgiving season, a generous woman is rewarded by her community.

Everyone in the neighborhood dreams of a taste of Omu’s delicious stew! One by one, they follow their noses toward the scrumptious scent. And one by one, Omu offers a portion of her meal. Soon the pot is empty. Has she been so generous that she has nothing left for herself?

Debut author-illustrator Oge Mora brings to life a heartwarming story of sharing and community in colorful cut-paper designs as luscious as Omu’s stew, with an extra serving of love. An author’s note explains that “Omu” (pronounced AH-moo) means “queen” in the Igbo language of her parents, but growing up, she used it to mean “Grandma.” This book was inspired by the strong female role models in Oge Mora’s life.

An English edition, Thank You, Omu!, is also available.

Don’t miss Saturday, also written and illustrated by Oge Mora!

Source: Publisher

español

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In the menacing streets of Chicago, fighting for a better future sometimes means choosing between life or death. With a single act of violence, Jericho’s life takes a drastic turn, leaving him questioning his own existence.

Now he has a desperate choice to make. Walk away or revenge. One choice will lead to certain death. The other to freedom. But freedom is never without consequences. And death is sometimes a blessing.

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Parrish is moving up in the world: she received the Employee of the Year award at the domestic violence shelter where she works as a manager, and her handsome boyfriend proposed. Her life is drastically different from the lives of the abused families she serves, or so it seems. Parrish can relate to her clients more than she’ll let on.

Dillon is a popular art teacher at the shelter where she works with Parrish. Although Dillon is open about losing a parent to domestic abuse, there’s a secret she’s hiding. One so big that, if discovered, could ruin her friendship with Parrish and destroy Dillon’s work reputation.

Tired of standing by helplessly while domestic violence shatters the lives of those they care about, Parrish and Dillon risk it all when they devise a risky plan to avenge their clients.

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Join Maya on a pancake-making extravaganza, exploring various shapes and counting along the way. As the story unfolds, children will be captivated by the vivid illustrations, vibrant colors, and engaging narrative that brings the joy of cooking to life.

From fetching the mixing bowl and gathering the ingredients to flipping pancakes into different shapes, every step is an opportunity for young readers to learn about following directions and the importance of patience and practice.

Whether enjoyed independently or shared as a family, this captivating tale will inspire little ones to grab their aprons, grab their spatulas, and embark on their own pancake-making adventure. So, get ready to whisk, flip, count, and savor the magic of pancakes!
The book is the standard 6 by 9 sized book for early readers ages 4 to 8 years old that you will find in the early/beginning readers section of your local library.

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Join the magnificent Maya on her busy travel day that takes you through each step of the journey, from packing at home to navigating the airport and soaring through the clouds on the airplane.

Maya Takes A Trip is designed to engage young readers with colorful illustrations and relatable scenarios.

The highlights:

Empower kids to take control of their travel experience.
Ease anxiety and boost their confidence.
Exposure to sight words, colors, and counting.
Inside, your child will:
Learn how to organize and pack their essentials, ensuring they don’t forget anything important.
Discover the excitement of checking in at the airport, going through security, and finding their gate.
Explore the wonders of boarding the airplane and watching the world shrink below them as they take off.
The book is the standard 6 by 9 sized book that you will find in the early/beginning readers section of your local library. The reading age is 4 to 8 years old and perfect for little ones to read on their own.

Maya Takes A Trip is an invaluable resource for parents and caregivers seeking to teach their little ones about the entire travel process in a fun and engaging way. Whether it’s a family vacation, a visit to relatives, or an adventure of a lifetime, this book will prepare your child for the journey ahead and alleviate any travel-related anxiety.

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When Millie Magnus hears hints of a plan to tear down the neighborhood playground, she knows she and her friends absolutely can’t let that happen. Millie believes she’s the obvious choice to lead the charge—she lives with the mayor after all. And no one, and I mean no one, cares about saving the playground more than her.

But when a group of cool fourth graders known as the Real Chill Pickles join the effort, Millie discovers that being a good leader might be trickier than she thought. The more Millie tries to tell everyone what to do, the more they don’t want to work with her.

Soon, the Pickles and a few of her friends have quit, leaving Mayor Millie to wonder where she went wrong. Is it possible Millie’s memories with her dad at the park have made her a tad overzealous? Can she make up with her friends and confront her fear of change before it’s too late?

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Millie Magnus has huge love for many things—her mom, her friends, her baby chicken, Extra Spicy, and even her hot pink rain boots. She loves school, too, and can’t wait for Field Day, when her mom—the mayor of Washington, D.C.—will be her partner in the three-legged race.

Millie Magnus DOESN’T love it when Buckley, a boy from school, makes fun of her curly hair, or her name, or her friends. And she can’t believe it when Buckley is assigned to compete against Millie and her mother at Field Day! But then things get even worse. When Millie’s plan to talk to Buckley about his bullying is ruined, SHE ends up in the principal’s office.

But Millie’s can-do spirit is hard to keep down and her big feelings come in handy when she learns something new about Buckley. She may even find a way to call him a friend.

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Fearing a death sentence, Octavian and his tutor, Dr. Trefusis, escape through rising tides and pouring rain to find shelter in British-occupied Boston. Sundered from all he knows — the College of Lucidity, the rebel cause — Octavian hopes to find safe harbor. Instead, he is soon to learn of Lord Dunmore’s proclamation offering freedom to slaves who join the counterrevolutionary forces.

In Volume II of his unparalleled masterwork, M. T. Anderson recounts Octavian’s experiences as the Revolutionary War explodes around him, thrusting him into intense battles and tantalizing him with elusive visions of liberty. Ultimately, this astonishing narrative escalates to a startling, deeply satisfying climax, while reexamining our national origins in a singularly provocative light.

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The post The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II appeared first on Books for Black Kids.

Mega bestselling and award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson (The Weight of Blood; White Smoke) makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with a can’t-put-it-down murder mystery set on Martha’s Vineyard.

Brooklyn girl Kaylani McKinnon feels like a fish out of water. She’s spending the summer with family friends in their huge house on Martha’s Vineyard, and the vibe is definitely snooty. Still, there are beautiful beaches, lots of ice cream, and a town full of fascinating Black history. Plus a few kids her age who seem friendly.

Until the shocking death of a popular teenage boy rocks the community to its core. Was it a drowning? A shark attack? Or the unthinkable–murder?

Kaylani is determined to solve the mystery. But her investigation leads her to uncover shocking secrets that could change her own life as she knows it… if she survives.

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with this heart-pounding mystery packed with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the end.

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The fight for civil rights in America didn’t begin in the 1960s—Black Americans have been working for justice, freedom, and equality since the first slave ships came to its shores. In I Am the Spirit of Justice, Jemar Tisby demonstrates that that arc of history bends toward equality. Throughout, the spirit of justice is personified as it moves through time, loving the oppressed and supporting the freedom fighters. The poetic text not only informs readers of the countless and often nameless people who have taken up the fight, it also inspires them to continue working for equality for all.

I Am the Spirit of Justice is the picture book companion to Jemar Tisby’s The Spirit of Justice and is cowritten by author and poet Malcolm Newsome with art by illustrator and activist Nadia Fisher. This beautiful and sweeping book is a great introduction to the history of civil rights for the youngest readers and an important addition to the libraries of anyone working for justice.

I Am the Spirit of Justice is ideal for:

Introducing children to important figures in the history of the civil rights movement
Inspiring young readers to see the importance of justice in our world
Teachers and librarians looking for resources for civil rights education, with an included bibliography and suggestions for further reading

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A 2023 NAACP Image Award Nominee
A 2023 British Fantasy Award Nominee

A NPR Best of the Year pick
A Book Riot Best SFF of the Year pick

“[A] magnificent and wide-ranging anthology . . . A must-read for all genre fans.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review

From award-winning editorial team Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight comes an anthology of thirty-two original stories showcasing the breadth of fantasy and science fiction from Africa and the African Diaspora.

A group of cabinet ministers query a supercomputer containing the minds of the country’s ancestors. A child robot on a dying planet uncovers signs of fragile new life. A descendent of a rain goddess inherits her grandmother’s ability to change her appearance―and perhaps the world.

Created in the legacy of the seminal, award-winning anthology series Dark Matter, Africa Risen celebrates the vibrancy, diversity, and reach of African and Afro-Diasporic SFF and reaffirms that Africa is not rising―it’s already here.

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Eden Lowell has plenty to be frustrated about. In the flooded Marshes of former Miami, each day is about survival. Even her feelings for her best friend Henry are more complicated than they should be. Luckily, Eden knows exactly who to blame: the Cruisers, corporate elite who sail the world on massive ships instead of facing the environmental crimes they’ve committed on land.

When Eden learns that a Cruiser family is hosting a dating competition for their heir, Theo Desjardins, she seizes an opportunity. Aided by a political agitator known as the Ringmaster, she’ll infiltrate the competition, break Theo’s heart, and then steal his money for the Marshes. A perfect plan…

Until she gets to know Theo, who’s not only handsome but surprisingly kind…

As Eden drifts deeper down into the Cruisers’ world, the line separating truth and lies becomes murky. Torn between two identities, two loves, and two futures, will she choose the mission, or her heart?

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