bookshelf

OSHÚN AND ME

Name: OSHÚN AND ME
Author: Adiba Nelson
ISBN: 9781250891150

A STORY OF LOVE AND BRAIDS

by Adiba Nelson ; illustrated by Alleanna Harris ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 14, 2025

Pure, unadulterated joy.

bookshelf

Themes of heritage, community, and identity intertwine in this love letter to braids that centers on a young disabled Afro-Latine girl.

Sunday is hair day in Yadira’s house. Mami sections and braids Yadira’s hair, making intricate patterns and adding gold bands and cowrie shells, including one that hangs right on top of Yadira’s forehead. Mami tells her the shells invoke the power and magic of Oshún, a Yoruba goddess who was created to provide “what the people and the land needed most: love, kindness, and beauty.” In a time of peril, cowrie shells helped Oshún save her people, and Mami draws on that strength with the shells in Yadira’s braids, taking protective styling to a whole new—or perhaps old—level. The next day, starting at a new school, Yadira lets Oshún’s guidance bolster her as she meets new friends, each with their own styles of beautiful braids. Warm is the best description for Harris’ palette, which captures a wide range of sumptuous brown skin tones, illuminates everything from edge combs to mobility aids (Yadira uses a wheelchair and a walker), and fills each spread with radiant yellows. Complementing the art, Nelson’s text draws from deep cultural roots to enrich the everyday intimacy of wash day and fuel the sparks of community connection. The visual narrative’s focus on a disabled protagonist seamlessly weaves another welcome dimension of intersectional storytelling into an already intricate identity braid.

Pure, unadulterated joy. (visual glossary) (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025

ISBN: 9781250891150

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

bookshelf

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

by Benjamin Hall ; illustrated by Martina Motzo ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 3, 2026

Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.

bookshelf

In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.

Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.

Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 3, 2026

ISBN: 9780063357549

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

bookshelf

MAYA'S BIG QUESTION

From the Ambitious Girl series , Vol. 3

by Meena Harris ; illustrated by Marissa Valdez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 3, 2026

Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.

bookshelf

The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.

On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.

Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)