A youthful love letter to a historically significant neighborhood.
In author and TV personality Hall’s picture-book debut, a young New York City transplant adjusts to his new community.
First grader Moses has lived in Harlem for exactly one month, but he still longs for his life back in Texas. As his mother leaves for work, she encourages him to find the “beauty all around,” and along with Lotus-May and JoJo, his pet dog and bird, respectively, Moses commits to doing just that. Up on their building’s rooftop, he, his father, and their pets meet Mrs. Louise and her daughter, Laila, both amateur beekeepers. After Moses samples some honey, Laila and Mrs. Louise give the newcomers a tour of the neighborhood. Moses finds glimpses of the familiar all around him, from Sylvia’s Restaurant, where the cornbread “taste[s] like home,” to the Apollo Theater, where Moses meets a young performer who reminds him of his best friend back in Texas. Glenn’s illustrations—a mix of vibrant full-page spreads and vignettes that use brightly colored negative space—depict a dynamic, historically Black community. Sitting on the front stoop at the end of the day, Moses loves Harlem—and he knows Harlem loves him back. His enthusiasm is infectious; young readers will be equally charmed by his new neighborhood. Most characters, including Moses and his mother, are brown-skinned; Moses’ father presents white.
A youthful love letter to a historically significant neighborhood. (all about Harlem, fun facts, famous residents, sources) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063244849
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Be a “somebody” who makes a difference!
A Black child witnesses various transgressions over the course of a day. Noticing trash on the walk to the bus stop, the young narrator thinks, “Somebody should do something about that.” Two students push their way ahead of everyone else in order to get good seats on the school bus, prompting the child to muse, “Somebody should speak up about that.” Throughout the day, the child notices examples of bullying and unfairness. These seemingly minor infractions start mounting. Finally, when the protagonist’s teacher tells the students that it’s snack time, the narrator notices that some students don’t have anything to eat. Instead of wishing for a “somebody,” the perceptive pupil realizes, “I am Somebody” and shares food with the others. The epiphany doesn’t stop there. When the narrator arrives home and notices there are toys everywhere but Mom is on a work call, the child responds to Mom’s request for help by cleaning up the mess. Accompanied by simple yet expressive illustrations, this is a loving and much-needed story that encourages kids to make a difference; pair it with Joshunda Sanders’ I Can Write the World (2019), illustrated by Charly Palmer. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780762480517
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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