In a starred review, Horn Book says this about Breaking to the Beat! (Lee & Low) by Linda J. Acevedo, illustrated by Frank Morrison:

“This LUSCIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED picture book, with Morrison’s signature images of characters with elongated arms and legs, effectively captures Manolo’s initial hesitancy and later verve, bravado, and dizzyingly bodacious moves. A WONDERFUL story of an important artistic form that, like jazz, emerged from Black and Brown communities.” 

The book has also received starred reviews from Booklist and Kirkus.

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Teaching for Change is promoting When the Schools Shut Down (HarperCollins) by Yolanda Gladden, Dr. Tamara Pizzoli, Illustrated by Keisha Morris in their Social Justice Books project. They’ll be featuring it in their Civil Rights Teaching: Desegregation, Education, and Black History booklists, as well as in the Biographies section on their Bookshop.org vendor shop.

Several Painted Words artists were recently honored by being chosen to the 2023 CBC Teachers Favorite Awards-Book List.

They are:

Because of You, John Lewis (Scholastic) by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Keith Henry Brown

Standing in Need of Prayer(Crown) by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Our World is a Family, (Sourcebooks) by Jennifer Jacskon and Miry Whitehill, illustrated by Nomar Perez

Not Enough Lollipops (Knopf) by Megan Maynor, illustrated by Micah Player

Iveliz Explains it All (Random House) by Andrea Beatriz Arango, illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez

Beatrice Bly’s Rules for Spies 2: Mystery Goo (Pixel + Ink) by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Beth Mills

Congratulations everyone! See the full list here

Booklist has named All Aboard the School Train (Scholastic) by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Keisha Morris to its list for Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth 2023.

See the full list here

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In a review of The Planet We Call Home (Philomel) by Aimee Isaac, illustrated by Jaime Kim, Publishers Weekly says “Kim’s illustrations employ watercolor, crayons, and digital tools to create soft, light-infused scenes of the natural world.”

Read the full review here

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Picture Book Builders, a blog created by childrens’ book authors about creating picture books has a great conversation with Pat Zietlow Miller, co-author with e. E. Charlton-Trujillo of A Girl Can Build Anything  (Viking) with illustrator Keisha Morris. In the conversation, Keisha talks about how the art was created to echo the theme of the book.

See the conversation here

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School Library Journal has given a starred review to The Goblin Twins (Crown) by Frances Cha, illustrated by Jaime Kim

See the full review below:

K-Gr 2–At 601 years old, Doki and Kebi are considered babies to the other dokkaebi, a cross between a goblin and spirit with a penchant for tricking humans. Despite the fact that they are twins, the pair could not be more different. For instance, Doki is averse to frightening people, much preferring to give them gifts of gold or silver and enjoy his three abandoned books. Kebi, meanwhile, arguably adores frightening people a bit too much. After learning that they must leave their home, Kebi resists moving into graveyards with their fellow dokkaebi and insists that they find the most haunted house in New York City. They leave Seoul, searching high and low for the perfect home and eventually find a dwelling that is perfectly suited to both of their tastes. Then they prepare for Halloween. The story’s comical conclusion is a frightful delight as the duo participate in the holiday. Cha’s writing is excellently paced and entertaining, while the digital illustrations are filled with bright colors and bring the charming characters to life. A concluding author’s note describes the prominence of dokkaebi in Korean art, history, and folklore, dating back to 37 BCE. VERDICT. Doki and Kebi will find a home in any collection. ­Recommended for purchase.–Olivia Gorecke

The book will be on sale September 5, 2023

Pre- order the book here

(Atheneum) by Jenna Beatrice, illustrated by Erika Lynne Jones is featured in an article in the Washington Post titled It’s Okay for Libraries to be Loud! Take it From Me, a Librarian. The article celebrates the book and talks about the importance of libraries focusing on programs for kids, which can (and maybe should!) get loud.

In addition, the book has been included on Laura Bush’s 2023 Summer Reading List. The list is intended as a resource for parents and caregivers to keep their youngest readers through middle schoolers engaged in reading over the summer break.

Read the article here

See the full list here

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The Historical Novel Society has a great review of All Aboard the Schooltrain (Scholastic) by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Keisha Morris. The book tells the story of third-grader Thelma in 1930’s Mississippi and how her family becomes part of the Great Migration out of the South.

The Historical Novel Society was founded in the UK in 1997 and has since become an international resource for reviews of the best historical novels.

Read the review here

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Publishers Weekly gives a rave review to Abuela’s Super Capa (HarperCollins) by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. The review says “Chavarri’s hand-painted acrylic gouache and cut-paper illustrations pop with crisp vibrancy.”

Read the Full review here

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