Jennifer Pang
A deft, sweet young adult story of San Francisco’s Chinatown of the 1950s
There’s a lot to say about Malinda Lo’s Last Night at the Telegraph Club. It won 2021’s National Book Award for Young People’s Literature; it was awarded the 2022 Stonewall Book Award. But none...
The Aquanaut is a delightful kids adventure book on the theme of family
Dan Santat’s work is colorful, dynamic, and always imaginative; he also must be one of the most prolific working illustrators out there. While Santat mostly works in collaboration with a writer, there’s something fun...
“Super Fake Love Song” is a fun, geeky story that highlights ever-present teenage motivation...
Having been a teen in the ‘90s, I am an unabashed lover of high school comedies, romantic or otherwise. And while I vastly preferred 10 Things I Hate about You to Sixteen Candles, which...
Soul Lanterns helps us reflect on the past, and how we carry on in the...
As a fourth-generation Japanese American, when I think of the aftermath of World War II, I typically think of my grandmother’s experience in the internment camps. But in reading Shaw Kuzki’s Soul Lanterns (translated by Emily Balistrieri), I...
Two historical stories of two iconic women: “Malala’s Magic Pencil” and “Fly, Girl,...
While young Harold, with his purple crayon and Charlie Brown hair, shows some real creativity, there’s a modern girl who has a magic pencil hitting the shelves. And get this…she’s real! Written by Nobel...
“Lift”ing spirits and the imagination in a children’s book that takes on sibling rivalry
In their second collaboration, Lift, author Minh Lê and Caldecott Medalist illustrator Dan Santat tell a story about a young girl’s adventure, sparked after feeling displaced by her little brother.
In Lift, older sister...
“Eagle Huntress” soars in its telling of a true story about a young Kazakh...
As the cold weather arrives and folks are urged to stay home, kids are longing for an adventure. The Eagle Huntress may be the journey they are looking for. This true story is told...
“Sumo Joe” touches on gender equality and inclusion
It’s no wonder why so many of our favorite books come from publisher Lee & Low Books, and Sumo Joe is no exception. With story by Mia Wenjen and illustrations by Nat Iwata, Sumo...
Imagination abounds in “The I Wonder Bookstore”
How do you measure your love of books? Is it the number of books on your Kindle? The ferociousness with which you read the next installment of your favorite series? The immense library you...
Dan Santat’s ‘Are We There Yet?’ is a fantastic romp
'Are We There Yet?' is a fantastic romp through a boring car trip that only Dan Santat could deliver. Santat is a prolific illustrator and his debut as both writer and illustrator, 'The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend,' won the 2015 Caldecott Medal. Once again in 'Are We There Yet?,' Santat demonstrates the beauty and wonder that is contained in our imagination.