Because of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts, I find myself often with huge piles of picture books from the library that were highly recommended by fellow bloggers. I celebrate many of the nonfiction pictures books on Wednesdays, but I want to share some of the fiction picture books I have enjoyed. So, I decided to start series here on UR where I can pass on the love for these books sporadically as I read them. Here is a list of some great pictures books that I’ve read recently from my huge library pile (part 6!).
When I was watching the ALA Book Award announcements, I realized that there were many that I had not read, so I immediately ordered them from my library. While reading, I was so happy to see so many diverse picture books (fiction and nonfiction) winning awards. This week I wanted to highlight the picture books I read that were full of diversity. On Wednesday I shared the nonfiction titles, and today I will share the fiction titles.
Green is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors
Author: Roseanne Thong
Illustrator: John Parra
Published February 18th, 2014 by Chronicle Books
2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor
A color book told through the eyes of a young girl as she explores her Hispanic neighborhood. The illustrations are so vibrant and vivid and show such a diversity of people, traditions, and families. The text includes bilingual words thrown throughout the rhymes.
Little Roja Riding Hood
Author: Susane Middleton Elya
Illustrator: Susan Guevara
Published April 10th, 2014 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
2015 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor
I loved this modern and bilingual rhythmic retelling of Red Riding Hood. It really is a funny fractured fairy tale that is so much fun to read aloud because of its couplets filled with Spanish vocabulary and Hispanic references.
Firebird
Author: Misty Copeland
Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Published September 4th, 2014 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
2015 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor
This text is powerful on two levels. First, Misty Copeland’s open letter to young girls who want to become a ballet dancer and may not see herself reflected in the dancers that they see on stage is so powerful. The power behind it is that Misty might as well be speaking to herself. Second, Christopher Myers’s illustrations bring the dance to life. As the two dancers dance, the illustrations seem to bring them to life.
H.O.R.S.E: A Game of Basketball and Imagination
Author and Illustrator: Christopher Myers
Published October 9th, 2012 by EgmontUSA
2013 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator Honor, 2015 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production Winner
I had not heard of this book until it won the Odyssey Award this year. Although I could not get the audiobook, I wanted to read the picture book because of my love of Myers’s work. I thought this book was so much fun! It is the story of a blown-out-of-proportion game of HORSE between two friends that keep trash talking the other and one-upping their shots. I love the humor that Myers finds in the grand old tradition of banter on the court. What makes the book even better is the inspiration that Myers shares at the end of the book.
What picture books should I add to my pile next?
Want to see Part One? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Two? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Three? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Four? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Five? You can view it HERE.
1 thought on “From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Six: We Need Diverse Books (Fiction) | Green is a Chile Pepper by Roseanne Thong, Little Roja Riding Hood by Susane Middleton Elya, Firebird by Misty Copeland, & H.O.R.S.E. by Christopher Myers”