Tag: inclusivity

Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome (Kat Zhang)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome, written by Kat Zhang and illustrated by Charlene Chua, a charming story of cross-language communication and the spirit of inclusivity.

Third in Zhang and Chua’s Amy Wu series, we, along with Amy and the rest of her elementary class, meet new classmate Lin. Lin and his family have recently moved from China, and their teacher bids the class give Lin a warm welcome. Amy takes this to heart, and makes gestures of friendship to Lin throughout the day, yet Lin remains distant and silent. However, after school, Amy observes Lin animatedly speaking with his little sister in Chinese, and sees a different side of her new friend. Amy relies on her talent for pondering, and tries to come up with a way to reach out to Lin. But just when she’s thought of the perfect thing, she develops her own fears of speaking in front of a crowd. Can Amy overcome her fears to offer Lin a warm welcome?

Wonderful. This is our first time reviewing an entry in the Amy Wu series, and we were so pleased to see that this one is just as delightful as the previous installments. While telling a sweet story of hospitality and being inclusive, Zhang also deftly explores the challenges of communicating across languages, especially for those learning a new language in a predominantly-monolingual environment (been there). A nice touch was having Lin’s dialogue with his sister being written in pinyin characters, allowing the reader to feel the sense of being in Lin’s shoes, while also providing translations in the back of the book. Chua’s illustrations are cheerful and colorful, and feature a nicely diverse cast of characters. The length is perfect for an elementary storytime, and JJ really liked it, especially the dumpling-making scenes (side note: this is the second time this week we’ve reviewed a book where the art has made me crave dumplings, and I’m not mad about it). Overall, a great story with a fantastic message, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

The Hair Book (LaTonya Yvette & Amanda Jane Jones)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is The Hair Book by LaTonya Yvette and Amanda Jane Jones, a sweet and simple book about diversity and inclusivity.

People can have all different types of hair! They can have long hair, short hair, wavy hair and poufy hair. They can have mustache hair or beard hair (or monster hair!). People can choose to cover their hair with a hijab or a kippah. Some wear their hair in afros or cornrows, pull it back or leave it loose. And some people have no hair at all. But no matter your hair, how you choose to style it, or what you wear on top of it, “you are welcome… everywhere.”

Lovely! This simple and colorful look at diversity in hair types, hairstyles, and religious headwear sends the important message that all hair and headwear – and by extension, all cultural affiliations thereof – are valid and beautiful. Yvette and Jones use basic text and saturated, high-contrast artwork to show the diversity of hair. This works very well most of the time, though it might have been nice to get a better feel for curlier/more coily textures (like an afro) with an art style that allowed for slightly more detail. The length is perfect for even the very youngest of baby bookworms, and JJ really enjoyed the art and easy-to-read text (and especially the “monster hair” page. Overall, a great way to explore diversity and promote inclusivity for little ones, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Beautifully Me (Nabela Noor)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is the Beautifully Me, written by Nabela Noor and illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, a fantastic story about body positivity and what it means to be beautiful.

As young Zubi prepares for her first day of school, she greets the audience with confidence and exuberance. She dons a fabulous outfit that expresses her Bangladeshi culture and makes her feel unique and beautiful. But when she runs to her parents to show them her stylish look, Zubi overhears her mother complaining about her waistline. Then she finds that her slim sister Naya is dieting to “look pretty” for a school dance. Her father also bemoans his weight gain, and despite making new friends at school, she overhears one classmate bullying another by calling them fat. Full-figured Zubi is confused and distraught – does she have to be skinny to be beautiful? Announcing at dinner that she is now on a diet, her family is shocked. And when they realize that their offhand comments have damaged Zubi’s self-worth, they set about fixing things, for Zubi and for themselves.

In a word, BEAUTIFUL. This utterly unique take on body positivity not only emphasizes to kids the timeless message that beauty comes in more than one size and shape, but also deftly manages to tackle the internalized fatphobia that permeates most young adult and adult cultures. The fact that it shows how seemingly “harmless” comments by adults can reinforce these toxic ideas about body types to children is incredible, and makes this a teaching opportunity for readers of all ages. Combine these much-needed messages with gorgeous art that celebrates Zubi’s family’s Asian and Muslim culture and diversity at her school (one character uses they/them pronouns, another uses a wheelchair, a third wears a patka), all with warmth, energy, and yes, beauty. The length is great for elementary and older kids, and JJ and I absolutely loved it. A stunning reminder to embrace all that makes us beautiful, and emphatically Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

No Boring Stories! (Julie Falatko)

Leave a comment

Hello, friends! Our book today is No Boring Stories!, written by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Charles Santoso, a hilarious yet poignant look at the creative process.

Bunny has a head full of wonderful and strange story ideas, but her fellow “cute and cuddly” creators just don’t seem to get what she’s about. Seeing a sign for a meeting of the International Society for Writers Of Odd and Weird, Bunny is sure she has finally found a collaborative group – unfortunately, the offbeat animals (a babirusa, a yeti crab, a star-nosed mole, and a giraffe-necked weevil), repeatedly turn her away due to her bunny-ness. She tries to blend into the scenery, listening to the group collab on a story about a fearless princess and her team of heroes, but gives herself away when she blurts our story ideas. The Society is unmoved – what could a bunny offer to the world of odd and weird? How can Bunny show them that all she wants is a chance to share her talents?

Absolutely fantastic. A wildly entertaining blend of hilarious dialogue, action-packed illustrations, a crash-course in story structure, and an important lesson about snap judgements, that somehow never feels overwhelming. Indeed, many of the lessons are subtle, wrapped in the over-the-top text (crazy fun to read aloud, btw). Readers will learn terms like “rising action” and the concept of “relatable characters”, and (most importantly) the idea that one’s talent or aptitude for something is not predetermined by their appearance or background. The art is colorful, fun, and endearing, the length is great, and we both had a blast reading it. Emphatically Baby Bookworm approved!