Uprooted

Though this isn’t a very ‘recent’ release, it is just the perfect time to share this book because the end of the school year often...

Mitra

1 day ago

MITRA'S BOOK REVIEWS

Stay Updated with the Latest Reviews

EXPLORE BOOK REVIEWS

Uprooted

Though this isn’t a very ‘recent’ release, it is just the perfect time to share this book because the end of the school year often...

Mitra

1 day ago

Little Bird Laila

Kelly Yang and Xindi Yan’s “𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘓𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢” portrays the lived experience of so many immigrant families who do not...

Mitra

1 day ago

El Niño

This is a charming middle-grade novel that blends mythology with themes of loss, resilience, and hope. The story follows Kai, a young boy...

Mitra

2 days ago

Sand Cakes

There’s some kind of magic in playing with sand. Almost every child has made sand cakes, sand buns, sand pies and peppered with lovely...

Mitra

3 days ago

The Arguers

Corinna Luyken’s latest creation “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘴” is very different from contemporary picture books. The illustrations and the...

Mitra

3 days ago

My Path

Now that the end of the school year is round the corner, here’s a great book to read aloud to your class. Follow the snail’s journey in...

Mitra

May 27

We Leap Together

In this nonfiction picture book, Christopher Silas Neal cleverly shows how a whale mother and baby are so similar to a human mother and...

Mitra

May 26

Discover More

ABOUT MITRA OF STORIES

Beige White Minimalist Pattern Page Border Document (A4 Landscape).png

Welcome to "Mitra of Stories" (an "ally" of stories), your go-to place for insightful book reviews. Join me in exploring the children's literary world, one page at a time. Let's embark on this reading adventure together!

FOLLOW MITRA

This book is a celebration of a darker skin tone. Our little protagonist is of Japanese roots and Hawaiian upbringing. Like many others in South and South East Asia, she makes comparisons between her skin tone and that of her grandmother and other family members. But she proudly declares that she has no time to ‘maintain’ a light skin and rather focuses on exploring, and enjoying the outdoors. She sets forth a point of view that the perceived ‘blemishes’ can be one of the things that make her beautiful and unique.

What a lovely book about self-acceptance, cultural pride, and being comfortable in your own skin! The illustrations are equally gorgeous!

@chloeitoward @gaelabary #colorism #darkskin #picturebook #kidlit #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats

Though this isn’t a very ‘recent’ release, it is just the perfect time to share this book because the end of the school year often coincides with families relocating.

This graphic novel is about Ruth’s family moving from Toronto to Hong Kong. Readers from south-east Asia with find this book extra humorous for the cultural elements and it would be even better if you speak/read Cantonese. Adjusting after immigration is never easy and teenager Ruth has to navigate a new school, a different outlook on education, new friends, and extended family. Her mum, on the other hand, is nostalgic on being back to her homeland while Dad is gone for work days at a stretch, making it extra hard for poor Ruth.

Instead of being a heavy read, this is entertaining, and amusing and adolescents will find a direct connection with their thought process. Highly recommended for Grades 4 and above.

@ohtruth #immigration #hongkong #memoir #graphicnovel #kidlit #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats

Kelly Yang and Xindi Yan’s “𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘓𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘢” portrays the lived experience of so many immigrant families who do not speak English.

Little Laila is like a bird, whispering translated sentences into her mother’s ears to help her navigate the world where English is the main language. Her parents want to learn English, but language classes are expensive. So, Laila comes to the rescue and starts teaching English to her parents. The humorous illustrations and the addition of mandarin effortlessly conveys the challenges of learning a new language!

@kellyyanghk @xindiyanart #language #languagelearners #kidlit #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats #picturebook

There’s some kind of magic in playing with sand. Almost every child has made sand cakes, sand buns, sand pies and peppered with lovely rhyming lines, this book will be an instant favourite of the little ones as we see the protagonist opening up a veritable seaside bakery sans customers! Who will eat these sandy treats? Read and find out!

Perfect for preschool and kindergarten!

@kallie.george @devonholzwarth @tundrabooks #sandplay #lsand #sandbakery #summerfun #summer #kidlit #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats #picturebook

This is a charming middle-grade novel that blends mythology with themes of loss, resilience, and hope. The story follows Kai, a young boy still grappling with the disappearance of his sister, Cali, who vanished two years ago while out on the ocean. Her surfboard was recovered, but she was never found. Since that day, Kai has struggled emotionally, and his performance in swimming has declined. He’s now worried about losing his place on the 8th grade swim team.

During a team practice in the ocean, Kai experiences something unexpected. He becomes convinced that his sister may have become the legendary Queen Califia, a mythical figure from a book that Cali treasured.

As Kai tries to make sense of what he believes he saw, can he find the strength to return to the person he once was?

This touching and imaginative story is perfect for both children and adults, offering a mix of myth and mystery.

pammunozryan @joe_cepeda #middlegrade #MG #kidlit #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats #chapterbook

Corinna Luyken’s latest creation “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘴” is very different from contemporary picture books. The illustrations and the storyline have a fairy-tale whimsical quality but deep down it is perhaps a reflection of society at large.

At the outset, we get to know that the first argument was over something trivial. However, over time, the arguments grow, and more than the subject matter being debated, what natters more is who is right and who is wrong. The way Corinna uses hair as a metaphor for entanglement, is simply marvellous!

This is one of the rare picture books that will appeal to the little ones for its simplicity, while older readers and adults will be fascinated by the depth.

@corinnaluyken @rockypondbooks #thearguers #kidlit #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats #picturebook

Now that the end of the school year is round the corner, here’s a great book to read aloud to your class.

Follow the snail’s journey in this book as it makes choices every day and takes its very own path. The path is sometimes easy, sometimes serendipitous but while the snail loves company, it is not obligated to follow ‘your’ path. Deserted at times, abrupt at others, but it is the snail’s decision that counts. The book is a good reminder too, to keep going, whether or not you feel you are ready for the journey, but do also remember to take a break and ask for help when needed. You might meet others on the path who question your decision, but fret not, for all you need is to follow your heart and keep going…

@jana_curll @nosycrowus #MyPath #picturebook #kidlit #bookstagram #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats #bookreview

In this nonfiction picture book, Christopher Silas Neal cleverly shows how a whale mother and baby are so similar to a human mother and son. With blue and green mixed media art, their lives are compared on facing pages. Readers will realise how parallel our lives are to the giant whales, thereby making us more empathetic towards nature.

Great for preschool to grade 3.

@csilasneal #picturebook #kidlit #nonfiction #whale #bookstagram #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats

Are you tired of the philosophical picture books out recently? Does your heart heave heavy under the weight of the deep emotions in some of the books? Are you looking for a light, fun, amusing book that’s an easy read for the young ones and the young at heart? From the creators of “Don’t Eat Bees” and “Don’t Trust Cats” comes “𝘋𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘔𝘳 𝘊𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴”. This time, Chip the Dog has a stuffie – Mr Cuddles – and you guessed it, he manages to lose it! Will he find it back? Read to find out!

A thoroughly enjoyable book on Chip’s latest adventures. Can’t wait to read this aloud!

@devpetty @thatmikeboldt #ChipTheDog #picturebook #MrCuddles #kidlit #bookstagram #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats #bookreview

Picture books are not just for the little ones. Your library haul would most probably have more picture books that cater to elementary students than preschoolers and finding really, really good new ones is like looking for a unicorn.

But hey, look at this book! Simple words, relatable illustrations made with crayons, and one that can be read as a call-and-response to the littlest ones. Just the perfect book for ages 2 to 6! Also great for illustration study in grades 1 and 2.

@shawnharri5 #picturebook #kidlit #bees #bookstagram #mitrasuggests #readlikeawolfeats

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Looking for your next captivating read? Check out my top pick of the month and dive into a compelling story that will leave you wanting more.

Contact

Uprooted

MITRA'S BOOK REVIEWS

Stay Updated with the Latest Reviews

EXPLORE BOOK REVIEWS

Uprooted

Little Bird Laila

El Niño

Sand Cakes

The Arguers

My Path

We Leap Together

ABOUT MITRA OF STORIES

FOLLOW MITRA

​

SUBSCRIBE

BOOK OF THE MONTH