Worm and Butterfly are Friends, Always
If you liked “Worm and Caterpillar are Friends,” then the next book in the collection, “Worm and Butterfly are Friends Always” is absolutely your cup of tea! The illustrations are impossibly cute, the story is warm and winning, and the backmatter on butterfly migration and worm estivation is wonderfully simple yet packed with just the right amount of information. Bonus for teachers: the very first page offers clear teaching points on speech bubbles, thought bubbles, and panel
Mitra
Feb 7
Ferris Wheel
This book took my breath away and left me quietly holding its feelings for a long time. In parallel stories, we watch a mother and son leave for a better day, while a father and daughter leave for a better life. Almost every line is echoed, but the weight of those words deepens, and the worries grow heavier, taking on an entirely new meaning in the father and daughter’s journey. That quiet shift in magnitude is deeply moving. Layered with symbolism, the fish that appears on e
Mitra
Feb 5
One Can Be
Pat Zietlow Miller and Annie Cron’s “One Can Be” is a celebration of quiet leadership. With a measured use of words and parallel storytelling through illustrations, this book gently shows that time alone is normal and necessary. While the kidlit world views the book as a tribute to introverts and quiet strength, I read it as an ode to the single child. Contrary to popular belief, “one” needs quiet too, but also misses friends now and then. “One” unites, cares, and brings peop
Mitra
Feb 2
Dear Math, We're Not Friends
Nikhil is an Indian American boy who absolutely does not like math. Throughout the school year, he pours out his feelings by writing letters to Math itself. To him, math is so dreadful it literally gives him a tummy ache. As you might expect, his perspective shifts over time as he begins to notice that drawing, counting, and measuring are all part of math, and that everyone from artists to astronauts uses it. What truly stands out, though, is the book’s format. The story unfo
Mitra
Jan 29
Home, Home
What does “home” really mean to an immigrant child? “Home, Home” by Sibu T.P. gently explores this deeply personal and universal question. Ajesh is excited to spend the holidays at home, until his parents announce they are going “back home” to Kerala, India. Suddenly, Ajesh is faced with the uncomfortable feeling of being different. He struggles to connect with a place his parents speak of with familiarity and longing. How can somewhere be “home” if it doesn’t feel like his?
Mitra
Jan 28
What's Love All About, Minimoni?
Minimoni knows exactly what it means to love her dog and a big plate of spaghetti. But when adults start talking about love, she feels lost. They describe it in ways that don’t quite add up - something you can’t see or hold, both strong and delicate, light as air yet able to grow. Curious and determined, Minimoni sets out to untangle the mystery and, after some thoughtful reflection, discovers her own understanding of love. This book sparks meaningful conversations about how
Mitra
Jan 27
A Knot is not a Tangle
This quiet, thoughtful picture book is told from the point of view of an unnamed Iranian child learning to weave a rug with his grandmother. The soft watercolour illustrations, rich in colour and emotion, beautifully capture their time together. As they weave the new rug, the boy is eager and proud, often saying their new rug will be “perfect” or “the best ever.” Each time, his grandmother gently guides him to see things differently. She explains that every rug has value, tha
Mitra
Jan 22
