Lists and Suggestions for Kids
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List: K-2 Honorable Mentions for Best Books 2021
Change sings : a children's anthem
Gorman, Amanda
"As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have th... More
"As a young girl leads a cast of characters on a musical journey, they learn that they have the power to make changes--big or small--in the world, in their communities, and in most importantly, in themselves"-- Less
The happiness of a dog with a ball in its mouth
Handy, Bruce
"Starting from the happiness of waking up into a brand-new day, the picture book goes on to ex... More
"Starting from the happiness of waking up into a brand-new day, the picture book goes on to explore the kinds of relationships and contrasts that play out between our feelings and experiences every single day. Whether it's the nervousness of a beginning paired with the happiness of a middle; the indignity of a cut against the happiness of a scab; the boredom of nothing to do contrasted with the happiness of nothing to do; or the divide of mine against the happiness of our, these pages challenge the reader to think about daily activities and experiences and the feelings they conjure. The Happiness of a Dog with a Ball in Its Mouth is a gentle, fun, and philosophical read"-- Less
Blue floats away
Jonkey, Travis
Little Blue is very close to his iceberg parents so when he suddenly breaks away from them, he prom... More
Little Blue is very close to his iceberg parents so when he suddenly breaks away from them, he promises to return and, after traveling far and undergoing big changes, he may succeed.-- Less
The lady of the library
Karcher, Angie
Together a ghost and a girl make it their mission to save the local library that is scheduled for d... More
Together a ghost and a girl make it their mission to save the local library that is scheduled for demolition. Less
Watch me : a story of immigration and inspiration
Richards, Doyin
When Joe came to America from Africa, he worked hard in school, made friends, and embraced his new ... More
When Joe came to America from Africa, he worked hard in school, made friends, and embraced his new home, but many did not believe he would succeed. Less
Two grooms on a cake : the story of America's first gay wedding
Sanders, Rob
Two wedding cake toppers tell the love story of the men they represent, Michael McConnell and Jake ... More
Two wedding cake toppers tell the love story of the men they represent, Michael McConnell and Jake Baker, and their difficult journey to become the first married gay couple in the United States. Less
When my cousins come to town
Shanté, Angela
"Every summer a young girl looks forward to her cousins coming to town. All the cousins have n... More
"Every summer a young girl looks forward to her cousins coming to town. All the cousins have nicknames for themselves, and this summer the young girl is determined to earn her own nickname as well"-- Less
Hardly haunted
Sima, Jessie
When a house believes she is haunted, she tries everything in her power to stop it in order to get ... More
When a house believes she is haunted, she tries everything in her power to stop it in order to get people to move in--until she realizes that she is fine just the way she is. Less
The ramble shamble children
Soontornvat, Christina
"Five siblings worry that their shabby old house isn't 'proper' enough, but com... More
"Five siblings worry that their shabby old house isn't 'proper' enough, but come to see that it's perfect just the way it is"-- Less
Fatima's great outdoors
Tariq, Ambreen
Excitedly joining her family for an outdoor camping trip in a Midwestern state park, Fatima Khazi h... More
Excitedly joining her family for an outdoor camping trip in a Midwestern state park, Fatima Khazi helps set up a tent, build a fire, and fend off a daddy longlegs before settling down to sleep surrounded by the near-magical sounds of the forest. Less
Watercress
Wang, Andrea
Embarrassed about gathering watercress from a roadside ditch, a girl learns to appreciate her Chine... More
Embarrassed about gathering watercress from a roadside ditch, a girl learns to appreciate her Chinese heritage after learning why the plant is so important to her parents. Less
Blink and Block make a wish
Fang, Vicky
"Meet the robots Blink and Block in this STEM-inspired story by debut author-illustrator Vicky... More
"Meet the robots Blink and Block in this STEM-inspired story by debut author-illustrator Vicky Fang. Blink is scanning the playground for treasure, and Block is pretty sure there's no gold to be found. Will Blink prove that treasure does exist--or will these two new pals find something even better?"-- Less
King of the birds
Gravel, Elise
"Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who's n... More
"Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who's not afraid to tell him when he's being insufferable! In the first of three episodes, a battle of the brains and bird-to-bird banter soon turns into an unexpected friendship. Arlo and Pips' adventures include a visit the big city and the beach on their hunt for shiny things and French fries. Cool crow facts are included throughout the book." -- Less
Beach day!
Lyons, Kelly
"Ty turns an ordinary day in the sandbox into a fun beach day. He wiggles his toes in the sand... More
"Ty turns an ordinary day in the sandbox into a fun beach day. He wiggles his toes in the sand, finds seashells, builds a castle, and splashes in the ocean. When his neighbor's beach ball flies into his backyard, Ty learns that a beach day is even better with a friend"-- Less
Send a girl! : the true story of how women joined the FDNY
Rinker, Jessica
"Brenda Berkman was often told that she couldn't do certain things because she was a girl... More
"Brenda Berkman was often told that she couldn't do certain things because she was a girl. When she grew up, she longed for a job that was challenging, different every day, and required physical and mental strength. In 1977 when the New York City Fire Department finally complied with the Civil Rights Act (from 1964) by allowing women to take the FDNY exam, Brenda jumped at the chance. But the FDNY changed the rules of the exam so women wouldn't be able to pass it. Even a lot of men couldn't pass this new exam. So Brenda Berkman took the FDNY to court. In 1982, they finally made a fair test, and Brenda and 40 other women passed. She then founded the United Women Firefighters, an organization that helps train and prepare women to be firefighters. Brenda went on to serve in the FDNY for 25 years, reaching the positions of Lieutenant and Captain, and was a first responder during the attacks on the Twin Towers on 9/11. Send a Girl! is Brenda Berkman's inspiring story." -- Less
Listening to the stars : Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovers pulsars
Parachini, Jodie
"A biography of astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who helped build a radio telescope that h... More
"A biography of astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who helped build a radio telescope that helped her discover pulsars, a new type of star. Some scientists consider it the greatest astronomical discovery of the twentieth century. Despite this achievement, she was overlooked in favor of two male colleagues when the Nobel Prize for physics was awarded. Bell is still working and teaching today, with recognition"-- Less
