FALL SPOTLIGHT: RUBY BRIDGES

Scholastic

At 6, Ruby Bridges integrated a previously allWhite school—an act of courage that still reverberates today. Though the activist has told her story before, with the picture book I Am Ruby Bridges (Orchard/Scholastic, Sept. 6), illustrated by Nikkolas Smith, she addresses a younger audience. Our review calls it “a unique angle on a watershed moment in the civil rights era.” Bridges answered our questions by email.

You’ve told your story before. Why was it important to tell it for younger readers, and how did you approach it this time? History is so important to learn so that we hopefully never repeat the mistakes of the past. The earlier we learn those life lessons, the better; therefore, my approach for this younger audience was to talk about my story from the perspective of my 6-year-old self, with a bit of my humorous side included. And working with Nikkolas Smith, whose beautiful images bring these words to life, was a joy.

Your book publishes at a time when we’re seeing push back against books that confront racism. Was it a different experience writing this book compared with earlier titles? No, but the recent banning of books—especially those that reflect the truth about our history— made this book even more important for me to write.

When you were a young child, what books resonated with you? Dr. Seuss books were those that I cherished the most, because growing up they were sent anonymously to me every month, from the age of 6 until I was 9. My parents couldn’t afford to buy us books; therefore I was grateful to get them and start my very own collection and library!

Interview by Mahnaz Dar

Off To See the Sea (2021), making this story feel like a continuation of a larger narrative that offers an insider’s view of one Black family. Zunon’s highly textured collage illustrations emphasize the importance of imagination: The child hosts a tea party with two dolls and a bear, who sit around a table with “yummy invisible cakes”; later, the child also builds “trains and trucks” from various and sundry household objects. In every spread, Zunon’s illustrations highlight this family’s bonds. When Daddy comes home, he plays tic-tac-toe in sock feet with his child on the floor while Mommy finishes napping on the couch after telling Daddy, “Your turn.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)

sparks joy. (Picture book. 37)

Gutta, Razeena Omar Illus. by Manal Mirza Barefoot Books (24 pp.) $16.99 | Sept. 20, 2022 978-1-64686-620-5

Hana’s overflowing collection of scarves and accessories have led to end-

less clutter.

Hana finds fabulous hijabs everywhere, from malls to thrift shops; she even repurposes her mother’s old skirts. Combinations of colorful scarves, dresses, accessories, and jewelry result in ensembles in a variety of styles and earn her the praise of her friends and relatives, who ask for her fashion advice. But soon her amassed collection overflows into the rest of her home, and her punctilious styling results in her constantly being late to school. Hana reflects on the importance of hijab and how it makes her feel special. After observing her aunt styling a customer’s hair and the positive and powerful effect it has, Hana is inspired to think of how she can channel her creativity in a more productive way and provide a service to the community. Simple text is paired with warm-colored illustrations of flowing fabric in a multitude of patterns, colors, and textures and accessories that work to showcase the range of variations in hijabi fashion as well as how Hana celebrates and expresses the endless possibilities of her individual style. In the backmatter, the author and the illustrator answer questions about what hijab means to them as well as their own styling preferences. Hana and her family are tan-skinned and Muslim; her friends are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

(Picture book. 48)

Hubbard, Crystal Illus. by Alleanna Harris Lee & Low Books (40 pp.) $20.95 | Oct. 18, 2022 978-1-62014-956-0

A long-overdue spotlight on a trailblazing athlete.

Hubbard tells the story of Mabel Fairbanks, the first Black woman to join the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Mabel was born in Florida in 1915 and orphaned at age 8. After moving to New York City to live with relatives, she was briefly homeless before landing a job as a live-in nanny. When the family no longer required Mabel’s services, she was taken in by Wally Hunter (known as Uncle Wally), a part-time handyman who lived in the family’s building and was the first person who really took care of her. Mabel had always longed to learn to skate, but she was denied admission to the skating rink because she was Black. Uncle Wally, who worked in an ice cream factory, used his knowledge of dry ice to build an in-home skating rink picture books

in their apartment, launching a storied career—Mabel would go on to become a legendary athlete and coach who trained Olympians Tai Babilonia, Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Debi Thomas, Rudy Galindo, and Tiffany Chin. Depicting Mabel’s frustrations, loneliness, and joy as well as her athletic prowess, Harris’ warm, expressive digital illustrations pair well with Hubbard’s straightforward yet inspiring text. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

and shared. (afterword, bibliography) (Picturebook biography. 69)

Hurston, Zora Neale Adapt. by Ibram X. Kendi Illus. by Loveis Wise Harper/HarperCollins (40 pp.) $19.99 | Sept. 6, 2022 978-0-06-309831-2

Scholar Kendi adapts a short story published by Hurston in the Spokesman in 1925.

The Mighty River tells the whimsical, mischievous Brook the story of Bentley, who flees slavery for a Florida forest where Black and Native people live free together as Maroons. Bentley marries Swift Deer, a Cherokee woman who escaped the Trail of Tears, and they have a daughter named Magnolia Flower, who “came at the time of the flowers opening.” When the Civil War ends, Magnolia falls in love with John, a Black man whom Bentley dislikes because he is poor. Bentley locks John up in their house to keep him away from Magnolia, but one night, Magnolia frees John and escapes with him by boat, making the Mighty River a part of their story. The tale comes full circle when Magnolia and John return 47 years later to reflect on and affirm their love. Deeply committed to sharing Hurston’s writing with young readers, Kendi writes in his author’s note about the elements of Black folklore in the story, such as making nature a speaking character. And, as he stresses in a historical note, the tale is a powerful example of Black and Native resistance—an aspect of history that far too often goes undiscussed. Wise’s earth-toned, opalescent illustrations make the trees, water, and flowers feel just as key to the tale as the humans. The excellent marriage between lyrical text and stunning visuals makes for a moving, memorable story. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

an essential but often overlooked chapter in U.S. history. (Picture book. 510)

Kim, Sung Mi Trans. by Clare Richards Berbay Publishing (44 pp.) $18.99 | Sept. 6, 2022 978-1-922610-49-2

Kim captures those awkward moments when someone moves in next door and reaching out to say hello becomes difficult. When the Fox family moves next door to Mr. Wolf, both Little Fox and Mr. Wolf know saying hello would be the neighborly thing to do. But when they first meet, both are in a bad mood, and they silently pass each other by. As days pass, saying hello becomes even harder, especially after a series of inadvertent missteps and hurt feelings. Soon, the pair begin to cast side-eyes at each other, and they are locked in a battle of wills. Who will say hello first? Neither does, and both rejoice when Mr. Wolf eventually moves away. As fate would have it, they later meet while crossing a street, recognize each other, say hello, and realize that greeting each other wasn’t so hard. In contrast to the black-and-white outlined illustrations of urban scenes, each character is drawn in a distinct color, pink for Little Fox and blue for Mr. Wolf. Although most illustrations place the two in large city scenes, full-page close-ups of Little Fox and contrasting close-ups of the two protagonists make their emotions clear. This simple Korean import is told primarily through the characters’ dialogue and thoughts, making it a perfect choice for dramatic read-alouds and role-playing to help children empathize with others and polish their social graces. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

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Lam, Thao Owlkids Books (40 pp.) $18.95 | Sept. 13, 2022 978-1-77147-570-9

Divisions are as arbitrary as you want

them to be.

When an oblivious monster walks down the beach trailing a stick in one of their tentacles, they leave behind a line in the sand. It’s a line that doesn’t mean a lot to many of the other colorful monsters on the beach, but its existence suddenly divides a green, aquatic-looking monster hunting for shells and an orange monster with eyes attached to antennae. Their attempts to cross the line seem initially to be blocked; each takes umbrage at the other’s behavior, and the literal line in the sand takes on metaphorical qualities. Their frustration leads to fighting, and the line deepens—until efforts to swat away a bee cause a sand-kicking tussle that ultimately removes the divide. With the line gone, the two monsters at

last acknowledge their foolishness and share a laugh and a hug. Although it’s told wordlessly, the story speaks volumes of imagined differences and the negative impact of imposed divisions. With the right guidance from savvy educators or caregivers, this one will be a valuable springboard for real-world conversations. The artwork uses bold pops of color and geometric designs to tell an elegant, profound story. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A monstrously important message. (Picture book. 46)

Marley, Ziggy Illus. by Ag Jatkowska Akashic (24 pp.) $16.95 | Oct. 11, 2022 978-1-61775-943-7

Readers are encouraged to find the music in everything in this picture-book adaptation of Marley’s exuberant song.

Before reading this book, take a moment to find a YouTube video of Marley and company singing “Music Is in Everything.” Those who try to force this story into standard meter and rhyme will find that the text falls flat. But if readers can find the groove and hear the music in the words, the text becomes a playful read accompanied by illustrations of a multigenerational, multiethnic extended family gathering one Saturday afternoon to make music. Some bring instruments with them, while others create percussion instruments from pots, pans, jars, and, most importantly, hands. The illustration of the family’s large and small clapping hands in a spectrum of skin tones sends a powerful, uplifting message about the universality of music. The words and engaging illustrations alternately send readers out into nature to find and listen to the music of the ocean, the wind, a river, and a beehive and then pull them back to the house, where the family joyously plays instruments, sings, dances, and laughs. Instructions in the backmatter show readers how to make a shaker and join in the musical fun, though no score to the song is included. Children will enjoy listening to this story and creating their own music, complete with handmade instruments. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

of family with this buoyant tale. (Picture book. 38)

Newman, Patricia Illus. by Natasha Donovan Millbrook/Lerner (48 pp.) $31.99 PLB | Sept. 6, 2022 978-1-5415-9870-6

A river. A desecration. A rebirth.

Writing in stirring verse, Newman explains that in what is now Washington state, the Elwha River flowed north to the sea, nourishing the salmon that came each year to lay eggs. There were enough salmon to feed the birds, the animals, and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Strong People, for thousands of years. But when Europeans arrived in the 1790s, they cut down ancient trees to build houses near the river and wrote laws declaring that the Strong People couldn’t fish or own land. In 1890, dams for generating electricity were built, effectively destroying the river and keeping the salmon from returning. In 1940, Olympic National Park expanded its boundaries to include the dams, and the Strong People worked together to restore the lost river and its habitat. The removal of two dams—the Glines Canyon Dam and Elwha Dam—took years of perseverance and cooperation among the Strong People, the National Park Service, and scientists. It was 2011 when the dams were finally removed; several years later, the rushing river called the salmon home again. Donovan’s illustrations, rendered in pencil and ink and digitally, are dynamic, with thick black outlines that pop off the page. Sidebars elaborate on elements introduced in the main text. Beautifully illustrated and informative, this story conveys the fragility of our environment and the need to protect it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

reading, maps, photographs) (Informational picture book. 812) (This review is printed here for the first time.)

Pinfold, Levi Candlewick Studio (40 pp.) $18.99 | Nov. 8, 2022 978-1-5362-1282-2

On a car trip to visit their mother, three brothers and a sister are lured into a mysterious palace.

The initial, stark white page includes a small illustration of a wizened tree with white blossoms. An ominous, prophetic rhyme warns of Teller’s Hollow (“A sip from the chalice, we enter his palace / Break bread for the Keeper, now we descend deeper…”). Three ensuing pages of wordless, hyper-realistic, full-page illustrations rely on a palette of Dust Bowl colors, showing, first, a slight young girl exiting a dreary stucco house and entering an equally dreary, occupied whitish car; the car then winds its way through a desolate desert. As the car pulls