Sauer, Tammi. All Kinds of Special. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 978-1-534-49603-3. 36 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

It’s a new beginning for Mia and her mother when they move to a house all their own. It has five rooms, eleven windows, and a whole lot of promise. Saying goodbye to her old apartment and friends was hard, but the new house comes with something extra special: a yard and a mango tree. Mia looks out her window each morning, waiting for the mangos to ripen. When they finally do, Mia and Mama are in for a big surprise: more mangos than they can possibly use on their own! Deciding something as delicious as mangos deserves to be shared, Mia sets up a “free mangos” sign and table in the front yard, and soon, their house is the busiest spot on the block. It’s clear this is the start of all kinds of new beginnings and friendships for this mother-daughter duo. Brightly colored digital illustrations capture the love, pride, and excitement of new beginnings and complement the lyrical text.

THOUGHTS: This will be a fun read-aloud for units about families or building community connections.

Picture Book