Elem. – Bitsy Bat, School Star

Posted on November 9, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Windness, Kaz. Bitsy Bat, School Star. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-665-90505-3. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Bitsy Bat has big star dreams but is nervous. It’s her first night at a new school, and she’s worried she isn’t ready. After a quick review of raising her wing, painting friends, and sharing snacks Bitsy feels more confident in going to school. As Bitsy flies into Crittercrawl Elementary, readers will see things from Bitsy’s perspective. While the beginning of the story features the bats right side up (close observers will note them hanging not standing), Bitsy’s school looks like a typical elementary classroom with tables and chairs and a variety of students. After her initial confusion over sitting in a chair, Bitsy feels dizzy from being wrong side up. Then she doesn’t paint like her classmates, and her snacks make them squeal. Constantly being told she’s doing things “Wrong, wrong, wrong!” makes Bitsy “Screeeeeeech!” with awful feelings of never, ever fitting in. After being comforted by Mama and Papa, Bitsy flies home and dreams she was “a very small star.” Refusing not to attend school, Bitsy’s Mama and Papa have some good advice for her, explaining how “Everyone shines a little differently.” With a few tools to help her feel safe, Bitsy is ready to share her big star idea. Will her classmates and teacher like Bitsy’s idea, or will it be another way for her to feel like she’s doing everything wrong?

THOUGHTS: The book ends happily then shares more about autism and an author’s note in which Windness compares herself with Bitsy (no, she doesn’t fly or hang from her toes). Highly recommended for elementary collections, this title will help teachers promote an inclusive environment which celebrates the many different ways we each are special stars.

Picture Book

Elem. – Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement

Posted on September 7, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Russell-Brown, Katheryn. Justice Rising: 12 Amazing Black Women in the Civil Rights Movement. Viking, Illustrated by Kim Holt. 2023. 978-0-593-40354-9. unpaged. $18.99. Grades 3-5.

This biography compilation tells the story of thirteen women who were the backbone of The Civil Rights Movement. It includes a short introduction to what the movement stood for along with thirteen short biographies of women who were instrumental in the movement. We’ve all heard of Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, but this picture book includes women such as Bernice Jognson Reagon, Gloria Richardson, and Jo Ann Robinson along with other lesser known Civil Rights figures. Includes quotes from many of the women featured as well as sources for each woman.

THOUGHTS: This is a great starting point for students interested in The Civil Rights Movement. The illustrations are clear and bright and the information is provided in a way that makes it accessible for many.

323 Civil and Political Rights
Picture Book

MG – Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet

Posted on March 1, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Dee, Barbara. Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet. Aladdin, 2022. 978-1-534-48983-7. 286 p. $17.99. Grades 4-8.

Haven spends a lot of time worrying about the climate crisis. When she begins to suspect that a local factory is polluting the river in her town, she jumps at the chance to organize her friends and family in an effort to expose a potential problem with the water supply and the corporate world that may be perpetuating the problem. What she learns, however, is that the situation is more complicated than it appears on the surface, and that the consequences of investigating environmental pollution may be more far-reaching than she anticipated. Still, the vivid characters and interesting plot help this book to end on a hopeful note, and the story may provide a helpful example for a new generation of climate activists.

THOUGHTS: This is a wonderful book for students who are worried about climate change and pollution but don’t know how they themselves fit into the larger picture of the world’s environmental problems. The factory that Haven fears is polluting her town also employs her father, and her activism sometimes creates additional tension in her friendships that the book explores with a refreshing, realistic voice. Once again, Barbara Dee tells a story in this book that many middle-grade readers will find relatable and thought-provoking.

Realistic Fiction Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD