picture books
aBuela’s library
Alfonso and Abuela love to spend Saturday afternoons finding books at the library and reading them together beneath their favorite oak tree. But when their beloved tree is cut down, can Alfonso transform the stump into something magical for their whole community—their very own neighborhood library?
This uplifting story from award-winning poet Lissette Norman and illustrator Jayri Gómez shows us how to turn an unexpected setback into a happy ending: one with a beautiful sky-blue door and shelves filled with books for everyone to enjoy.
OUT JUNE 11, 2024 | AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW!
“Norman’s upbeat tale shows how a sad event can be turned into a community project and a source of happiness. It’s a love letter to trees, to reading, and to the librarians who inspire others to learn and grow. Gómez’s round-eyed, round-headed characters are endearing.
A tender tribute to libraries and librarians.” -Kirkus Review
“A sweet story about the power of building community and creativity around literacy.
Driving home the importance of community are the compelling illustrations—strong cartoon faces, in a digital style, with broad shapes—represent individuals of all abilities and ethnicities. A story teaching the valuable lesson of making lemons out of lemonade.” -School Library Journal
On the line: my story of becoming the first african american rockette
From the first Black Radio City Rockette dancer, Jennifer Jones, comes an inspiring picture book autobiography perfect for fans of trailblazers like Misty Copeland, Mae Jemison, and more.
Dancing has always made her feel free, like she can do anything. But when Jennifer was a child, some people didn’t think that she had a future as a dancer because of the color of her skin.
With the support of her family, especially her mother, she proved that anything is possible when you believe you belong.
With beautiful watercolor illustrations by artist Robert Paul Jr., On the Line is a captivating true story about manifesting your dreams.
“An important story for all children to read, but especially recommended for students of the arts.” –School Library Journal, Starred Review
Goodreads | dominican writers assoc | Word up |
| Amazon | B&N | harpercollins | Target |
Plátanos go with everything/los plátanos van con todo
Paletero Man meets Fry Bread in this vibrant and cheerful ode to plátanos, the star of Dominican cuisine, written by award-winning poet Lissette Norman and illustrated by Sara Palacios.
Plátanos are Yesenia’s favorite food. They can be sweet and sugary, or salty and savory. And they’re a part of almost every meal her Dominican family makes. Stop by her apartment and find out why plátanos go with everything—especially love!
Perfect for reading aloud and shared story time!
The bilingual Spanish-English edition was translated by Kianny N. Antigua.
GOLD STANDARD SELECTION- Junior Library Guild
“With English and Spanish text, this is perfectly designed for bilingual and ESL readers.” –HipLATINA
BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR (2023) – School Library Journal
BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR IN SPANISH (2024) – Bank Street College of Education
“Prompted by a family’s love of plátanos, this simile-laden embrace of Dominican culture twines food and story. Norman works this ode into a well-rooted family story that expands upon the food’s power as a “magical cure,” a “superpower,” and a “fiesta.” Palacios’s green and gold plátanos-colored digital illustrations capture the dance of life mid-spin.” — Publishers Weekly
Goodreads | dominican writers | Word up
Amazon | B&N | harpercollins | Target |
Until Someone Listens/Hasta que alguien me escuche
Estela’s family lives together in a happy home full of love. Or, at least, they used to…until their home was torn apart.
My mom had to go back,
to the other side of the river,
because she wasn’t born in this country.
For years her family fought and fought for permission for her to stay in the U.S. But no one listened. When Estela was eight, her mother was deported to Mexico. Estela knew she had to do something. So she wrote letters: to local newspapers, Congress, the President, and anyone else who could help. She wrote and wrote until, finally… someone listened.
“An inspirational and heartfelt story that will resonate with young activists.” – Kirkus Reviews
BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR IN SPANISH (2023) – Bank Street
JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD – 2023 Finalist for Younger Children
VIBRANT VOICES: New Books from Authors of Colors for Kids – New York Public Library
BEST PICTURE BOOK OF 2022 TO SPARK CONVERSATION – Kirkus Reviews
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Target | Indiebound
My feet are laughing
My name is Sadie
and I live in Harlem
with my mother
and my little sister, Julie.
Sadie likes living in her grandmother’s brownstone, where she has her own bedroom and a backyard to play in. She’s full of thoughts and has lots to say about her family and friends, her home, her hair, and her laughing feet that can’t keep still. And when she grows up she plans on being a poet.
This collection of sixteen exuberant poems in the voice of a young Dominican American girl and energetic, bright paintings celebrates Sadie’s family and the city around her.
“NEW VOICES” HONOR AWARD (2003) – Lee & Low Books
BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR (2007)- Bank Street College of Education
Goodreads | Amazon | ABE | Book Depository
middle grade
ANTHOLOGIES
bum rush the page:
a def poetry jam
[Bum Rush the Page is a groundbreaking collection, capturing the best new work from the poets who have brought fresh energy, life, and relevance to American poetry.
From the introduction:
“Here is a democratic orchestration of voices and visions, poets of all ages, ethnicities, and geographic locations coming together to create a dialogue and to jam–not slam.
This is our mouth on paper, our hearts on our sleeves, our refusal to shut up and swallow our silence. These poems are tough, honest, astute, perceptive, lyrical, blunt, sad, funny, heartbreaking, and true. They shout, they curse, they whisper, and sing. But most of all, they tell it like it is.”
“Being a fan of HBO Def Poetry Jam itself, I found it easy to flip through each page, acting out words as if I were being spoken to at that very performance. This book is truly a lyrical masterpiece!” -Ashanti Smith
Role Call:
A GENERATIONAL ANTHOLOGY OF SOCIAL & POLITICAL BLACK LITERATURE & ART
“Welcome to the 21st Century” bids the opening line of this literary “multimedia” experience, brought to us by three leading Black author-activists of the post-Civil Rights Movement generation. This collection of more than 300 poems, essays, paintings, photos, and mixed media representations features myriad voices of the generation bridging the gap between the children of the Civil Rights Movement and those of the present hip hop movement.
moving beyond boundaries
Moving Beyond Boundaries makes a major contribution to our understanding of under-represented literatures by expanding our knowledge about the issues, experiences, and concerns of black women writing in different communities and in a wide range of geographic contexts. It is unique in the fact that it focuses, not only on African-American women’s literature, but on black women’s writing from around the world.
Covering writers from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, and such well-known authors as Zora Neale Hurston, Nadine Gordimer, and bell hooks, Moving Beyond Boundaries contains both creative and critical writings. Volume two considers the area of critical writing as critical conversation, allowing writer and critic to speak with each other in the creation of the critical voice.
