Halloween is a fun time of year for many kids and parents. We love the excitement that comes with imagining, finding, and creating costumes but we dislike the boxes that children are sometimes forced into when choosing their costume. No one knows this better than Charly, a bigender child who is determined to find a costume that expresses both the feminine and masculine sides of their identity in A COSTUME FOR CHARLY. This terrific new release, written by C.K. Malone and illustrated by Alejandra Barajas, takes readers with Charly as they hunt for the perfect costume. When nothing in the costume box is just right, they take matters into their own hands! Affirming and fun, this book is a window into the life of a nonbinary child. Charly is tenacious and creative and reading this book makes us feel as joyfully jazzed and harmoniously hopeful as they do in their costume. An author's note precedes the story, emphasizing an important message to the reader: you're loved for exactly who you are. Backmatter includes information and resources about the LGBTQIA+ community and bigender identity. Our copy of A COSTUME FOR CHARLY was #gifted to us by the publisher but all thoughts are our own. Click the link in our bio to buy your own copy and support JBC. #kidlit #raisingreaders #nonbinary #picturebooks #kidsbooks #representationmatters #spookyseason #jojosbookclub

Zora Neale Hurston was a novelist, folklorist, and anthropologist. One of America's preeminent writers, Hurston's body of work includes numerous short stories and today we are thrilled to share a children's adaptation of one, MAGNOLIA FLOWER. Originally published as a short story in 1925, this book, the first in a series of six, has been adapted by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and beautifully illustrated by Loveis Wise. MAGNOLIA FLOWER is a love story centered on two characters: Magnolia Flower and her lover John, but it's also a story of history, nature, intersectionality, folklore, and freedom. Born to a a formerly enslaved father who fled his bondage and a Native mother forced to relocate from her ancestral home, Magnolia Flower bloomed in the Florida Maroon community (a free community formed by people fleeing slavery or forced relocation) where she was born. She falls in love with a Black man, John, but her father does not approve. Young and in love, Magnolia Flower and John escape together, paddling their way North on the Mighty River, the same Mighty River that happens to narrate the story. "Their love is Mighty and ever flowing like me," the river states. Forty seven years later, Magnolia and John return to the place of the three leaning Trees. Magnolia Flower's parents have died and freedom for Black and Native people has died, too, but their love remains strong. An important historical note and an author's note by Kendi add context and point out elements of Black folklore that might otherwise go unnoticed. A powerful example of Black and Native resistance, MAGNOLIA FLOWER is a reminder that where there is oppression there is resistance, and where there is resistance there is love. Our copy was #gifted to us by the publisher but all thoughts are our own. Click the link in our bio to purchase from our bookshop. #raisingreaders #zoranealehurston #representationmatters #kidlit #picturebooks #jojosbookclub #kidsbooks

Raise your hands if your kid has gone through a dinosaur phase...lauren's littlest is currently in the midst of one, and LEILONG THE LIBRARY BUS is one of our current favorite books! Leilong is a book loving dinosaur who yearns to know more about dinosaurs. His friends Maggie, Mo, and Max are just as excited as he is to bring him to the library for storytime, but when they arrive Leilong is turned away by the librarian, who says he's too big and boisterous for the library (and he doesn't even have a library card!). Outside the building, Leilong daydreams about books while his friends attend storytime and after a while he realizes that he can reach is long neck up to the window to hear the story with the children. Leilong listens with rapt attention, but gets a little bit TOO excited and once again he is kicked out. This time, the children climb out the window onto Leilong's back and leave the library with him. Now devoid of children, the library manager and librarian realize their error but it is too late. Leilong and the children are long gone and this how Leilong becomes the library bus. All over the city, children and grownups welcome him and Leilong is finally able to listen to stories - he especially loves to hear about dinosaurs. This whimsical book is written by Julia Liu and illustrated by Bei Lynn. Both author and illustrator are Taiwanese and our copy is a translation #gifted to us by the publisher. We love Liu's clever way of mixing fantasy with familiar (the children may ride a dinosaur to the library, but they still must obey traffic laws!) and we adore Lynn's vintage-like illustrations. From the bustling city to a quiet block of buildings, evvery picture is vibrant and detailed, with plenty of expression. To purchase your own copy and support JBC, click the link in our bio. #kidsbookswelove #picturebooks #kidlit #jojosbookclub #dinosaurs #welovelibraries

When KILLER UNDERWEAR INVASION arrived in our bookmail, I thought it was a mistake. This isn't the type of picture book we share! ...or is it? Encouraging critical thinking has always been part of our mission, and this book tackles just that. Written and illustrated by Elise Gravel, this hilarious book takes on a serious subject - fake news. In it, Gravel uses made up examples of how things like a photoshopped picture or clickbait headline can gain traction in this fast-paced world of ours, even when they're not true! Silly characters deliver engaging information that teaches young readers how to distinguish real from fake news and equips them with the skills needed to navigate this age of information and be a smart consumer of media. My 8yo loved the graphic novel style of the book and gobbled it up, laughing the whole time. Our kids are growing up faster than we can believe and media literacy is an essential but rarely mentioned life skill. From NPR in the car to ads on their favorite video games to "Gina's older brother's teammate told me..." kids are just as flooded with information as adults are. Learning to use their brains to critically assess information is more important than ever and we're so glad this book found its way to us (and our kids!). Our copy of KILLER UNDERWEAR INVASION was #gifted to us by the publisher but all thoughts and decision to share are our own. To buy your own copy and support JBC click the link in our bio for our bookshop link. #kidsnonfiction #raisingreaders #criticalthinking #jojosbookclub

THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE written by Terry Catasús Jennings and illustrated by Raúl Colón is a heart-warming book about a family with a little house and a lot of love. The story starts with Esperanza’s family arriving in the United States from Cuba. Their new house is small, smells like socks, and is far from home. But the family is happy because they are together and safe. As they settle in and make the house their own, they learn of more families in need of a place to stay. Although their home is small, they welcome them all. With each new family, they get to work moving furniture, making space and connections. As more people come, the home fills with music, laughter and love. Esperanza is proud to be the first to greet them, and offers a gift when they are ready to move on. We learn their stories, why they came and the work they do. They are teachers, landscapers, accountants (and more!). They are families with hope for a better future. As people continue to come and go, la casita becomes a home for those in need, a safe space, a community, and a message for all: Welcome Home. A much-needed fresh perspective on families immigrating to the US, THE LITTLE HOUSE OF HOPE reminds us how powerful we are when we come together in community. Click the link in our bio to purchase from our online bookshop and support JBC! #holidayhousebks @terry.c.jennings @raul.colon.7140 #jojosbookclub #kidslit #immigrantstories

Do you like tofu? As a veg- and pescatarian, this versatile food is a staple in both of our diets, but we’ve never made it ourselves. Written by Helen H. Wu and illustrated by Julie Jarema, TOFU TAKES TIME follows Lin and her grandma, NaiNai, as they make tofu from scratch. From washing and sorting the soybeans to pressing the curds, the process is time consuming and Lin is impatient, but NaiNai patiently reminds her that tofu takes time. At each stage of the process, Wu describes the steps and ties in sounds and elements from nature. Jarema’s illustrations, which alternate between scenes depicting the tofu-making process and fantastical images of the elements used to make the food, are whimsical and inviting. We especially love the details in NaiNai’s house like the chili sauce on the counter and NaiNai’s well-loved house slippers. Our copy of TOFU TAKES TIME was #gifted to us by the publisher, but all thoughts are our own. Click the link in our bio to purchase from our online bookshop and support JBC! #raisingreaders #weneeddiversebooks #picturebooks #representationmatters #asiankidlit #bookstagram #jojosbookclub

In a note to readers, author Janine Leffler writes that if she were able to, she would NOT choose to live without her disabilities. Janine was born with cerebral palsy. This affected her muscles, vision, and cognitive abilities, but it did not stop her from learning side by side with classmates in public school. “My challenges,” she writes, “made me who I am today.” Leffler’s book, WE WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL, is the story of Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, the landmark case that led to laws ensuring children with disabilities - like Leffer - a right to equal education that is free and appropriate. Written in Leffler’s voice, this engaging account of the 1971 case is accompanied by brilliant pictures by Maryann Cocca-Leffler, Janine’s mother, who also co-wrote the book. Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act, and as Disability Pride Month nears an end we hope you make time to examine your own ideas of disability and accessibility, and how you present these ideas to the children in your life. For more great recommendations and another take on this book, check out our friend Margaret’s review @babylibrarians . This book was #gifted by the publisher but all thoughts are our own. Affiliate link in bio. #disabilitypridemonth #disabilityawareness #picturebooks #disabilityhistory #raisingreaders #representationmatters #jojosbookclub #nonfictionpicturebooks

UNCLE JOHN’S CITY GARDEN, written by Bernette G. Ford and illustrated by Frank Morrison is a gardening story we’re so thankful to have come across this summer. In this book, Li’l Sissy and her siblings help their Uncle John transform an abandoned city space into a bountiful garden. Through this story, we experience the joys and hard work of urban gardening along with Sissy and her family as they nurture the garden from seed to succotash. At the end of the summer, they’ve grown so much produce that they feed everyone at the big end-of-summer family barbecue AND everyone takes bags of produce home. A “mostly true” story inspired by Ford’s childhood, this book is a celebration of nature, family and food. With connections to science, math, social studies and a succotash recipe to try at home, this is a great *pick* for the classroom and home library. (Get a copy yourself using link in bio) Thank you to @holidayhousebks for this gifted book, to the late #bernettegford for writing it, and for the talented @frankmorrison for bringing the story to life. #holidayhousebks #bernettegford #franknortison #blackauthor #blackillustrators #blackstories #jojosbookclub #urbangardening #kidslit