Mrs. Pinto's
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Picture Book of the Month

September

In celebraton of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 - Oct. 15th, Check out ....

Drum Dream Girl -- written by poet Margarita Engle (The Poet Slave of Cuba) and beautifully illustrated by Rafael Lopez (Book Fiesta!) -- This book is based on the true story of a young girl who broke down barriers for female drummers in Cuba in the 1930s. Her father at first admonishes her, but he has a change of heart and eventually warmly supports her. Drum Dream Girl won the 2016 Pura Bulpre Illustrator Award honoring a Latino illustrator whose children’s book best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latinx cultural experience. (Review by Common Sense Media)

October

Continuing to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and with Halloween coming soon, check out...

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost, written and illustrated by Mexican-born author Flavia Z. Drago, is a beautiful picture book about finding the courage to make new friends, while staying true to yourself. It's a lovely story that's relatable and easy to follow, a perfectly sweet tale to read with kids during the spooky season, and beyond. And it's is also available in Spanish: Gustavo, el fantasmita tímido.

November

A Celebration of Thanksgiving and Native American culture... this book has won many awards!

The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. This is an amazing story that describes a journey through the seasons with a modern-day Cherokee family. Readers learn about Cherokee culture, celebrations, and language. Cherokee history and traditions are also seamlessly woven into the story in a very kid-friendly way. I love that this is an #OwnVoices picture book that helps expose children to Native American perspectives and culture. The back matter includes pronunciations for Cherokee words, a glossary, a Cherokee syllabary, and a personal author's note.

—Brightly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsIxsPDOVoA

December

Okay, we didn't get any snow in December! But that shouldn't stop readers from enjoying this beautiful new book. Look at the tracks in the snow. Find out who they belong to and learn more information about that animal. Kids will love noticing the shapes of the tracks and guessing the animals, then reading more about each creature. For example, whose tracks are like hearts? A shy red deer!

January

I thought this was a beautiful book to recommend for the new year. From the publisher: We all hold the seed of something wonderful inside us, just waiting for the right moment to bloom. In A Poem Grows Inside You, the seed of an idea waits for the rhythm of the rainfall to awaken it, then takes root and begins to grow. At once a celebration of the deep connection creatives have with their art and an acknowledgement of the courage it takes to let it into the sun, this beautifully illustrated picture book encourages readers to nurture their talents and boldly share them with the world.

February

One of my favorites for Black History Month!

Through moving prose and beautiful watercolors, award-winning author-illustrator duo collaborate to tell the poignant tale of a spirited young girl who comes face to face with segregation in her southern town.

“This is a book that sits on the bookshelf in my home because I shared it with my children when they were young. This book is a child-friendly way to talk about the subject of segregation. Children get to see how the main character takes her grandmother’s positive affirmations along with her on this interesting journey to someplace special. All of our children need someplace special that they can go to, especially in these trying times.” – Sharonda Burison-Harris, Save the Children