2021 picture book chronicles the life and work of astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the researcher who discovered the pulsating radio waves emitted by stars.

Badiu's color palette features various shade of blue, punctuated with brilliant pinks and purples when she discovers and researches radio waves. Of note is the passage of time in depictions of Jocelyn as she progresses from young girl venerated woman.  While the hairstyles and eyeglass frames change with the passing years, the wonder and delight on her face remain throughout the book.

Back matter includes a glossary of terms related to the study astronomy, an Author's Note with additional details on the life and contributions of Jocelyn, and a selected biography for young readers.

Listening to the Stars: Jocelyn Bell Burnell Discovers Pulsars  is an excellent introduction to astronomy, astrophysics, and STEM research.  Inspirational account of a girl pursuing her dream.

The artist uses two distinctive styles. Classic portraits depict each woman from history who made her mark on the world. A modern stylized view of a dewy-eyed youngster contrasts with the more formal rendering of each historical figure.
​Freeman captures the warmth of a multigenerational family. Hope is poignantly expressed by the glimmer in the girl’s eyes as she views portraits of heroic women. As she remembers these extraordinary individuals, they become her role models. She will want to build a better world for her posterity. Her actions come full circle when she reaches out to support her younger sister.

Back matter includes beautiful portraits and brief biographies of twenty-six women representing a variety of races, cultures, achievements, and time periods.

Text and images combine to create a stellar picture book. Outstanding resource for African American History and Women’s History studies. This book would make a wonderful gift to celebrate any achievement in a young child’s life.

There is a not-too-subtle undercurrent of mutual attraction between the two adults.  Myrtle hopes to bring these two together and desperately fends off attention toward her father from any other woman. 

But enough of that. On to the mystery. From the moment the tale commences, Myrtle suspects that something nefarious is going on at the home of her neighbor Miss Wodehouse. She is missing. So is Myrtle's cat Peony. Could the two disappearances be connected? Myrtle is determined to find out. Soon she is convinced that Miss Wodehouse was murdered and sets out to discover the method and motive for this woman's demise.
There are enough clues to hint at the mystery's outcome. Warning: Read carefully. Following a red herring may result in arriving at a false conclusion. The trail of clues places Myrtle in some unusual situations: finding evidence in a locked police surgeon's lab, searching the neighbor's bathroom, and causing a greenhouse explosion.

Bunce skillfully contrasts rigid Victorian mores with a girl and her governess who refuse to be confined to society's strictures. The governess is adroit at retaining the appearance of propriety while circumventing prevailing conventions. Initially the plot progresses slowly, clue by clue.  Soon the pace picks up with increasing intensity and builds to a tension-filled climax. 

Adventure awaits! Put on your deerstalker cap, grab a notebook, and some laboratory testing equipment. Premeditated Myrtle is a delightful middle grade murder mystery worth tracking down at your local bookstore or library .  

Joyful news! Myrtle's detective work continues. Look for How to Get Away with Myrtle.

Two delightful new comics invite young readers into the world of the occult, confirming that there is a more to supernatural powers than tales of grisly terror. Explore the warm and welcoming side of the supernatural.

Readers will want to return to this world of unconventional witches. More Witches of Brooklyn stories please.

Camila constructs an elaborate charade to conceal from her family her passion for fútbol and her identity as La Furia. She tells her mother that she is with a friend when she participates in games and team practice. So that she can’t be contacted, she allows her phone to run out of minutes. She waits until no one is home to wash her uniform and pretends to study for an upcoming medical school entrance exam.
Her life is further complicated when a childhood friend, now an international fútbol star, returns to Argentina for a brief visit. It is apparent to both that this is more than friendship. The attraction is mutual. Camila faces a heart wrenching dilemma. Does she abandon her dream of becoming a world class athlete and follow the guy who makes her heart sing? Or does she remain focused on her life-long ambition and reject his offer of a life together?

This story is about choices. Hard choices. Camila agonizes over her decisions, recognizing that with each choice, she may be closing a door. Will she choose to follow her passion for fútbol or succumb to her desire to be with the boy she loves? Can she stand up to her abusive father? Will she remain silent? Can she confide in her mother?

Narration moves fluidly between Spanish and English. Madariaga flawlessly differentiates the varying degrees of English fluency among her Spanish-speaking characters. Singing flows beautifully as a natural extension of the narration. The longing, indecision, frustration, and passion of an older teen is clearly evident in this performance.

The author obviously knows and loves the sport. The play by play descriptions bring readers onto the pitch, delivering immediacy and fierce intensity to the narrative. Méndez storytelling is a polished gem. Her characters are multifaceted. The narrative reveals their sparkling qualities as well as inherent flaws. Their lives are messy. There are no simple solutions. Things are not perfect. However, there is hope.
Furia is intense, filled with desires and dreams, heartache and disappointment, pain and passion. Camila is a girl of my heart.

Both Hooray for Lolo and Here Comes Lolo are easy-to-read chapter books brimming with the exploits of this charismatic youngster. She has a lot going on. There are matters of conscience when she finds a  beautiful gold ring and later attempts to rescue a neglected dog. She bravely faces surgery for appendicitis and learns about misunderstandings when she doesn’t receive an invitation to a classmate’s party. Mother and grandmother gently help Lolo learn to confront fear, conflict, and injustice.

Because the series is set in South Africa, readers will encounter some regional vernacular. For example,  Molo is a common Zulu greeting and the Zulu name for grandmother is Gogo.  A punctuation mark located at the end of a sentence is referred to as a full stop. Illustrations and contextual cues help youngsters decode the meaning of unfamiliar terms.

Lolo is a little charmer whose stories will enchant readers. More Lolo books please.

Bo teams up with these bestiary creatures to rescue a baby dragon who is in the clutches of her brothers.  The boys have captured this little dragon and are behaving monstrously. Bo saves the dragonling from danger and rehabilitates her siblings. All ends well, thanks to Bo's courage and caring.

Woolvin's signature style is marked by bold graphic designs and a limited color palette. Instead of one primary color contrasting with black and white, this story uses a different color scheme. Illustrations are teal with  contrasting pink and orange. The coloring add a fairy tale quality.

As with all of the author's  picture book tales, girls are smart and strong. Never helpless. Sometimes devious. Inevitably problem solvers. Hurrah for Bo the Brave.

Want more of Woolvin's witty retellings of traditional fairy tales?  Try Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Rapunzel. These fairy tales are ever-so-much-more.

Pink. Look at all the pink! Love the warm, positive vibes this color embodies. This trio of books for middle grade readers feature stories of Muslim girls living in a world where they are frequently a minority. These narratives explore discovering and embracing one's religious and cultural identity. Delightful. Thoughtful. Read one. Read two. Read all three!

Allie must determine who she is and what she believes. How will she dress? How will she handle her growing attraction to a young man when her faith forbids personal contact? At what point will she inform her father of her changing views on religion? She must answer for these questions for herself.

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

​Other Words for Home is a 2020 Newbery Honor Book. The lyrical free verse is richly textured, layered with sensory imagery, poetic language, and astute observations. Jude speaks eloquently to the plight of a young Syrian refugee adjusting to a new home and culture. This is also a story for anyone who has felt left out, trying to fit in when belonging seems impossible. Ultimately it’s a story of hope.

​Audiobook accessed via Overdrive.

Eventually she opens the forbidden door. To her horror she finds the bodies of all the Count's former wives, hanging from the ceiling, their blood staining the room a violent red. The horrific truth dawns on Eve: He has killed all his wives. She is trapped inside the home of a murderer and she will be his next victim.

Meanwhile in the village Eve's older sister Anne has disappeared. Tom worries about Eve as there has been no communication from her. Tom suspects foul play and decides to take action. He recruits Eve's brothers to help him storm the castle, locate Anne, and rescue the two sisters.

Metaphrog, is an award-winning graphic novelist team known for imaginative stories, resplendent art and stunning use of color. I became acquainted with Metaphrog about ten years ago when I picked up a curious little graphic novel, Louis-Night Salad. I had never encountered a book quite like this one. The approach is unique with classic art, luscious coloring and innovative story twists. Bluebeard continues that tradition of excellence.

Vivy feels safe speaking candidly with her baseball hero. She shares her triumphs: The community youth baseball coach invites her to become a pitcher for his team. Vivy is the only girl on the team roster. She convinces her over-protective mother to allow her to play baseball. The team's catcher becomes her good friend.

She also discloses her setbacks: The coach's son is a bully who torments her whenever his father is out of earshot. She is struck by a ball and receives a minor concussion. Her father's hands-off parenting style is confusing. He withdraws, wanting his wife to make all decisions. ​Her older brother Nathan is a puzzle. He used to enjoy playing catch with Vivy. But those days are gone. He vanishes for long periods of time. Vivy wonders, does he no longer like her?

Vivy has a lot of questions to consider. Should she report bullying to the coach or try to solve the problem herself? Will she reach a reasonable compromise with her parents that will allow her to play? Can she get back her confidence after her head injury and return to the pitcher's mound?  Can she figure out why her brother is so distant? Can she maintain her correspondence with VJ when both experience defeat and disappointment?

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen is a story of baseball and bullying. It's a realistic look at living with high-functioning autism. It's a story of a girl breaking into a male-dominated sport. It's a story of dreams deferred. It's a story of getting up and trying again. It's a story with heart. Readers will cheer for Vivy.