Here are 100 books that Ta-Da! fans have personally recommended if you like
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I have always been a lover of the arts and spent a lot of time coloring and drawing as a young person. I remember the feeling of being fully immersed in picture books and cartoons. My interests led to a career as a graphic designer which turned into a career as an illustrator and author. There are so many wonderful children’s books that can engage young (and not so young!) readers that it was hard to choose just 5. Here are a few from artists that will wow you with creativity, humor, and imagination.
Saving American Beach is a biography of MaVynee Betsch, an American activist and environmentalist.
Betsch is best known for her campaign to conserve American Beach, a historically Black community in Jacksonville, FL. Euka Holmes is an award-winning illustrator. She uses acrylic paint and paper collage to create absolutely gorgeous landscapes and portraits from the life of Betsch and her American Beach.
In my favorite spreads, you can honestly feel a peaceful, seaside breeze that will give you goosebumps.
This heartfelt picture book biography illustrated by the Caldecott Honoree Ekua Holmes, tells the story of MaVynee Betsch, an African American opera singer turned environmentalist and the legacy she preserved.
MaVynee loved going to the beach. But in the days of Jim Crow, she couldn't just go to any beach--most of the beaches in Jacksonville were for whites only. Knowing something must be done, her grandfather bought a beach that African American families could enjoy without being reminded they were second class citizens; he called it American Beach. Artists like Zora Neale Hurston and Ray Charles vacationed on its sunny…
In a time of alternative facts and the loss of a shared sense of reality, A Foot is Not a Fish playfully illustrates the difference between what is true and what is not through absurd fun comparisons that every child—and parent—will instantly understand.
Ever since childhood, I’ve wondered about people who led inventive, innovative lives. How did they get their inspiration? Where did their ideas come from? How did they take that inspiration and change the world? I found information, but not the answers I was looking for, at the library. When I became an elementary library teacher, new forms of biographies – beautiful picture book biographies about people of all kinds – became available. My students loved them and so did I, and I became inspired to write for children. I’m excited that my first two picture book biographies, which received starred reviews, are out in the world – with more coming your way!
I’m always fascinated by the transformative moment – how and when people decide to use their voices for change.
Nina Simone’s musical talent was recognized early, and she faced discrimination early, too. As the Civil Rights Movement grew, Simone at first focused on building her career. Her transformative moment was born of rage at the murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers and the Birmingham, Alabama, 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four young girls and severely injured another.
Protest songs poured out of her, and she became the fearless voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Powerful and inspirational!
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authors picked
Nina
as one of their favorite books, and they share
why you should read it.
This book is for kids age
4,
5,
6, and
7.
What is this book about?
A BIG ISSUE BOOK OF THE YEAR
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards
This illuminating and defining biography from bestselling author Traci N. Todd, with illustrations from award-winner Christian Robinson, tells the story of Eunice Waymon, who grew up to become Nina Simone - and shares her bold, defiant, and exultant legacy with a new generation.
With passion and unparalleled skill, Traci N. Todd and Christian Robinson bring this iconic singer's story to young readers and their families. Meet young Eunice, who sang before she could talk, and journey with her from the piano stool she shared with her father…
I have always been a lover of the arts and spent a lot of time coloring and drawing as a young person. I remember the feeling of being fully immersed in picture books and cartoons. My interests led to a career as a graphic designer which turned into a career as an illustrator and author. There are so many wonderful children’s books that can engage young (and not so young!) readers that it was hard to choose just 5. Here are a few from artists that will wow you with creativity, humor, and imagination.
Rocket is a little girl who loves outer space and the famous astronaut, Mae Jemison.
She’s on a mission to spread her enthusiasm for the subject and also to see the Phoenix Meteor Shower. Dapo Adeola creates the most endearing characters in this story. All the details in Rocket’s neighborhood and the characters’ wonderful expressions will keep you chuckling and totally engaged.
You might also be wondering where you can see a meteor shower near you!
Meet Rocket--a plucky aspiring astronaut intent on getting her community to LOOK UP! from what they're doing and reach for the stars in this auspicious debut picture book. Honored as a Chicago Public Library 2019 Best of the Best Book!
A comet will be visible tonight, and Rocket wants everyone to see it with her--even her big brother, Jamal, whose attention is usually trained on his phone or video games. Rocket's enthusiasm brings neighbors and family together to witness a once-in-a-lifetime sighting. Perfect for fans of Ada Twist, Scientist and Cece Loves Science--Rocket Says Look Up! will inspire readers of…
When a girl in India discovers a Stone slab on a weedy patch of land she calls to her friends, "Look! Look!" The children clear away the weeds and garbage and find more stones. They called their families to come and see. Word travels to villages nearby and more and…
I have always been a lover of the arts and spent a lot of time coloring and drawing as a young person. I remember the feeling of being fully immersed in picture books and cartoons. My interests led to a career as a graphic designer which turned into a career as an illustrator and author. There are so many wonderful children’s books that can engage young (and not so young!) readers that it was hard to choose just 5. Here are a few from artists that will wow you with creativity, humor, and imagination.
Just Like Me is the most joyful celebration of girlhood. This outstanding compilation of poetry and art is written and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton.
She uses mixed media and collage to create colorful and charming portraits of warriors, dreamers, friends, and explorers that are bursting off the pages. Every kid can find a poem in this book that will feel like it was written just for them.
An ode to the girl with scrapes on her knees and flowers in her hair, and every girl in between, this exquisite treasury will appeal to readers of Dear Girl and I Am Enough and have kids poring over it to find a poem that's just for them.
I am a canvas Being painted on By the words of my family Friends And community
From Vanessa Brantley-Newton, the author of Grandma's Purse, comes a collection of poetry filled with engaging mini-stories about girls of all kinds: girls who feel happy, sad, scared, powerful; girls who love their bodies and girls…
As someone who was both a funny kid and a lover of superheroes, it was
always exciting to find a book where those two things crossed paths.
In the young readers' books I’ve written for Marvel and DC Comics, I
always try to inject humor where I can. Humor can be healing. If I
couldn’t laugh, especially about things that have caused me pain, I
don’t know that I would be around today. I love books about funny,
sensitive kids with big hearts. The world is a cold place sometimes,
but whenever I see a young person making positive change and having
fun along the way, it reminds me that anything is possible.
Leon is a big dreamer. He’s a good kid with a zest for life who truly wants to help people. The only problem is he doesn’t have superpowers. But! He does have a cool homemade costume and a keen mind.
I can relate as someone who used to tie towels around their neck and jump off the back of the couch. Don’t try that at home, by the way. Leon’s passion is infectious. His positivity is inspiring. Does it annoy the jerks and bullies? It sure does. But Leon isn’t one to act without considering all the angles. I love that about him.
Jamar Nicholas has crafted a super charming story that explores what it means to be a hero, a villain, and whatever lies in between.
Leon is an ordinary kid who becomes extraordinary when he fights a supervillain to save his school!
"Leon is a superhero, whose powers are kindness and common sense. It's a really good book about a really good kid!" -- Jerry Craft, author and illustrator of New Kid
"A heartfelt and hilarious hero’s journey. LEON is super!" -- Lincoln Peirce, author and illustrator of Big Nate
In the city where Leon lives, superheroes -- and supervillains -- are commonplace. So how does an ordinary kid like Leon, who has no superpowers himself, become the superhero he wants to be? When all…
I teach Jewish studies to Jewish teens and have devoted my life to helping young people find meaningful the legacy that’s been given to us—and building bridges to the future; this is in the classroom as well as on the page. My book is a distillation of everything I love about being Jewish—wrapped in a story that many readers find deeply familiar. At the same time, I believe in planting the universal in the specific—and any reader ready to go on a journey can find themselves in Will Levine’s shoes.
I love this book for its humor, voice, and vivid and lovable characters. Goldie reminds me of the grandma I never had—determined, dry-witted, and unafraid to get involved in her granddaughter Maxie’s love life. Set in an assisted living facility full of quirky characters, this element of aging—the loneliness and the desperation—is both hilarious and universally tragic.
Maxie’s story, meanwhile, follows a delightful rom-com arc that mirrors and breaks the repetition of her grandmother’s adventure in love as she meets T-Jam, her grandmother’s eccentric driver. This book charmed me—brilliantly balancing comedy with themes of heritage, love, and legacy, l’dor v’dor.
Hilarious and surprising, this unapologetically Jewish story delivers a present-day take on a highly creative grandmother trying to find her Ph.D granddaughter a husband who is a doctor-with a yarmulke, of course.
Goldie Mandell is opinionated, assertive, and stuck in an Assisted Living Facility. But even surrounded by schleppers with walkers, pictures of sunrises, fancy fish tanks, and an array of daily activities to complement the tepid tea and stale cookies on offer, her salt-free plate is full. She's got a granddaughter to settle, an eager love interest named Harry to subdue, and precious memories of her happy marriage to…
Discover the first adventure in the Curious Bunny series!
In Boomer Sees the Town, Boomer leaves the forest to explore the wonders, sounds, and surprises of the big city. Perfect for curious minds and early readers, this heartwarming children’s story encourages imagination, discovery, and kindness.
I am Susie Black. Before I became an award-winning, humorous, cozy mystery author, I had a successful career as a ladies’ swimwear sales exec. As you can imagine, I spent a lot of time in Florida. I interacted with progressive, traditional, and conservative buyers and sellers from large cities to small towns all over the Sunshine State. My experiences gave me a unique perspective on the social mores and hierarchy of Florida’s diverse, multi-layered, and complicated society.
Since I was ten, my parents insisted I watch every major party-political convention. So, it was no surprise that now as an adult political junkie, I devoured every page of this book. I loved the what-ifs the book translated to in today’s political picture.
I marveled at how author Dorsey deftly took the unquestioning tool of the powerful special interests incumbent Florida Governor and transformed him into a candidate with a conscience three weeks before the next election. I gave a standing ovation to Dorsey, who used zippy dialog and a fast-paced plot to hysterically make mincemeat of the hypocritical, holier-than-thou morals of an alley cat displayed by state party officials.
If you like your humour dark and twisty, then you'll love Tim Dorsey's outrageous Serge Storms series of crime novels. The Republicans' "golden boy" and a loyal, unquestioning tool of the powerful special interests handsome, unthreatening, Florida governor-by-default Marlon Conrad seems a virtual shoo-in for re-election. That is, until he undergoes a radical personality shift during a bloody military action in the Balkans. Now it's just three weeks before the election and Marlon is suddenly talking about "issues" and "reform" as he crosses the length and breadth of his home state with an amnesiac speechwriter and a chief of staff…
You know that poem that instructs us to "see a world in a grain of sand?" I've done that, friend. It turns out that the world you see in a closely-examined grain of sand is largely covered with sand, each grain of which contains another world. For reasons that I can't explain (well, the Autism Spectrum Disorder might have something to do with it), I'm compelled to write novels that explore and exploit, obliquely or otherwise, the sub-worlds lurking within the grains of sand that are scattered across the American High Plains.
Remember how disappointed you were when you first tried to read Tolkien's The Silmarillion? You'd just devoured The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and you needed more Middle Earth, and you asked for The Silmarillian for your birthday and you received it! And it was just a bunch of half-baked fleshless ideas! Well, there's nothing half-baked about Masters of Atlantis! Masters of Atlantis is my least favorite book by my most favorite author! Why did I choose it for this list over Portis's other four novels? Because, for the vast majority of its 300-plus pages, it reads like a hurried summary of a tangled web of bizarro characters negotiating an interwoven freak-o-system of conspiratorial cults!
Lamar Jimmersan, an American doughboy in 1917 France, learns that his life's purpose is to administer the brotherhood of the Gnomons, preservers of the wisdom of the lost city of Atlantis, and Gnomonism risesand eventually fades awayin America. Reprint.
I was once a little girl who loved reading, and now I'm a mother who shares that passion with my kid. Over the past few years, I've been revisiting my own childhood favorites with him (it's been a serendipitous mix of work and pleasure as I was also researching a book on one of the all-time great children's book authors, Judy Blume). The novels I've recommended here are ones that seemed to spark pleasure in the most discerning—and honest—of audiences: an 8-year-old. And unlike some old books that will go unnamed, they didn't make me cringe as a 21st-century parent.
This is the first book that made me laugh out loud as a kid. When I read it to my son, I remembered why. Not only is Fudge just a bonkers character, but this novel—the second in the Fudge series—features the silliest pet ever, a myna bird named Uncle Feather.
Uncle Feather’s catchphrase is "Bonjour, Stupid" and of course, he says it at inappropriate times. As an adult, I still think "Bonjour, Stupid" is funny. You can imagine the effect it has on an 8-year-old.
He knows a lot of big words, but he doesn't know where babies come from. He's never heard of a stork, but he plans to be a bird when he grows up. He's Superfudge, otherwise known as Farley Drexel Hatcher. And, according to his older brother Peter, the biggest pain ever invented. Among other things.
As fans of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing already know, nothing is simple for Peter Hatcher. He is far from overjoyed at the turn the family fortunes are taking. It looks as if Peter will be spending the sixth grade far from Central Park,…
Floretta- the story of an old woman who discovers life beautifully anew thru the helping hands of a child. The chakra colors of dawn and twilight are woven through the pages as the cycle of life is magically composed. The subject of “heaven,” has the potential to open discussions with…
A couple of years ago, in my late 50s, I learned I had ADHD. It was a huge discovery to finally understand why I daydreamed while being lectured and had so many thoughts racing through my mind. When I was younger, I assumed that there was a level playing field between my classmates and me when it came to basic brain function. So, I always felt extra frustrated and sad when I didn’t learn the same way as others. Only recently have I come to the new understanding about what was going on then—that my brain has always worked a little differently.
We all know Numeroff’s “IF” books. I love them all, but I picked the Moose book because the moose scares himself by shouting, “BOO!” But all of them have a similar message.
Whether neurodiverse or neurotypical, we are all familiar with the feeling of starting one task, which leads to another, which leads to another…etc. I remember reading this book to my kids when they were young and how it captured how I felt as an overwhelmed mom (not to mention one with undiagnosed ADHD).
Interestingly, it was written over 30 years ago during a time when ADHD wasn’t as easily diagnosed. In a way, this speaks to the ever-presence of neurodiversity, whether specifically recognized or not.
If a big hungry moose comes to visit, you might give him a muffin to make him feel at home. If you give him a muffin, he'll want some jam to go with it. When he's eaten all your muffins, he'll want to go to the store to get some more muffin mix...
In this hilarious sequel to the beloved If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, the young host is again run ragged by a surprise guest. Young readers will delight in the comic complications that follow when a little boy entertains a gregarious moose.
