Blog Archives
AI… Meets… AI
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into our daily lives, understanding its potential can be incredibly beneficial. Amber Ivey’s AI… Meets… AI serves as an inspiring introduction for children to the world of technology. The story follows Addy Iris, a young girl from Baltimore with the fitting initials “AI.” On her way home, Addy encounters Jaz, a lost little robot whose malfunctioning GPS prevents him from finding his way back to his lab. Demonstrating her resourcefulness and kindness, Addy decides to help Jaz. Their journey begins at her home, where a party is underway, and continues through a series of adventures, including a visit to an engaging museum. Throughout their escapades, Addy and Jaz develop a deepening friendship and gain valuable insights into human interactions.
Amber Ivey’s approach to discussing technology is both accessible and heartwarming. While she makes AI relatable to young readers, her emphasis is on core human values like friendship, empathy, and mutual support. The story exemplifies how easy and enjoyable making friends can be, with all characters portrayed as kind and willing to help, which fosters a sense of empathy among readers. The narrative is engaging and dynamic, as the protagonists explore various settings and learn valuable lessons. The visual appeal of the book, with its simple yet well-defined illustrations, enhances the reader’s experience. Each page is filled with joy and enthusiasm, and a unique touch is the use of binary numbers for page numbering, adding a playful nod to the tech theme.
AI… Meets… AI is an entertaining and delightful adventure through the city, offering an engaging way to introduce children to technology. The book effectively teaches resilience and the importance of overcoming challenges, making it a valuable addition to any child’s bookshelf.
Pages: 37 | ASIN : B0C87K7HXT
A Story About Love And Acceptance
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas: or How the Sisters Changed the World, follows the lives of two people who want to have a family and end up adopting two baby girls of different races.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Monique Ra Brent?
It was an amazing collaboration in terms of her vision was exactly mine – a story about love and acceptance in a world that judges. We went through the process picture by picture to get the right “soul” of the book. She had painted a picture of my wife 7 years ago – thus began the discussion of working on the book
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
For me…this is more than promoting a book. It is a movement of acceptance. I see young and old people relating to this book – I have heard people say “I see myself in this book.” I had done research before the book – for it to be sensitive to the adoption community.
Is this the first book in the series? If so, when is the next book coming out and what can your fans expect in the next story?
It is my first book – I am currently completing the second book – for end of year/new year (a comic look-superhero book)
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website | TikTok
But living in a rural town, not everyone saw the true beauty of the Spirit family. Polite but distant, the town was wary of a Black family with two diverse daughters—one Black and one white. Charm and Dawn, though, knew that this was really a superpower, and they created their own world to show others how great it is to be part of the soul sista’s dynamics.
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas celebrates diversity and the true meaning of family through the eyes of two wonderful superheroes.
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas: or How the Sisters Changed the World
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas: or How the Sisters Changed the World, is a wonderfully written story that teaches children about the beauty of adoption and multicultural families. In this heartwarming children’s book, two people, Alexandra and Nathan Spirit, find themselves living on a farm in the country, way out of their comfort zone. They want to have a family but are unable, and through some extraordinary circumstances, they wind up with the chance to adopt not one but two little girls. So in this small rural town, this unique family with two Black parents, one white child, and one Black child face constant looks and were not included in many events. How will the sisters handle heading off to school when it is time?
Author Newton Vanriel has written a fantastic book about adoption and the challenges that raising a multicultural family can face. In addition, while not biologically twins, the girls are so close in age that they act like twins. This story covers many topics parents sometimes find hard to explain to young children. This book is written in a way that is perfect for reading together and opening up discussions. It is broken up so that it is easy to stop and talk about the different situations that come up. I love the little poems that are included as well. They are like a summary and motivational lesson, all in a couple of lines summarizing the topic on the page before it. The artwork by Monique Ra Brent is bright and colorful; it will appeal to children and bring a smile to those reading this captivating story.
The Adventures of the Soul Sistas: or How the Sisters Changed the World, is an inspiring story for children struggling with fitting in, that are adopted, or who come from mixed families. The world is full of exciting and different people, and family comprises the people you love and support you. Sisters do not have to look alike, and diversity is a beautiful thing.
Pages: 36 | ASIN : B0BJP3JKT4
Sunrise in Saigon
Sunrise in Saigon by Patrick Greenwood is a fiction story based on real events that happened in Vietnam during and after the war. Jack Kendall is an eleven-year-old boy at the time of the fall of Saigon in 1975. Still, many of his questions about the war are not answered until more than thirty-five years later when he makes a trip to Vietnam as an adult after health issues cause him to reexamine his current life. There he meets a woman who he had been communicating with online, and spending time with her takes his mind off his unhappy marriage. But is their relationship worth the risk? And is there any chance that they can be together forever?
I liked how this story spanned several decades of Jack’s life, starting in his childhood and into adulthood, giving the reader more insight into his character and his continuing interest in what happened to the Vietnamese people after the war when the American armed forces left the country. The author included many historical details and vivid descriptions of life in Vietnam and how the people there were still affected four decades after the war. I enjoyed reading about how Jack stepped in to help fix problems at a water plant during his trip to Vietnam. It was admirable that he wanted to take steps in his life to improve his health and mindset, and I liked that he took up cycling. The ending of this book surprised me, and I liked that it was unexpected.
Some of the decisions Jack made in the pursuit of so-called happiness and love were not exceptionally honorable and had detrimental effects on his family life. Jack and Linh’s infidelity is a vital part of this story, and how they are both looking for a connection that is lacking in their current relationships. Finding the answers to his long-held questions about Vietnam seemed secondary to his affair with Linh, especially during his first trip, giving readers a deeper look at his emotional state and his desire for deep emotional connections.
Overall, Sunrise in Saigon is a captivating read that will take the reader on an emotional journey alongside Jack and his quest for happiness. Some relationships are meant to last forever, some just for a moment. This novel shows readers that those moments are no less meaningful and impactful in our lives than the relationships that last for years.
Pages: 325 | ASIN : B0BMNGVK4Z
Irate
Ramiro Espinoza has a promising future in his Heavy Metal band Irate. However, his past haunts him and prevents him from enjoying his achievements. Since he was a young boy, he felt a connection with music and strived to become a great vocalist and bassist. His early life was complicated because he comes from a dysfunctional family where Jorge, his father, inflicted physical and emotional harm on his family, justifying his abuse with bible passages. Fortunately, his mother and sister supported Ramiro’s dreams, and he used his music to cope with the emotions caused by the conflicts with his father. Eventually, he met Noelle, a House/Techno singer who gave up her career to travel on Irate’s tour around the world. Now Ramiro must learn to open his heart and face the problems with his father to achieve true success in life and develop a healthy relationship with Noelle.
Author Alexis Soleil has a detailed narration style. She introduces readers to Ramiro through the significant moments of his life. Readers first meet him in his youth, when he is a teenager and in a rebellious period. There are good moments, for example, when he gets a tattoo of a 3D tarantula, and bad situations as when his father kicks him out of the house on Christmas. Eventually, we see Ramiro maturing with his career, developing a relationship with Noelle, and coming to terms with his family’s issues.
Alexis Soleil doesn’t just focus on Roamiro; Noelle is an essential part of this story and has strong character development and her own personal conflicts to resolve. This diversity in the character’s personalities and ethnic backgrounds enriches the narrative because it shows that everyone has conflicts to resolve.
IRATE: A Rocker’s Raging Romance has a dark plot with intense scenes and mature language. This novel is focused on the world of Heavy Metal and shows a realistic perspective with touring, problems in the band, and even with Noelle seeing the reactions from fans. I recommend this contemporary romance for those that enjoy the lifestyle of Heavy Metal music, complicated romantic relationships, and self-discovery.
Pages: 354 | ASIN : B09F62BDRV
Kittens Learn About Holidays
There are so many holidays that it can be quite overwhelming to celebrate them all and learn about them. In Kittens Learn About Holidays by Shan Frazier, we are introduced to a group of loveable kittens who have just been adopted and need to get up to date with society’s holidays to be able to fully embrace their new lives. This educational story is filled to the brim with small bits of information I feel like we all should know, but one would be a liar if they dared say so. I found an abundance of newfound knowledge in every holiday introduced and now feel completely informed, as should these kittens.
The illustrations are just adorable and extremely delightful and depict each holiday perfectly. The dedication at the beginning of the book was so incredibly sweet that I could relate instantly to the author. Having a parent that goes above and beyond for special occasions or celebrations are memories that we cherish for a lifetime and tend to pass down as tradition.
Young readers who pick this book up will gush over the cute tiny felines and swallow up all the acquired facts strewn throughout. I just know my own children will love all the items and decorations on each page and we will have nonstop conversations over them. This turns a cute story into the perfect one for learning together and starting conversations about different cultures and religions. I feel the book was well thought out, researched, and expertly written.
Kittens Learn About Holidays is a beautifully written picture book that will educate and entertain children with details about their favorite holidays and teach them about new ones. This multicultural children’s book would be the perfect addition to a classroom and home to share with kids.
Pages: 40 | ASIN : B0B7PSHK8T
Oh, No …Hacked Again!
Oh, No… Hacked Again! A Story About Online Safety by Zinet Kemal is based on her own children’s experiences with internet safety. Seeing her children go through this experience, led her to write a book so other families can avoid some of the dangers of the internet.
This informative children’s book is written from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl. It is broken out into five chapters, the story begins, the panic, the take over, doing the right thing, and the lesson. I really liked how the author broke the story down in this way. There is a lot of important information in this book and if it was not broken out I feel some children would get overwhelmed or lost. Breaking things out into chapters like this allows for an adult to read to or with the child and pause to discuss what happened and how they feel or relate to the story.
Elham loves to play online games and has had the unfortunate experience of being too trusting of people she meets online. Twice she had her game account hacked, she lost everything she had worked for. Kids today that play Minecraft and Roblox will be able to relate to how much work goes into collecting everything and making the perfect avatar. They are also constantly bombarded by the ads to earn free currency and all too often those scams look real. This book explains how, if it sounds too good to be true it is, and if you are unsure always ask an adult.
At the end of this important story is a page of lessons learned from the book, the number one lesson, never ever share your password with anyone, no matter how much they claim to be your best friend and are going to help you. It goes over other internet safety rules that parents can walk their children through and discuss. There is also a page on internet vocabulary so when discussing these topics they can look up words they may not have heard before.
Oh, No… Hacked Again! A Story About Online Safety is a practical children’s book to introduce the idea of computer safety to young elementary kids through middle grades. The message is told in a language that is easy to understand and the artwork fits well with the story.
Pages: 30 | ASIN : B09M85Y31J
Proud in Her Hijab
Iman is teased at lunch one day by her classmates that do not understand what the hijab is and what it means. She goes home really upset and tells her family what happened. Iman’s mother, sister, and brother validate her feelings and help her see how she is not odd and has no reason to be ashamed of her hijab. They have a long conversation about each of their differences and how they each feel about their different hairstyles. Her mother reminds her that doing hair together is part of their family bonding and traditions.
Proud in Her Hijab: A Story of Family Strength, Empowerment, and Identity is a heartwarming picture book that will not only educate but help young girls feel confident in their choices. While this story focuses on a young Muslim girl wearing her hijab, the message does apply to all children because everyone is unique.
Author Zinet Kemal has written a beautiful children’s book in a way that is conversational, easy to understand, and relatable to children in elementary school. Kemal delicately approaches a difficult topic. Rather than just brushing it off after the family talks, Iman confronts her classmates to educate them and let them know their behavior is hurtful. Iman learns to take pride in her identity and speak up for herself, this is a great message to pass on to young children, especially girls.
This colorful picture book is illustrated by Mia Hay. The illustrations are bold and bright, and the characters are brought to life through these striking images. The combination of the fantastic illustrations and Kemal’s description of the hijab will draw in young readers and encourage them to learn more.
Proud in Her Hijab: A Story of Family Strength, Empowerment, and Identity is a well-conceived and educational picture book for young readers. This is an excellent resource for teachers and parents to teach about diversity and inclusion, different cultures, and kindness.
Pages: 36 | ASIN : B099NX1GTV
LITERARY TITAN 