Handpicked by Our Editors

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson
Age 5+
4

Testing the Ice: A True Story About Jackie Robinson

Why We Recommend It

Jackie Robinson was special on the baseball field and off. His daughter's bio of the slugger-as-dad emphasizes courage.

Read our full review
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The Mitten (20th Anniversary Edition) by Jan Brett
Parents Need to Know...

that this 20th anniversary edition is a beautiful book, and one to be treasured, both for the sweetness of the story and the detailed artwork that illustrates it.  read more

Age 4+
The Mitten (20th Anniversary Edition)
5
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But Who Will Bell the Cats? by Cynthia von Buhler
Parents Need to Know...

that this story is based on one of Aesop's fables. This retelling includes princesses and castles as well as cats and mice.  read more

Age 5+
But Who Will Bell the Cats?
5
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Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales (audiobook) by Nelson Mandela
Parents Need to Know...

that this audio-book brings alive 16 of the African folktales Nelson Mandela gathered in a book by the same name. Stories are read by many different actors, and a pdf. of original illustrations is included. The proceeds benefit children ... read more

Age 8+
Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales (audiobook)
5
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Way Up and Over Everything by Alice McGill
Parents Need to Know...

that this book is about slavery and may invite questions from kids. It was given the Parents' Choice Seal of Recommendation. read more

Age 7+
Way Up and Over Everything
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Golem by David Wisniewski
Parents Need to Know...

that though this book won the Caldecott Medal in 1997, usually reserved for lighter picture books, it contains images that may frighten young children. Also, the story, which is an adaptation of a medieval legend, may unsettle them. It ... read more

Age 8+
Golem
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The Adventures of Odysseus by Hugh Lupton
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a bloody story, and the authors don't shy away from it. People are killed in battle and in cold blood, by humans and by monsters, and animals are killed for food and for sacrifice to the gods. read more

Age 8+
The Adventures of Odysseus
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Beowulf by Gareth Hinds
Parents Need to Know...

that the pictures in this graphic novel depict bloody battles, including dismemberment. It's pretty gruesome -- and definitely not for many kids. read more

Age 12+
Beowulf
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The Little Red Hen
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a classical re-telling of the Little Red Hen fable, with nothing changed and nothing added -- except gorgeous illustrations. The ending has not been softened, as in some renditions. read more

Age 4+
The Little Red Hen
4
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Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart by Pat Mora
Parents Need to Know...

that there is nothing objectionable in this book. Doña Flor is a kindly giant, kind to people, animals, and plants. The townspeople are frightened by a loud mountain lion growl, but Doña Flor resolves the situation without violence or ... read more

Age 3+
Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart
4
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Not the End of the World by Geraldine McCaughrean
Parents Need to Know...

that this is an unrelentingly horrific portrayal of what it might have been like on the ark: many bodies, brutal behavior. The author raises complex issues of morality and faith, and provides no answers. Those with strong religious ... read more

Age 13+
Not the End of the World
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Quiver by Stephanie Spinner
Parents Need to Know...

that there are clear sexual references here, a bit unusual for a book aimed at this age group, though hard to avoid in Greek mythology. There's also some violence (Atalanta kills two centaurs with a bow and arrows, shoots a boar, and ... read more

Age 11+
Quiver
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Quicksilver by Stephanie Spinner
Parents Need to Know...

that this is based on Greek myths, which were violent and sometimes sexual. Though the author doesn't shy away from these aspects, she doesn't wallow in them either -- she mentions them and moves on. read more

Age 9+
Quicksilver
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Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls by Jane Yolen
Parents Need to Know...

that some of these gripping adventures are a little gruesome. read more

Age 9+
Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls
4
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Tasty Baby Belly Buttons: A Japanese Folktale by Judy Sierra
Parents Need to Know...

that the monsters that make off with a bunch of babies may worry some little ones. But humorous, repetitious language will have kids changing aloud. read more

Age 2+
Tasty Baby Belly Buttons: A Japanese Folktale
4
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Beast by Donna Jo Napoli
Parents Need to Know...

that the prince suffers for misdeeds, though they were well intended, and thinks deeply about his actions. The book touches on a variety of traditions and religions, and is a clever angle on a familiar story. read more

Age 13+
Beast
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Feathers and Fools by Mem Fox
Parents Need to Know...

that this literary-quality story is an engaging, effective fable. The acrylic artwork is bright and dreamlike. Heavy on life lessons, it may be more appealing to parents and teachers than to kids. read more

Age 6+
Feathers and Fools
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Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business by Esphyr Slobodkina
Parents Need to Know...

that kids will love the preposterousness of the story. The artwork is accessible and the unusual setting adds to the interest level. read more

Age 4+
Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business
4
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The Talking Eggs: A Folktale From the American South by Robert D. San Souci
Parents Need to Know...

that detailed illustrations and a suspenseful story make this a surefire read-aloud. read more

Age 4+
The Talking Eggs: A Folktale From the American South
4
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Squids Will Be Squids: Fresh Morals, Beastly Fables by Jon Scieszka
Parents Need to Know...

that these fables are solid goofiness. If their moral is sometimes golden, it's never difficult to swallow. read more

Age 6+
Squids Will Be Squids: Fresh Morals, Beastly Fables
4
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Tales From Africa by Mary Medlicott
Parents Need to Know...

that some of the 12 stories focus on animals and natural elements that come alive, some on people and their relationships with each other or the natural world, and some on the magic and reality of life in Africa. read more

Age 9+
Tales From Africa
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Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale by Verna Aardema
Parents Need to Know...

that this folktale about cause and effect uses lots of sound effects (buzz, hiss). read more

Age 4+
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale
4

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