Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic

COVID-19 has struck and Archie is struggling. He has asthma so he has to be really careful about not getting sick. He can't play with friends, he feels unseen during online classes, and his brother Hank doesn't want to hang out with him anymore. Archie feels like everyone is doing okay except him. Discovering a hummingbird in his yard leads to an interest in learning about the bird and installing hummingbird feeders. It's a welcome distraction that brings some comfort, but Archie soon realizes there are other kids who have been struggling like he has, including Hank. This depiction of covid focuses on its impact on mental health and the inner turmoil so many of us have endured.… (more)

This beautiful picture book isn't just about a child: the girl in the story learns that a supernova is a dying star and decides that she will be there with it for its final moments. This means the story takes us through her life, from school where she does her own research at the library and participates in class, to college where she studies stars, through jobs and training to be an astronomer and an astronaut. I can't say if her career trajectory is realistic, but it's unusual to see a character in a picture book grow from child to adult, from "girl" to "woman" in the narrative, with so much emphasis on hard work and persistence. The illustrations, especially of the final supernova, are gorgeous, and as a nice little addition, many of the background characters--like the main character--are people of color, including teachers and scientists. Maybe not realistic right now, but certainly more like the world ought to be.

Areg found this one for Alina and we can't wait to give it to her!

[P.S. Incoming: tons of reviews for picture books that we're planning to gift...but of course Aunt Sarah has to read them all first!]… (more)