Children’s Services

The One and Only Ivan

When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-and-out circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.

Dork Diaries 8: Tales from a Not-So-Happily Ever After

A bump on the head suffered during gym class causes middle school drama queen Nikki Maxwell to have a crazy dream where all of her acquaintances assume the roles of familiar fairy tale characters.

Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon and Illus. by Kaylani Juanita. 

Each page of this poetry collection follows a different young brown girls’ strong connection with their environment and family —finding confidence in the little things they love about themselves along the way like their “feathery brown lashes” or “deep, secret brown eyes.” The vivid illustrations complement the text with depictions of diverse and intersectional characters. These include a child in a wheelchair, two girls wearing hijabs, a girl with vitiligo, a woman wearing a hearing aid, a woman missing a hand, and characters who are gender non-conforming. The combined poetic verse and illustrations give the reader an overwhelming sense of warmth and acceptance. There are moments when the vocabulary is a bit advanced, but this has no influence on the overall reader’s understanding of the book. Doyan’s powerful offering is “thundering brown” and perfect for all young children who have a hard time embracing their magnificent selves or who may feel out of place in their own world.