ALL of the blogs from the past week have focused on online resources to cope with the school & library closures due to CoVid-19. However, right before everything started shutting down the Association of Illinois School Library Educators announced their 2021 Monarch Book Award List. Without further ado, here it is:
Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller
When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate contemplates how to make her feel better and what it means to be kind.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings
A dog looking for a home sends letters to prospective owners on Butternut Street, with surprising results.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
Cute As An Axolotl by Jess Keating
Many creatures have developed cute features in order to survive in the wild. From fluffy fur to big round eyes to makeshift pom-poms and elegant feathery gills, cute adaptations allow these animals to scare off predators, withstand extreme climates, and even breathe underwater!
This title is not available in eBook format.
Douglas You’re A Genius by Ged Adamson
Nancy and Douglas, determined to learn what is on the other side of a fence, try Nancy’s plans to launch, vault, and fly Douglas over, then succeed with Douglas’s simple idea.
This title is not available in eBook format.
Drawn Together by Minh Le
A boy and his grandfather cross a language and cultural barrier using their shared love of art, storytelling, and fantasy.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
An illustrated picture book autobiography in which award-winning author Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story
This title is available in eAudiobook format on hoopla and eBook format on Overdrive.
The Good Egg by Jory John
When the other eggs in his carton behave badly, the good egg feels like he needs to be perfect.
This title is available in eAudiobook format on hoopla and eBook format on Overdrive.
How To Give Your Cat A Bath In Five Easy Steps by Nicola Winstanley
A little girl and her cat make an escalating mess while respectively trying to follow and resist the cat-bathing instructions of a bossy narrator.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams
A nonfiction picture book tracing the repercussions of what would happen if sharks disappeared from our planet.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats by Dori Hillestad Butler
King’s human, Kayla, has baked some treats for a friend’s new puppy, Thor, but some go missing and it is up to King to find the culprit.
This title is available in eBook format on hoopla.
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson
Under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, children and teenagers march against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963.
This title is available in eAudiobook format on hoopla.
My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she’s always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her.
This title is available in eAudiobook format on hoopla.
A Normal Pig by K-Fai Steele
Pip is a normal pig who does normal stuff: cooking, painting, and dreaming of what she’ll be when she grows up. One day a new pig comes to school and starts pointing out all the ways in which Pip is different. Suddenly she doesn’t like any of the same things she used to…the things that made her Pip.
This title is not available in eBook format.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Denise
A biography of storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, Pura Belpré, who championed bilingual literature.
This title is not available in eBook format.
The Sun is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk
The Sun never stops working to keep things on Earth running smoothly. (That’s why it’s been Employee of the Month for 4.5 billion years.) So why does the Sun get to be center of attention? Because it’s our solar system’s very own star!
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora
When the aroma of Omu’s homemade stew fills the air, her neighbors arrive, one by one, for a taste until all is gone except for her generous spirit.
This title is available in eMovie format on hoopla.
The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander
This poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
Under My Hijab by Hena Kahn
As a young girl observes that each of six women in her life wears her hijab and hair in a different way, she considers how to express her own style one day.
This title is not available in eBook format.
What If… by Samantha Berger
A child who likes to draw and write stories imagines what would happen if there were no pencils, paper, or other tools for being creative.
This title is available in eBook format on Overdrive.
What Is Chasing Duck? by Jan Thomas
Duck’s imagination gets the best of him when he asks his critter companions for help escaping a mysterious pursuer.
This title is available in eBook format on hoopla.