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Articles by Eric Velasquez
The Polar Bear and the Ballerina
The Polar Bear and the Ballerina by Eric Velasquez Review posted November 19, 2025. Holiday House, 2025. 40 pages. Review written November 12, 2025, from a library book. Starred Review Wordless picture books are hit or miss with me, because it's not always clear what's actually happening. And they're not easy to use in story time. But this one is a grand slam. The book opens with a group from Harlem Children's Ballet at the zoo, taking photos in front of the polar bear's tank.
Best Picture Books of 2025 for Animal Lovers
Featuring 284 industry-first reviews of fiction, nonfiction, children’s, and YA books; also in this issue: the 100 best fiction and 100 best nonfiction books of 2025, author interviews, and much more
Going Places: Victor Hugo Green and His Glorious Book
(Author) (Illustrator) FORMAT Hardcover$19.99$18.59(English) Buy new or used from an indie through our partner Biblio: Price Condition Seller In the vein of Hidden Figures comes a nonfiction picture book about the Green Book, a travel guide by Victor Hugo Green, a Black postal worker from Harlem, made to help African Americans stay safe while traveling during segregation. As a mail carrier, Victor Hugo Green traveled across New Jersey every day.
Dean Robbins on ¡Mambo Mucho Mambo!: The Dance That Crossed Color Lines
The TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour is your opportunity to learn from and build personal connections with extraordinary book creators and their brand-new titles. Included in all Virtual Book Tour posts are original interviews with authors and illustrators, lesson plans, an activity designed for young people, and much more! Welcome Dean Robbins In this post, we feature author Dean Robbins, whose previous, acclaimed titles include The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon.
25 Children's Books About Black History and Black Trailblazers
It’s Black History month, which means it’s an excellent month for parents to introduce children’s books about significant Black figures in history, current Black heroes, important historical events and even touch on the implications of slavery, especially as it pertains to the current racial climate in America. If that sounds too heavy, don’t worry. There are plenty of books out there that do a great job at introducing these concepts in an age appropriate way.
California Reads Recommendations
California Reads 2023 Recommendations: Pre-K/TK/K Eyes that Kiss in the Corners By Joanna Ho, Illustrator: Dung Ho A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers’. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother’s, and her little sister’s. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future.
Octopus Stew
K-Gr 2–Ramsey is an Afro-Latino kid with a robust imagination. As he finishes an oversize painting of an octopus, he inadvertently, and to his despair, inspires his grandmother to cook octopus stew. As soon as they are back from the market with a huge, live cephalopod, Grandma sets an ever bigger pot with boiling water for the unfortunate octopus. From this point on, anything could happen.
Throwback Thursday: Books for Hispanic Heritage Month
In this week’s edition of Throwback Thursday, we’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! From September 15 to October 15, we honor the cultures, histories, and contributions of those who trace their roots to Latin and South America. Fun fact: the holiday begins in the middle of September because in 1821, five Latin American countries - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua - declared their independence on the 15th.
Welcome to Auradon: A Descendants 3 Sticker and Activity Book
Filled with fun activities and more than 200 stickers, this interactive Descendants 3 book invites fans to imagine stepping into the halls of Auradon Prep. Fans can fill out applications to the prestigious school, decorate their dorm rooms, design wickedly cool outfits, and more! A great complement to previously published Descendants and Descendants 2 books, this engaging book details the memorable characters and magical world of this Disney Channel’s hit movie series.
Instructions Not Included
Buy Now Available Formats Print & eBook Click. Whir. Buzz. Not so long ago, math problems had to be solved with pencil and paper, mail delivered by postman, and files were stored in paper folders and metal cabinets. But three women, Betty Snyder, Jean Jennings, and Kay McNulty knew there could be a better way. During World War II, people hoped ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer), one of the earliest computers, could help with the war effort.
5-Minute Puppy Dog Pals Stories
5-Minute Puppy Dog Pals Stories Select... Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-a-Million Indiebound Indigo Buy Now Print Join Bingo and Rolly on gift-getting missions, space-based missions, next-doggy-door neighbor missions, and so much more! Each story in this collection is ideal for reading aloud in just five minutes—making it bark-tastic addition for bedtime, story time, or anytime! Other Books in Puppy Dog Pals Other Books by Disney Book Group
OCTOPUS STEW by Eric Velasquez
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Blog: Free Library Participating in 27th Annual African American Children's Book Fair
We are excited to share the news that the Free Library will be at the African American Children's Book Fair again this year! Founded and organized by Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, the African American Children’s Book Fair is celebrating its 27th year.
Black History Month Storytime with Yolanda King!
BookPeople is proud to host over 300 events every year. Our events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise stated. To get a book signed at one of our events, a copy of the event book must be purchased from BookPeople. By purchasing a book from BookPeople, you are not only supporting a local, independent business, but you are also showing publishers that they should continue sending authors to BookPeople. Think of it this way: you wouldn't bring your own beer to a bar, would you?
The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up to Slavery (Hardcover)
With powerful illustrations and historically accurate narrative, The Price of Freedom tells the story of townspeople in mid-19th century Ohio who resisted the inhumane Fugitive Slave Law. When “slave catchers” captured John Price in Oberlin and set out to return him to the enslavement he had escaped years earlier, a group of black and white abolitionists bravely sprang into action to defend their neighbor. They freed Price in what became known as the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue.
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