Kirsten Anderson
Who Is Zendaya?
A solid, respectful intro to a modern icon that balances her entertainment career with her activism without getting bogged down in celebrity gossip.
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Mr. Justice Holmes
by Clara Ingram Judson
Nonfiction · ages 8–12 · 650L
Earnest mid-century biography that introduces a towering legal mind; dry by modern standards and Holmes's actual legal reasoning will sail over most 8–10-year-olds' heads, but solid for history-curious kids who like nonfiction.
My Rows and Piles of Coins
by E. B. Lewis
Picture book · ages 5–9 · 640L
A quiet masterpiece about a Tanzanian boy's saving goal that teaches delayed gratification without a hint of preachiness — the illustrations anchor you in the specificity of place and the dignity of work.
The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs
by America's Test Kitchen Kids
Nonfiction · ages 8–12 · 700L · 2019
The rare cookbook that treats kids as serious problem-solvers; recipes include failure points and reasoning, turning baking into applied science rather than mere instruction-following.