YEAR OF THE CAT Written by Richard Ho Illustrated by Jocelyn Li Langrand (Greenwillow Books; $18.99, Ages 4-8)         The story of the Chinese zodiac is beloved in my household. In Year of the Cat, Richard Ho digs deeper to follow up on how Cat feels about not receiving a calendar year—she was pushed into a river by Rat! This story is as good as the original and then some.     Jocelyn Li Langrand’s fun illustrations begin even before the title page. I especially like the behind-the-scenes scoop on the animals such as…

  PEARL OF THE SEA by Anthony Silverston + Raffaella Delle Donne Illustrated by Willem Samuel (Catalyst Press; Paperback $19.99, eBook $9.95, Ages 11-14)   GoodReadsWithRonna is thrilled to be back for our 10th year supporting Multicultural Children's Book Day! We hope you'll visit the Linky below to access all the other great books reviewed.     Pearl of the Sea, a new older middle-grade graphic novel by Anthony Silverston, Raffaella Delle Donne, and Willem Samuel is simply hard to put down. In other words, be prepared to dive deep and fast into this rewarding journey featuring some fantastical elements…

    THE RIVER THAT WOLVES MOVED: A True Tale from Yellowstone Written by Mary Kay Carson Illustrated by David Hohn (Sleeping Bear Press; $17.99,  Ages 5-9)       The title of Mary Kay Carson’s new picture book drew me in: The River That Wolves Moved: A True Tale from Yellowstone. What?! How? I wanted to find out. Using the structure of “The House That Jack Built,” we learn why wolves are a crucial part of the ecosystem. Without them, elk overpopulate, overgraze, and, ultimately, cause muddied rivers to forge different paths. Pages incorporate new lines while repeating what’s…

  DEEP, DEEP DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench Written by Lydia Lukidis Illustrated by Juan Calle (Capstone; $18.99; Ages 7-11)       From the Publisher: “Deep, deep down, at the very bottom of the ocean, lies a secret world. Through lyrical narration, this spare-text STEM picture book takes readers on a journey to a place very few humans have ever been—the Mariana Trench. The imagined voyage debunks scary myths about this mysterious place with surprising and beautiful truths about life at Earth's deepest point. Deep, Deep Down shows a vibrant world far below, and teaches…

NEW KIDS & UNDERDOGS Written by Margaret Finnegan (Atheneum BYR; $17.99, Ages 8-12)       In Margaret Finnegan’s third middle-grade novel, New Kids & Underdogs, she once again convincingly captures the voice of the 10-year-old protagonist, in this case, fifth grader, Robyn Kellen. Robyn, whose parents are divorced, has moved around a lot because of her mother’s university teaching positions. Now in San Luis Obispo which, according to Robyn’s mom, is going to be the last move, Robyn must yet again learn to navigate a new town, new school, and hopefully new friendships. To do so, she relies upon…

  SNOW HORSES:  A FIRST NIGHT STORY Written by Patricia MacLachlan Illustrated by Micha Archer (Margaret K. McElderry Books; $18.99, Ages 4-8)         ★Starred Reviews - Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly Visit an enchanting snow-covered country town in Snow Horses: A First Night Story written by late Newberry Medal-winning author, Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Caldecott Honor-winning artist, Micha Archer but be sure to have a hot drink at hand while cozy under a blanket.     As you turn the pages you'll be treated to MacLachlan's lyrical prose that set an anticipatory tone for the once-a-year celebration…