TU YOUYOU'S DISCOVERY: Finding a Cure for Malaria Written by Songju Ma Daemicke Illustrated by Lin (Albert Whitman & Co.; $16.99, Ages 4-8)     In 2021 malaria is a preventable and treatable disease but it wasn't always the case. Hundreds of thousands used to die from it annually but the mortality rate has declined since the medicine to cure it was approved. That's why I was curious to read about Tu Youyou, the woman whose determination led to finding a cure for malaria and becoming the first Chinese woman to win a Nobel Prize.  In Tu Youyou's Discovery written…

CURSE OF THE SPECTER QUEEN (Book 1 of 2: A Samantha Knox Novel) Written by Jenny Elder Moke (Hyperion; $17.99, Ages 12 and up)      Set in the 1920s, Jenny Elder Moke’s Curse of the Specter Queen is high-stakes historical fiction fantasy with a female-driven plot. Samantha (“Sam”) Knox isn’t the same after her father is killed in the Great War. She turns away from her lifelong friends (brother and sister Bennett and Joana Steeling) and resigns herself to living a small life in their nowhere US town. She escapes the fate of being a laundress like her mother…

THE BAD MOOD! Written by Moritz  Petz Illustrated by Amélie Jackowski (NorthSouth Books; $17.95; Ages 4-8)       Badger woke up in a bad mood! After working in his garden, he starts to feel better but knows he must make amends when he finds out that his grumpy, rude remarks from the morning have left his friends upset with him in The Bad Mood! written by Moritz Petz, with illustrations by Amélie Jackowski. Now available as an unjacketed hardcover, this beloved classic has been translated into more than ten languages. Bad moods are quite contagious and relatable to most…

  A ROUNDUP OF THE BEST NEW CHRISTMAS BOOKS FOR 2021     All of us at GoodReadsWithRonna.com wish you a warm and wonderful Christmas!   REVIEWS: JINGLE BELLS / NAVIDAD: Bilingual Nursery Rhymes (English & Spanish) Written and illustrated by Susie Jaramillo (Canticos; $10.99, Ages 0-6) This 16 page bilingual, lift-the-flaps board book is not only beautiful to look at (its cover features foil accents), it stars the sweet little chickies from the Emmy-nominated series. What a delightful way to celebrate the holidays than by sharing the "Jingle Bells" song with children in both English and Spanish. There are…

HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD IN 12 EASY STEPS Written by Peggy Porter Tierney Illustrated by Marie Letourneau (Tanglewood Publishing; $15.99, Ages 4-8)     ★Starred Review -Kirkus   Before reading How to Change the World in 12 Easy Steps, a new picture book written by Peggy Porter Tierney and illustrated by Marie Letourneau, I had not heard about Eva Mozes Kor, the inspiration for this story. I wish I'd had the opportunity to attend one of the talks that she did around the country before she passed away in 2019. If you know what she experienced as a Mengele…

GIFT BOOKS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY ∼ A ROUNDUP ∼   TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT! An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year Selected by Fiona Waters Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup (Nosy Crow; $40, Ages 3-7) Louise  Bolongaro, Head of Picture Books at Nosy Crow, describes poems as bite-sized worlds that can be snacked on word by word or swallowed whole in one big gulp. I could not agree more. That's why this new collection of poems for each day of the year is indeed a treat to be savored whether read daily, weekly, monthly, or whenever the mood…

    I HEAR YOU, FOREST Written by Kallie George Illustrated by Carmen Mok (Greystone Kids; $17.95; Ages 3-7)     When a child walks through the forest and hears its majestic sounds, we're reminded by author Kallie George that the forest needs to be heard in I Hear You, Forest, with breathtaking illustrations by Carmen Mok . As a new mom, George knows the importance of helping babies and toddlers juggle their emotions. And the simple words, “I hear you” let them know they are heard and they are respected. The story takes the reader on a walk, guided…

      AN INTERVIEW WITH JOANA PASTRO AUTHOR OF BISA’S CARNAVAL ILLUSTRATED BY CAROLINA COROA (Orchard Books; $18.99, Ages 4 to 8)       SHORT SUMMARY “Trumpets, trombones, tubas, and saxophones sing louder, faster, faster, louder! It’s CARNAVAL!” With help from her bisa (great-grandma), a young girl in Brazil prepares for Carnaval: bright costumes, feathers, flowers, and plenty of glitter. But bisa must stay home. As the girl hugs bisa goodbye, the music pulls her in. Excitement is everywhere, on every sight, sound and scent. But…  Carnaval isn’t the same without bisa.  With the blow of a whistle…