News & Reviews

The Story of Choreographer Agnes de Mille A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster) (pub. 3.31.2026) 48 pages Ages 4 - 8 Author: Claire Wrenn Bobrow Illustrator: Ilaria Urbinati Character: Agnes de Mille Overview: "In a dusty California town, Agnes de Mille dreams of becoming a dancer. She gallops to New York, then London, performing a show here, a dance there, combining old steps with new. But no one knows what to make of Agnes.

The Story of Joan Baez A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster) (pub. 2.24.2026) 48 pages Ages 4 - 8 Author: Monica Brown Illustrator: Molly Mendoza Character: Joan Baez Overview: " From a young age, Joan Baez knew she wanted to make the world a better place. The daughter of immigrants from Mexico and Scotland, she learned values of compassion and advocacy from her parents. As Joan learned about people in need around the world, she sang to make

The Colorful Story of Cyndi Lauper A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Atheneum Books for Young Readers {Simon & Schuster) (pub. 4.21.2026) 40 pages Ages 4 - 8 Authors: Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville Illustrator: Brigette Barrager Character: Cyndi Lauper Overview: "Before Cyndi Lauper was the larger-than-life icon we know today, she was a boisterous little girl who had a hard time fitting in. But she knew she had something amazing to share with the world. She just ne

The Collaboration That Created Winnie-the-Pooh A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Henry Holt and Company (pub. 3.31.2026) 48 pages Ages 4-8 Author: Annette Bay Pimentel Illustrator: Faith Pray Character: Winnie-the-Pooh collaborators Overview: " How a Bear Became a Book tells the story of how writer, illustrator, and editor came together to craft Pooh's first adventure. But deeper than that, this book introduces our youngest readers to how stories begin and where they ca

The True Story of Maria Pepe and her Battle to Play Ball A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Christy Ottaviano Books (Little Brown and Company) (pub. 3.3.2026) 48 pages Ages 6 - 8 Author: Maria Pepe & Jean L.S. Patrick Illustrator: Sarah Green Character: Maria Pepe Overview: " Maria Pepe loved baseball. When Little League formed in her hometown in 1972, she was eager to prove herself as a competitor. There was only one problem: Little League was not open to girl players. This

The Story of Groundbreaking Scientist and Teacher Vivien Thomas A TRUE TALE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster) (pub. 5.12.2026) 48 pages Ages 4 - 8 Author: Joan Schoettler Illustrator: Steffi Walthall Character: Vivien Thomas Overview: " Vivien Thomas always loved solving problems and figuring out how things worked. In high school, inspired by his family physician, he decided he would become a doctor. Despite losing his college savings during the 1930

A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (pub. 2.4.2025) 40 pages Ages 4 - 8 A uthor: Caroline Kusin Pritchard Illustrator: Selina Alko C haracter: Library at New York Jewish Theological Seminary O verview : " A library is a keeper of stories. A keeper of memories. A keeper of hope. But what happens when that keeper is threatened? When a fire broke out at New York’s Jewish Theological Seminary library in 1966, firefighters raced to the

How Books Created the World's Greatest Magician A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Knopf Books for Young Readers (pub. 2.17.2026) 48 pages Ages 4 - 8 A uthor: Barb Rosenstock Illustrator: Mar Delmar C haracter: Harry Houdini O verview : " Houdini is the world's most beloved magician, and he became famous for all of the amazing tricks he accomplished. Houdini knew just how to captivate his audience, whether it was leaping from a bridge or freeing himself from a straitjack

How Septima Clark Led the Civil Rights Movement to Justice A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Quill Tree Books (Harper Collins) (pub. 1.27.2026) 40 pages Ages 4 - 8 A uthors: Yvonne Clark-Rhines with Monica Clark-Robinson Illustrator: Abigail Albano-Payton C haracter: Septima Clark O verview : " Septima Clark was born poor, Black, and a girl. Being one of those things in 1898 was hard, but all three meant that access to education was going to be a fight. But with stron

A Story About America A TRUE TALE WITH A C HERRY O N T OP Viking Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House) (pub. 2.24.2026) 40 pages Ages 4-8 A uthor and Illustrator: Veronica Mang C haracter: Aaron Copland O verview : " Aaron Copland was born in Brooklyn in 1900 at the dawn of a new generation. In a community of immigrants, he had a front-row seat to the many ways that the United States was growing and changing. During this electrifying time, Aaron began making music a