Lauren Simone Blogs

Tre Hadrick; Cameron Wilson Cheesesteaks and Clippers (Paperback) Cheesesteaks and Clippers is an engaging look at important life experiences learned during a trip to an adored local barbershop. Narrated by Ernesto, a young boy in need of a trim, the hilarious story, and appealing illustrations portray the affection and camaraderie between different cohorts in the African American community.   The book begins with a riveting dedication to the author’s son, his childhood barber, and all the barbers making men and boys alike look so handsome and well-groomed. The story takes place in Champions Barbershop, of course, located on Main Street,...

Written by K. Reshay, Dregs and the blank bully addresses the subject of bullying. Olivia Lauren wrote that she liked that it addressed this necessary subject matter because it occurs frequently and appears in all grades. She said, "One thing I liked about this book was that it informed kids that parents and teachers are available to talk to about bullying." She recommended that the author do full spread illustrations as the picture book became less engaging when there were only text provided. This book is recommended for 5-7 year olds and gets 4 stars.

I really liked this book. I love the main character, her teacher, and her parents. I liked her friends. I like the emotions evoked by the different characters. I loved the lesson about being a good friend and subtly teaching that you shouldn't be a bully (tease, demand, make fun of others). I would have liked to see a resolution at the end of the story in the form of character development on the part of Gabbi. The message was If you are mean, you won't have friends. But the message could have been positively spun as, If you become...

In this book, we meet 6 main characters who demonstrate different careers, specifically in STEM. A young child may not know about so many different career options. I liked the fact that children will also learn the alphabet and a new word beginning with each letter. I loved the easy flow of the book and that the font was easy to read. It had a nice size for small hands. It had a beautiful book cover and lovely and diverse illustrations. Both boys and girls were represented. Children who are Black, White, Asian, or Latino can also see themselves represented...