THIS is a day worth celebrating! And to do so, I reached for one of my favorite illustrated books about bold women:

​This book is chock-full of short biographies about trailblazing women in black history. Following an introduction, Vashti Harrison selected 40 women to illustrate in her signature (and to-die-for) style, arranged them in chronological order, and provided a one-page bio on each. Best for the older elementary-aged reader, but accessible to all, this book highlights many (certainly not all) black women who have done extraordinary things and have opened doors for more to follow. She concludes the book by adding a dozen more women on her “More Little Leaders” spread and provides some resources for further reading (and watching and listening). I love the way Harrison chose to position the Little Leaders in the same spot on the recto page (try flipping through the pages like a flip-book), that readers can read the book from beginning to end or in any order (table of contents provided), that she provided the inspiration for creating the book, and that she chose to focus on the lives of a collection of black women who have impacted our history. I think this book belongs in every school, community, classroom, and family library.
 
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The beach is my happy place, so a book about a lighthouse is right up my alley. Everything about the cover beckoned me to open the pages. I was rewarded with a beautiful story from beginning to end:

​This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a lighthouse and its keeper from the day he arrives to replace the former keeper to the day he leaves. He tends the light, refills the oil, and writes in the logbook. Time goes by as he cares for his home and starts a family, all while carrying out his duties to guide boats to safety. The lyrical text and repeated refrain wash over you like the waves that surround the lighthouse in the book. The art has a nostalgic feel that match the time period of the story and provide so much for the eye, including a cut-out of the interior of the house, a jacket that differs from the cover, a fold-out page, and illustrated end papers. An author’s note about lighthouses completes the book for those who want more factual information related to this fictional tale. HELLO LIGHTHOUSE is sure to be a classic for years to come. 
 
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