As a rule, I recommend children’s non-fiction books to young readers. I work in elementary schools, know the librarians who run their libraries and try to weave in real stories whenever possible. Based on that criteria, Send A Girl! by Jessica M. Rinker, with illustrations by Med Hunt is an illustrated book that will be reading candy for some niche audiences, but that’s it. Send A Girl! The True Story of How Women Joined the FDNY is about the first crew of firefighters, which included Brenda Berkman, who became the first women to join the FDNY.
It means well, but comes off as stale and preachyTag: Illustrated books
Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon slays the sophomore slump
In a literary corner in the elementary book wing of life, Lola Dutch and Amy Wu are best friends, hang out together and do crafts. Lola Dutch is a ridiculously cute rhyming illustrated book about a young girl and the power of imagination. Amy Wu is the titular character in the series from Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua that is just as entertaining. However, Wu demos a little bit higher and shows aspects of Asian, specifically Chinese heritage in a way that’s fun, relatable, and educational for elementary-aged readers. Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon is the second book in the series and continues its broad appeal to young readers aged four and up.

Jules Vs. The Ocean, summertime tale on trying and not giving up
It’s the giant toilet flushing. It’s out to get me. Either one of those, or some other thought that just happened due to the weather, tide or my mood was what I thought about the ocean when I was a kid. Tide pools were a different story, my relationship with them has always been pleasant, but that ocean. That’s the subject of Jules Vs. The Ocean, an illustrated book by Jessie Sima.

Lola Dutch! I Love You So Much, #3 in a must-read series for 3-7
Oh, Lola Dutch, you are too much. If you’ve got a kid who is between three and seven this series of books needs to be on your radar. Lola Dutch!, I Love You So Much is the third book in this series by Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright. These books will skew a little more for girls than boys, but that’s only because Lola is a girl who wears a tutu. When our son was six he laughed along with us as we read Lola Dutch, the first book in series to him. He’s old enough to where he can read them by himself, laughing as he looks at the art.
