(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. After moving to a new neighborhood, a young child uses scrap items to build a robot friend. The bright digital illustrations capture the child’s journey from loneliness to connection. When the protagonist meets another youngster, the two initially clash over the robot, but through teamwork and empathy, they rebuild it together. This sparely written story encourages creativity and highlights the importance of cooperation, forgiveness, and understanding in building friendship.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. The narrator and her sister marvel at the beautiful saris that Ammi (mother) and Abba (father) make to sell at the haat (market); an intricate and laborious art form, one sari can take months to complete. The girls decide that Ammi deserves to keep one for herself--and when their piggybank savings don't cover the cost, they raise the rest themselves. A sweet family story about appreciation, sacrifice, and generational traditions is woven into an overview of this centuries-old regional artisanship in Northern India. The bright digital illustrations do justice to the rich colors and patterns of sari-weaving. More about "The Saris of Kaithoon" and a glossary are appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen