(2) PS A is for ancestors, abuelita, and African dance; B is for bodega, braids, and bubble tea. In this alphabet book, Alko (One Golden Rule at School, rev. 7/20) highlights some of the myriad ways immigrants have contributed to this country's rich diversity with her bright, friendly, and festive illustrations. The art—mixed-media collage with wide strokes of paint on newsprint, tickets, lined notebook paper, and musical scores--is the standout here. The pages are as varied and textured as the images she has chosen to represent immigration. Readers will find things both familiar and new, but all are matter-of-factly part of the mix. Maybe you knew that Turkish delight and kimchi were brought to this country by immigrants from other parts of the world, but Alko's at-a-glance representation reminds us that bananas and yogurt were as well. Scattered among the foods and cultural offerings (martial arts, yoga, samba dance) are concepts foundational to the American--and universal human--dream (ambition, endurance, belonging). Each word is hand-lettered, and the diversity of fonts celebrates and mirrors the diversity of ideas and contributions. With immigration a constant political flashpoint, Alko takes a warm, celebratory approach to enumerate the dimensionality that has come from around the world to become part of the fabric of America.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) PS Within the familiar rhythms and routines of a school day, viewers count from one ("One backpack") to ten ("Ten chickpeas lined up for lunch") and back down again ("One great day at school"). From classroom stations ("Six blocks stacked up tall"), to physical activity ("Five poses"), to daily rituals ("Three quick claps"), a diverse and inclusive classroom of cheerful children and their teachers busily engage in a variety of school activities. A double-page spread showcasing the class gathered on the rug emphasizes the importance of the titular "One Golden Rule," and a classroom poster reminds students, "We are one community." Using both single pages and spreads, the book effectively highlights each number; additional smaller labeled details (nine grocery items, gold coins, grapes) further emphasize each page's number. Materials often found in a classroom (index cards, graph paper, paper clips, etc.) are incorporated throughout Alko's acrylic, watercolor, and pencil illustrations. With its "do unto others" reminder wrapped in a creative counting primer, this is an engaging school story readers can count on.

Reviewer: Emmie Stuart | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sean Qualls & Selina Alko. Richard Loving (white) and Mildred Jeter (black) fell in love and married, then were arrested for miscegenation. Their 1967 Supreme Court case legalized interracial marriage. Alko does a mostly admirable job of shaping the story (some terms are hazy) and the legal proceedings for a young audience. The book's optimistic message and tone are reinforced by mixed-media illustrations by Alko and Qualls (themselves partners in an interracial marriage). Reading list. Bib.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(2) PS Sadie describes her family’s December holiday traditions. Daddy Christmas makes latkes for Santa while Hanukkah Mama hangs stockings by the fireplace, and neighborhood caroling involves both Christmas and Hanukkah songs. Upbeat gouache, colored-pencil, and collage illustrations give the illusion of texture and fabric, adding a handmade quality reminiscent of a scrapbook--appropriate for a story about stitching together cultural influences.

Reviewer: Devon Johnson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(4) K-3 This A-to-Z borough tour will appeal more to Brooklynites than alphabet book purists. Each letter spotlights multiple landmarks and cultural features in handwritten font and illustrations; some choices epitomize Brooklyn (C: Coney Island, I: Immigrants), while others are odd (K: Kickball) or a stretch (Q: Brooklyn-Queens Expressway). Spreads of gouache and collage art are energetic if a bit overstuffed.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 A girl who "used to only play princess" until her mom introduced her to "real, great women" shows off a week's worth of dress-up looks, from Amelia Earhart to Frida Kahlo. The book's cause is so noble that it's a drag the narrator's voice is so unconvincing. The illustrations go all out, right down to the girl's Kahlo-esque unibrow. Reading list.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) K-3 A biracial boy wonders about his soon-to-be-born sibling: "Will you be my vanilla bean ice cream sibling or super-rich double chocolate fudge?" Though the boy's musings sound more like an adult's preoccupation than a child's curiosity, the cheery naive-style gouache and mixed-media illustrations suit the main character's viewpoint.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute