(2) 1-3 Illustrated by Gladys Jose. Eight-year-old Rica (short for Frederica) Baptista desperately wants a pet. When she overhears a conversation that leads her to believe her best friend, Laini, will be moving, getting a pet feels even more urgent in order to ward off loneliness. The breezy chapter book, peppered with cartoon-style illustrations, is a fresh look at evergreen themes. Rica and Laini brainstorm ways to convince Rica's parents that she is responsible enough to care for a pet while planning moneymaking schemes, which are supported by extended family and neighbors--with mixed results. In the end it's an unselfish act of kindness that persuades Rica's parents that she is ready to adopt a cat from the local shelter. The satisfying story closes with some additional happy news about Laini's family. Rica's first-person narration is convincing and endearing. She bounces from one grand plan to a major worry and then on to a new plan. Her mother reminds Rica that she is named after her great-great-grandfather, who emigrated from Cape Verde to the U.S. and was a businessperson and a philanthropist whose community depended on him. By the end of the book, Rica proves that she, too, is a dependable and vital member of her community.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(3) 4-6 In 1851 Massachusetts, fourteen-year-old seaman Lucky Valera is waylaid by his older half-brother and forced to work in a mill. Lucky makes a pact with a Quaker girl to assist fugitive slaves in return for her help getting him back on the seas. The blend of history and adventure makes for a compelling read. An author's note is appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Juliet S. King

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Lambert Davis. As Grandma marks her seventieth birthday, resourceful Cora finds a way to persuade her to return to Cape Verde and visit the sister she left behind many years ago. The satisfying story and the endnote that follows provide an interesting glimpse into Cape Verdean culture. While the illustrations sometimes look stiff and posed, they do show the affection between Cora and Grandma.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert