Raul Colon

The narrator describes her family’s immigration from Cuba to New York City based on her own family’s story and illustrated by her husband for a striking memoir.

Meet Henrietta Leavitt, a 19th century pioneer for women in science. From careful observations, Leavitt discovered that the brightness of a star determines its distance from Earth and her work helped us better understand the vastness of the universe. Warm colored pencil and watercolor illustrations by Colon create a contemplative mood. Back matter includes quotes about stars, a glossary, information about other female astronomers, and more.

Animals and people wise and foolish are presented in these tales retold. Their origins, from a range of Spanish-speaking countries including Argentina, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Spain, are retold and handsomely illustrated — just right for reading aloud.

Elegant illustrations decorate this free verse retelling of the young woman whose curiosity about the contents of a forbidden jar brought trouble into the world. A large format and limited text make this sophisticated telling more accessible.