Introduction and Editors’ Note

In a time period when hard-won rights for marginalized people are being erased, this collection of books supports the premise that everyone, no matter their cultures or beliefs, matters. This issue is a wonderful array of titles that support diverse people in telling a story about who they are at their core.

The issue opens with an anchor text. All Because You Matter is a letter to African American children that offers words that comfort, builds a strong sense of identity, and reassures each reader that they have immeasurable value. Two additional titles take place in urban areas and communicate the same message of immeasurable worth. Saturday at the Food Pantry is an every day story of the feelings of embarrassment that come to families as they visit a food pantry to collect necessities for the week ahead. The story concludes with a rich show of community care for each other. This worldview is even clearer in Last Stop on Market Street as a grandmother and grandson travel on a bus to serve meals at a soup kitchen. On the way they meet people who, on the outside, may not appear to have much to offer society, but because of the grandmother’s outlook, the grandson sees beauty and value in everyone they meet and in the neighborhoods they visit.

Two titles highlight Indigenous ways of life and the cultures that shape actions. Sunpainters: Eclipse of the Navajo Sun introduces readers to Navajo cosmology through the story of a grandfather explaining to his grandson the reason for an eclipse of the sun. As the sky darkens, the Sunpainters have an opportunity to repaint the world in all the colors of the rainbow. Daughter of the Light-Footed People profiles Lorena Ramírez of the Rarámuri people in Northwest Mexico, famous for their ability to run long distances. Lorena has won ultra-marathons running in her traditional clothing of huaraches and a long skirt, honoring the cultural elements that have supported her family for generations.

Several other titles build on the premise of rich cultural heritage. In The Truth About Dragons, a young bicultural boy prepares to visit his two grandmothers who come from different parts of the world. Through a sensory description of a European forest and Asian landscape, his mother prompts him to ask his grandmothers to tell him stories about dragons, describing how Eastern and Western cultures view dragon habitats and personalities very differently. Spanish is the Language of My Family is a bilingual book in which a young boy prepares for a Spanish spelling bee with the help of his abuela. In the process he learns about the shaming she experienced in school if she was caught speaking Spanish. In contrast, he is encouraged to learn in two languages.

Several titles profile historical and current challenges in shaping an identity. In Still Dreaming / Seguimos Soñando, a young boy travels from the only home he has known in Texas across the Mexico-US border. He dreams of his friends, his tias, and his school while they drive through the night. The story takes place in the 1930s when many Mexicans and Mexican Americans faced discrimination, were denied the rights of citizenship, and were forced to go or return to Mexico. Me and My Dysphoria Monster describes the conflict that a child feels about the gender they were assigned at birth versus the gender that they identify with. With the help of an adult who experienced the same dysphoria, the child is able to ask for lifestyle changes that will be more comfortable. Finally My Pal Victor / Mi amigo Victor is the story of the friendship between two young boys, full of laughter and activities where they cheer for each other. It is only at the end that the illustrator lets readers see that one of the boys is in a wheelchair. It is a wonderful story of seeing the child and not the chair.

We invite you to read and think with these titles and consider submitting a review for future issues. Please refer to calls below and the submission guidelines.

Volume 18, Issue 2 (Winter 2026 – submission deadline December 1, 2025) – Themed issue profiling titles that involve curiosity, inventiveness and imagination as a tool for problem-solving.

Volume 18, Issue 3 (Spring 2025 – submission deadline: February 1, 2026) – Open theme. The editors welcome reviews of global or multicultural children’s or young adult books published within the last three years that highlight intercultural understanding and global perspectives.

Susan Corapi, co-editor
Melissa Wilson, co-editor

© 2025 by Susan Corapi and Melissa Wilson