The Brilliant Ms. Bangle

PreS-Gr 2--Ms. Bangle, who is Black, is the new librarian at Belford Elementary, and she knows how to pick books that students love. The very first picture of her--wearing plaid pants, red clogs, sunflower socks, a gigantic bun, and with a pile of books balanced on her shoulder with loose sheets of paper flying around--conveys her energy, her goofiness, and her charm. However, the diverse students don't want to give her a chance. Change can be hard, and they believe they should remain loyal to their former librarian, an elderly woman who was kind. When the students refuse to listen to her story, Ms. Bangle doesn't protest. Instead, she gives the students jobs in the library while she takes the afternoon off. Before long, the students realize that library work stinks and that hearing a story might not be so bad. In fact, after listening to the story with Ms. Bangle, they realize their new librarian is pretty great, and pretty sneaky about getting them to accept her. The bright, watercolor illustrations capture the upbeat mood of the story, and the large eyes on the children showcase their uncertainty and wonder equally well. VERDICT A story that celebrates librarians, reading, and how the right teacher can ease the fear of change.--Sally A. James

When they learn that beloved school librarian Ms. Stack has moved away over the summer, the kids at Belford Elementary, portrayed with various skin tones, determine to stonewall the new staffer. "They would refuse, refuse, REFUSE to read with her," Devins writes in emphatically funny prose. Even when Black-presenting Ms. Bangle rolls in cracking jokes and selects a "truly terrific"-looking book, the group sticks with their plan. The new librarian's clever response proves "brilliant": acknowledging that she can't change their minds and readily agreeing to call it a day, she delegates her duties to the children, an act that quickly causes them to reverse course. In a sly picture book portrait of a schoolroom power struggle, Steele's cartoony young figures have wide googly eyes, expressive mouths, and palpable-feeling energy that aligns with their determination. Ages 3-5. (June)