Book picks for kids: body positivity and self-esteem| Seattle's Child

Book picks for kids (and adults):

Looking for some reading inspiration? Here’s a peek at what KCLS staff and the young readers in their lives are digging into this month!

All KCLS libraries are open. Plan your next visit at kcls.org/visit.

For adults:

“The Wake-Up Call,” by Beth O’Leary
After a romantic misunderstanding occurs between hotel receptionists Izzy and Lucus, Izzy is hurt and lashes back by needling Lucus. Lucas returns fire (with interest) making every interaction into an argument. The dueling colleagues must learn to work together when their beloved hotel is threatened with closure. Izzy finds a way to keep the hotel afloat by reuniting engagement rings in the lost and found with their owners — for some hefty cash rewards. As Izzy and Lucas unearth tales of unrequited love from years ago, they clear up some serious misconceptions about their own past and discover a surprising love story waiting for them. Beth O’Leary’s fizzy office romance is everything you want in a light holiday read.

For kids:

“BIG ,” by Vashti Harrison
Words have the power to hurt or heal. Big, bouncing babies are adored, but when children grow up, their size can attract comments from teachers, classmates and strangers. The child in this story hears: ”Whale!”, ”Don’t you know any better?” and ”You’re just too big!” \At first, she internalizes the awful words in self-hate before busting out of the page to reject them. She embraces her positive qualities, likes herself for who she is and continues to dream of dancing ballet. Based on author-illustrator Vashti Harrison own adultification and anti-fat bias experiences growing up, this beautiful and profound picture book reminds grownups to treat children of all sizes with the love and respect they deserve. Caregivers, be on alert — you might need to protect your children if visiting relatives say more than they should.

Jenna Zarzycki is an adult services librarian at KCLS who works in south King County. She adores talking about books to anyone who will listen and regularly contributes to KCLS’ BookMatch and booklist services. Jenna likes fantasy, romance and narrative nonfiction best, although any book has the possibility to become a new favorite. KCLS Children’s Librarian Robin Howe serves her Kent Library community with tuneful Story Times and creative programs. She enjoys connecting young patrons to KCLS’ rich resources, and when she’s not reading aloud or jumping up and down to Sleeping Bunnies, she’s probably knitting, traveling or making soup