Katie Woo and Friends,New

Product DescriptionKatie Woo loves playing with her friends JoJo and Pedro. They do everything together, from losing teeth to looking for ghosts. Even when they argue, they always make up in the end. After all, there's nothing like a good friend.ReviewEven when Katie Woo argues with her friends JoJo and Pedro, they always find a way to make up. In this longrunning series about Katie, readers watch her grapple with how things work in the real world, from how to stand up to a bully to dealing with a loose tooth. 'Barnes & Noble Kids'Growing up, I was an avid reader. I loved book series because they gave you got to see your favorite characters grow. Today, when I'm observing the books students choose to read and what they check out from their school libraries, I'm struck by a major difference in some of their popular fiction versus what I grew up reading. When I was growing up, it was quite a task to find a book series featuring a female protagonist who was not white. Ramona Quimby, Nancy Drew, the Sweet Valley Twins, 95% of the Babysitter's Club, etc. were all white. They are wonderful books and children from any race can read and enjoy stories about these characters, but I wondered what young black, Hispanic, Asian, and other races lost when they got few chances to read books about characters that look like them. If any race can read and love Ramona, shouldn't they all be given the chance to read and relate to a black character, or an Asian one? Why don't publishers make more of these books? Tough we are aware of the reasons why it's important for students to read books like this, there is still a paucity of books available that spotlight racially diverse characters. Nevertheless, there are now a lot more options for young readers. I love seeing girls with their noses in books, and I was struck when I saw girls of all races reading two series starring diverse female protagonists: Katie Woo and Dyamonde Daniel . Katie Woo is an awardwinning series for young readers. Katie's series contains short sentences and nice illustrations for students just beginning chapter books. Her covers are as vivid and inviting as her stories! Katie is in first grade and she's had to deal with the loss of a beloved pet, a bully and lying . I love that likeable series features an Asian protagonist, though it is sadly one of the few I've ever seen that does so. http: //substitutesftw.blogspot.com/2011/06/diversebookseriesforyoungreaders.html 'Substitutes, FTW! blog'About the AuthorFran Manushkin is the author of many popular picture books, including How Mama Brought the Spring; Baby, Come Out!; Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; and The Tushy Book. There is a real Katie Woo she's Fran's greatniece but she never gets in half the trouble of the Katie Woo in the books. Fran writes on her beloved MacBook in New York City.Tammie Lyon began her love for drawing at a young age while sitting at the kitchen table with her dad. She continued her love of art and eventually attended The Columbus College of Art and Design, where she earned a Bachelors degree in Fine Art. After a brief career as a professional ballet dancer, she decided to devote herself full time to illustration. Today she lives with her husband, Lee, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her dogs, Gus and Dudley, keep her company as she works in her studio.