Staff Picks: Bunmi Ishola’s Favorites
Hi! My name is Bunmi Ishola and I’m a children’s editor for WaterBrook & Multnomah. I read a little bit of everything, but my favorite is anything in the kidlit world—especially middle grade fiction. I’m a Nigerian American, and grew up between both countries, and I also love to travel (currently have six of the seven continents checked off!), so books that let my armchair travel are also huge winners for me. I’m always looking for books that teach me more about myself and more about the world around me. Besides reading and traveling, I’m obsessed with Disney and musicals. You can keep up with what I’m reading lately on Instagram: @bunmi_ishola.
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Add to BookshelfAnne Arrives
by Kallie George
Anne of Green Gables is perhaps one of my favorite books ever—along with Pride and Prejudice and Ella Enchanted, I read it every year. As a kid, the first “career” I remember wanting to be was Anne of Green Gables (someone probably should have pointed out that it’d be a bit hard for me to become a white Canadian). When I stumbled upon this chapter book series inspired by my beloved, I was estatic! Last I checked there was four in the series, and each take major story points from the original and make them accessible for early readers. Kallie George captures all the charm and whimsy and I feel like nothing is lost by having Anne’s story in this condensed form.
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$8.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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Homegoing
by Yaa Gyasi
This is the book I probably recommend the most to people. As I mentioned, I grew up in Nigeria and the U.S., and while this book is set between Ghana and the U.S., a lot of the history and cultural elements really resonated with me. I loved how Yaa Gyasi takes readers through such a large scope of history and how you get a dual view of Black history and the Black experience. I also really love family sagas and multi-generational stories.
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$18.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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The Penderwicks
by Jeanne Birdsall
I love sibling stories, and the Penderwick family has one of the best sets of siblings I’ve ever read! I love how individual each sister is, yet their bond is such a beautiful thing to behold. I also love stories about well-intentioned kids getting into lots of trouble because they are precocious and curious. I laughed so much and felt like I had made some new friends. It’s the start of the series, so you get to follow the sisters’ adventures for quite a few books too!
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$6.99Buy from Other Retailers:
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A Curious Beginning
by Deanna Raybourn
I actually am a bit of a wuss and get nervous easily when reading (I’ve been known to throw books across the room in moments of fright), but even so I really do like a “cozy mystery.” I’m not sure if the Veronica Speedwell mysteries truly count as cozy, but the Victorian era setting and the fact that she and her companion, Stoker, are amateur sleuths reeled me in and I’ve read every book in the series. I also do enjoy reading romance, and while that’s not the main point of these series, the slow-burn romance between Veronica and Stoker makes me giddy.
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$19.00Buy from Other Retailers:
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Crowned with Glory
by Dorena Williamson
This is the first book I worked on in my role at PRH! It’s all about Black girl joy and celebrating that you are made with purpose and intention. The author is a joy to work with, and watching new illustrations come in was often the highlight of my days. I’m just so proud of this book and hope others love it as much as I do!
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$12.99Buy from Other Retailers:
