Written by Sonia Sotomayor
Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara
New York, NY : Philomel, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2025. Picture Book.
At the beginning of each new year, a lot of people like to set goals for themselves. Often, these tend to be number-oriented: a specified number of minutes reading, a certain number of steps walked each day, or even goals related to saving money. I have often felt very intimidated by number-oriented goals, and shy away from making them. In recent conversations with friends and family, we have talked about goals that are more skill-related or focused on bringing joy into the world and our personal lives.
In line with that way of thinking, I am recommending this book to everyone! This book would be amazing for discussing goals with people who prefer to have goals that are different from traditional "number-oriented" ones. The cover and the artwork left me feeling happy and very invested in the story the author wanted to tell.
Sonia Sotomayor gives a nice background about the family she grew up in, and the women in her family who paved the way for her. My favorite thing about the book is realizing that people all have different skills and ways to connect with their community. Kindness and caring for others are portrayed as the important skills that they are, and the women continue to build relationships with others, by focusing on the skills they want to improve I love when the authors asks the question, "What will you do to make your world shine?" I hope this book will inspire you to find ways to shine, and consider making the new year a time to improve yourself and your community!
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