Story time with Sophia Lee: Author Sophia Lee will share her new picture book “Lolo’s Sari-sari Store.” It’s about a Filipino girl moving to a new country and learning how to connect with new people and community. 10 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Free. North University Community Library, 8820 Judicial Drive, San Diego. sandiego.librarymarket.com/event/special-author-storytime-lolos-sari-sari-store-sophia-lee

Oof, parents, this one might require some tissues. It is a sweet story about a grandmother and grandchild. They hold on to each other through songs and memories, both while they are apart and when the grandmother is quiet and can’t remember as much as she used to. This is a wonderful conversation opener about aging and the challenges it can bring.

School Library Journal has proudly partnered with We Are Kid Lit Collective to share and promote the group's annual summer reading recommendations. In the last couple of weeks, SLJ has published individual posts featuring their recommendations for picture books, transitional books, middle grade, and young adult titles.

From traditional Indigenous stories to the truth behind the Mexican jumping bean, these picture books, selected by the We Are Kid Lit Collective, offer entertaining and memorable reading experiences for kids over the summer break.

My 9 year old daughter had to do a school presentation on Young People Making an Impact. To be honest, the subject matter terrified her. “How can young people make an impact on anything? We’re just kids!” And I get that. I am pretty sure I felt the same way when I was that age. It is so frustrating as a kid, to watch the adults make all the decisions and not feel like you have a say in anything. Sure, sometimes that’s a good thing: no, children should NOT be eating chocolate for every meal every day. But there are many more occasions when I, the adult, am totally ashamed at how absolutely horrible adults can be at things that directly affect future generations. It’s pretty hard to help a 9 year old with a school presentation when you’re wallowing in the pessimism right there with them.

By Cristina DC Pastor

It seems Sophia Lee has so many grandmothers.

Typically, you have two. In the story of how she became Simon & Schuster’s latest heralded children’s book author, her maternal and paternal grandmothersnot to mention the grand aunties, played pivotal roles. They all surrounded her with love from the time she was a sickly little girl and up until she came to New York to attend grad school.

Holding On is a children’s book about a young girl who uses music to connect with her grandmother as the latter’s memory fades. The story is set in the Philippines, and both author and illustrator are Filipina.

Sophia N. Lee (author) and Isabel Roxas (illustrator) grew up in the Philippines, but now call New York City their home. They recently launched Holding On at Books Are Magic, a neighborhood bookstore in Brooklyn. Books are indeed magic because this particular one transported the audience of little kids to a place they haven’t been to.

Meet Sophia N. Lee, a Filipino author of books for kids and young adults.

Simon & Schuster (under its imprint Atheneum), one of the Big 5 publishers in the United States, released last week Lee’s latest book Holding On. It is the first Filipino picture book to be published by a major American publishing firm.

Lucky are expatriate Filipinos who are able to spend time with their doting grandparents, especially those in the Philippines, where they learn about their roots and reinforce their values. Even luckier are those who stay connected through the years despite the distance, with their extraordinary capacity to observe, absorb, appreciate and commend the impressions to their psyche.

New York transplants Sophia N. Lee and Isabel Roxas are among the fortunate lot. Both born in the Philippines, they have preserved those indelible moments with their grandmothers and grandaunts in a picture book set for release on August 30.