Makeda makes a home for Subway

Gr 1--3--Makeda is a maker. She creates everything from tasty treats to models of the galaxy. When it's her turn to bring home the class guinea pig, Subway, for the weekend, she turns her attention to filling his cage with homemade toys and apparatuses. That way, he can play just like his guinea pig neighbor, MC. But Subway doesn't respond well to Makeda's designs. He won't play and appears extremely unhappy. When Makeda and her friend Glory look a little closer at their teacher's care instructions, they discover just what Subway needs and have lots of fun providing it for him. Mba's illustrations are vibrant, and Makeda, her family, and the majority of her classmates present as Black. Characters who use a wheelchair and hearing aids are also depicted. Each page contains two to nine lines of text. Makeda is an imaginative protagonist with whom young readers can relate. VERDICT A solid purchase for early reader collections, especially those seeking books with children of color having majority representation.--Jennifer Noonan