Summer Reading with SLJ

Reaching for the Stars

E.G. Alaraj celebrates this beautiful summer advertisement in School Library Journal, featuring her recent title My Language Is a Garden.

Reaching for the stars has been a dream of E.G.’s ever since her debut book, When Stars Arise, was released in 2023, receiving a Kirkus Star. Her follow up picture book, My Language Is a Garden, received stars from Booklist and Shelf Awareness.

E.G. is in good company with her friends at KidlitSOUL. Debug This Book, written by KLS-member Omar Abed and illustrated by KLS-member Julie Rowan-Zoch received a star review from Booklist. Their star-earning title released on June 30, 2026. Pick up copies of these stunning new picture books today! No better time to see the stars than during summer, when the sky is clear and dazzling.

Another thing Omar and E.G. have in common is that they both write in rhyme, with music culture contributing to their writing styles. Omar’s The Book That Almost Rhymed tells the tale of a brother and sister, whose creative disagreements turn into the perfect adventure.

Kirkus Reviews describes E.G.’s My Language Is a Garden as a lyrical ballad of a book. Despite not earning a star from Kirkus this time, E.G. adores their description of her song-like title. The connection between music and the stars is undeniable, while words blossom from the land, adding sweetness to the air.

My language it will bloom.

Add sweetness to the air.

And tie my heart to yours,

So I’m with you everywhere.

Happy summer reading from KidlitSOUL!