"Five Words That Are Mine" by Melissa Seron Richardson is an absolute gem of a children's book that celebrates the power of self-discovery and resilience in the face of challenges. Through the captivating story of Mia, young readers are taken on a journey of introspection and empowerment as Mia searches for the perfect words to describe herself.

From the very first page, readers are drawn into Mia's world as she embarks on a quest to find five words that capture the essence of who she is. Melissa Seron Richardson's prose is both lyrical and accessible, effortlessly conveying Mia's emotions and inner thoughts as she navigates the ups and downs of her journey.

What truly sets this book apart is its universal message of perseverance and self-belief. As Mia encounters obstacles and setbacks, she grapples with words like "fail" that threaten to undermine her confidence. Yet, through sheer determination and resilience, Mia learns to overcome her doubts and embrace her true identity as someone who doesn't give up.

The illustrations by Melissa Seron Richardson are simply breathtaking, capturing the vibrant energy of Mia's world with stunning detail and nuance. Each page bursts with color and emotion, drawing readers deeper into Mia's story and inspiring them to root for her every step of the way.

"Five Words That Are Mine" is not just a children's book—it's a celebration of the human spirit and the power of self-discovery. Through Mia's journey, young readers learn valuable lessons about perseverance, self-acceptance, and the importance of never giving up on themselves.

In conclusion, "Five Words That Are Mine" is an absolute must-read for children and adults alike. With its heartfelt storytelling, beautiful illustrations, and empowering message, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression on readers of all ages. Melissa Seron Richardson has crafted a masterpiece that will be cherished for years to come.

A very clever look at how we can be determined, and self-determined, if we try enough. Our heroine is tasked at school to find five words that precisely describe her. She's off to a positive start, as she reflects on how quickly she leaves the place on her skateboard, but when she has a nose-dive or two in the skate park, taunts from the idiot lads there find their way to her mind when she's thinking of the other four words. Surely they aren't representative – but might they be if she can't prove they're not accurate enough?

Lively and very colourful art shows the funkiness of the boarding world, the Spanish-based vocab brings the ethnicity of this book to the fore (even if the third word here is annoyingly left off the glossary that closed my digital review copy), but most importantly the lesson is a fabulous one. It shows that you can brag and boast about yourself, but only if you prove yourself to be worth it. Yes, it shows the girl overcoming the doubts the idiots put in her mind, which is the key here, but it also shows the positive words should be earned – the descriptors here have to be accurate, and not just chosen because they are what you would want others to think of you in an ideal world. To repeat – you can try enough, to prove your determination, and then you can self-determine, and self-define. At the very least, try your best to justify the plaudits you would wish to give yourself. Don't be a Lizzo, in other words. Four and a half stars.

This was a fun book to read to my class. I teach first grade and I am always looking for more children's books to add to my classroom library. I enjoyed the bilingual components of this book and the illustrations were great. I think the book didn't really have a lesson that would be obvious for young children. I liked the idea of kids finding words of their own, however I honestly didn't think all of the words chosen in this book were as meaningful as they could have been.

An encouraging story that is sure to spark a new fascination for skateboarding, even if the occasional tumble is inevitable.

Very sweet book about the power of words and the importance of self-confidence, even when you don't always feel 100%. I loved this one and I think children will too.

Five Words That Are Mine is an endearing picture book featuring an energetic and strong-willed female protagonist. Children will see themselves in this book and I love the idea of finding five words that represent your true self.

I loved this book! It's very simple and includes some Spanish language which is great for bilingual learners. The story was very inspiring, especially for young girls. The imagery was bright and engaging. I think this is a great read and addition for young reader. I will definitely be reading this to my elementary classes.

What a cute book of resilience and power.

Start of thinking of 5 words that are you. Try not to let the bad feeling words get in. It can be difficult.

This book follows a young skateboarder along her day as she figures out her words. Trying to forget the negative ones she figures out her 5.

Learn some Spanish in this book too!

A young girl has a school assignment to find five words that describe themselves. What I like about this book is that the girl is bilingual and comes from a bilingual family, and the book waits to explain some of the words until the glossary at the end. Most of them can be figured out with story context or illustrated clues, but I love how this has been done. I also love how this book shows that just because you get down doesn’t mean you can’t get up that you can’t turn someone else’s hurtful words into something else, but you can rise above them. This was a fun read that I think many kids could enjoy.

I read a digital advance copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley
Mia's teacher wants the class to write down five words that are theirs. Mia is a skateboarder so some of her words have to do with that. When she tries some tricks and falls the words of those watching her stay with her and she can't immediately shake them because words can hurt. Her father reminds her that a fall is not a fail and Mia does not let the words of others define her. A good reminder that we do not need to be defined by the words of others.

Loved this book. Mia is looking for 5 words that positively identify her. Some of the words are in Spanish and there are words from skateboarding. The author included a glossary at the back. So I learned a few Spanish words as well as a little about skateboarding. Mia learns to dismiss any negative words about her. I think this would be a beneficial exercise for children as well as adults to list 5 positive words about yourself periodically. Awesome, bright and colorful illustrations. Highly recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved the illustrations and I like to read the books I'm going to read to my child before hand. One thing I didn't like was the side bullying from the kids that felt repeatative and unnecessary to prove that the main character was strong.

Aside from that it was okay. The words chosen felt forced, but I get it. It's fun and cute!

I can't wait for the publication of "Five Words That Are Mine" by Melissa Seron Richardson with illustrations by Addy Rivera Sonda because I want to share it with the students in my ELD classroom. Recently our "question of the day" asked students to think of words to describe themselves. They struggled with this exercise despite my encouragement. "Five Words That Are Mine" would have been the perfect read-aloud to remind them of how amazing they each are. The text and engaging illustrations introduce readers to a young Latina who needs to come up with 5 words to describe herself for a school assignment. She brainstorms as she skates at her community skate park. She uses a mixture of Spanish words and onomatopoeia for her first two words. After falling on a trick she encounters some mean words from fellow skaters. This prompts her to go home and seek comfort from her dad. She realizes she has to send the negative words packing, replacing them with words that describe her determinedness and a growth mindset. A glossary at the back of the book explains the Spanish words and skateboard lingo used in the book. I highly recommend this book for elementary classrooms and libraries, as well as home collections.

This book follows a girl named Mia who is tasked with coming up with five words to describe herself for a school assignment. She is bilingual, so the words she chooses reflect that. While she is pondering the assignment, kids are bullying her about her hobby of skateboarding. Her dad helps her gain the confidence to shut out the haters and embrace who she is and what she likes.

I really liked the way that Spanish was incorporated into the book and that there was a glossary of both Spanish and English words and phrases at the back of the book. This will help all readers enjoy and understand the book better! I also appreciate that Mia has a hobby that isn't shown much in kids' books, especially as a girl.

I would have liked the title of the book to be an action word like "Slam". I think that the current title makes it seem like this book will be more related to learning a language or being nonverbal. Maybe that was just my perception. However, it was an excellent book that I would recommend, especially for kids in kindergarten and up.

Loved this. I loved the bright, dynamic pictures. I loved the self-assuredness of our main character. I loved the representation. I loved it all. This is such a great little picture that I will be purchasing for any and all of the littles in my life.