Sticker Girl

"Tashjian introduces a smart, young Latina protagonist in a strong series opener for young readers.. .With humor, delicacy, and creativity, Tashjian folds in cultural and socioeconomic references to develop Martina and her family while also inserting fun and informative scientific facts gleaned from Martina's lessons at school. Clouds, confetti, stars, and bubble-shaped letters accompany Wilmink's grayscale depictions and match the sticker motif. . . Readers will be eager for the follow-up adventures of Sticker Girl."-Kirkus Reviews

"Magical stickers yield an offbeat set of characters including a lazy fairy, a blunt cupcake, and a karaoke-singing ladybug, all of whom help Marti find the strength to make friends and come out of her shell. Tashjian sympathetically portrays the fears that can derail an otherwise confident girl like Marti, whose emotional journey is both realistic and humorous, as when Craig the cupcake impersonates Marti's voice to invite her entire class to a party. Newcomer Wilmink's emoji-cute illustrations play well with the upbeat tone of this satisfying series kickoff."-Publishers Weekly

"Tashjian's peppy story is packed with adorably upbeat illustrations of Martina and her stickers, as well as jaunty sound-effect words and doodled accents. In her easy-to-read first-person narrative, Latina Martina reveals not only her passion for cute stickers but also her struggle with social anxiety . . . a healthy dose of emotional heft."-Booklist

"Martina is an appealing character and expresses her thoughts and fears in an intelligent and approachable manner [. . .]with a cascade of confetti and a bang . . . A fun tale for similarly shy youngsters or those who like a lighthearted story about overcoming adversity."-School Library Journal