Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Win it Wednesday: Isabel in Bloom

Every Wednesday we will give away a new book. For a chance to win, just fill out the form at the bottom of the page and you'll be entered into a drawing. The drawing will run from Wednesday through 11:59 PM Sunday. Winners will be announced on Mondays. (Note: you must be a Fresno County resident to be eligible for Win it Wednesdays.) 

Isabel in Bloom

By Mae Respicio


Twelve-year-old Isabel is the new kid in her San Francisco middle school. It’s the first time in many years that she’ll be living with her mother again. Mama's job in the US allowed Isabel and her grandparents to live more comfortably in the Philippines, but now Isabel doesn't really know her own mother anymore.

Making new friends in a new city, a new country, is hard, but joining the gardening and cooking club at school means Isabel will begin to find her way, and maybe she too, will begin to bloom.

In this beautifully rendered novel-in-verse, Mae Respicio explores how growth can take many forms, offering both the challenges and joy of new beginnings.

Congrats, Tanya R.! You're this week's Win-it-Wednesday winner!