When Moon Blooms by Aida Salazar

Illustrated by Caribay M. Benavides 3 stars A beautiful exploration of the phases on the moon and the connection between nature and the body. Told in English with Spanish words interwoven throughout the text, the story tells of a mother passing down cultural wisdom to her child. Beautiful artwork and poetic text. A lovely read….

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Magic Like That by Samara Cole Doyon

Illustrated by Geneva Bowers 5 stars A gorgeous, lush celebration of Black hair and self-confidence. Told through lyrical narration, a young girl shares some of her favorite hairstyles as she waits for her mother to reveal her latest creation. I loved the different facets expressed through different hair styles, from whimsical to majestic, mischievous to…

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Sue & Tai-chan, Vol. 1 by Konami Kanata

Translated by Melissa Tanaka 3 stars An adorable collection of adventures featuring a senior cat and a rambunctious kitten. Sue is enjoying her peace and quiet when her human comes home with the news they will be watching a kitten for a while. The new arrival is full of energy, always curious, and keeps Sue…

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Day of the Living Liv (Spirited #1) by Liv Livingston

Illustrated by Anna Volcan 2 stars Some dynamics of school stay the same no matter where you are. Feeling like an outsider, getting used to new teachers, and the quandary of where to sit in the cafeteria. These are true even if your school is attended by ghosts, werewolves, and vampires. This is a pretty…

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Death by Dumpling (Noodle Shop Mystery #1) (Audiobook)

by Vivien Chien Narrated by Cheryl May 2 stars A fine cozy mystery. I enjoyed this well enough and appreciated the spin on the genre. I do think it kind of dragged by the end but it works fine as a relatively quick, low-stakes read. I listened to the audiobook though and the narrator did…

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One Cup at a Time: A Cat’s Café Collection by Gwen Tarpley

5 stars Another absolutely wonderful collection from Tarpley! Little bits of warmth, encouragement, and positivity told through sweet stories featuring a delightful cast of animals. Adorable artwork. This collection features loveable favorites and brand new characters. I absolutely adore how the Cat’s Cafe world has grown. Includes stories centered around autumn, social distancing during COVID,…

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See You on the Other Side by Rachel Montez Minor

Illustrated by Mariyah Rahman 3 stars A sweet, lyrical book about remembering those you’ve lost and their continuing love. Nice rhymes. The text works well for talking about belief in an afterlife and different ways to connect to loved ones after they’re gone such as writing letters to them or singing their favorite songs. The…

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Creepy Cat Vol 4 by Cotton Valent

Translated by Alethea & Athena Nibley 4 stars A sweet ending to a great series. After their last big adventure, Flora and Creepy Cat settle back into their familiar routines. But when Creepy Cat and the other supernatural cats suddenly go missing, the humans who love them set out to solve the case. Truths are…

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The Book That Almost Rhymed by Omar Abed

Illustrated by Hatem Aly 5 stars Hilarious and heartwarming. A sweet adventure told with creativity and humor that celebrates the ups and downs of sibling relationships. The narrator wants to share his perfectly rhyming story, but his sister comes along and changes his words. The new story takes them to unexpected places with unforeseen obstacles,…

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