by Hamish Steele 5 stars Another perfect volume from Hamish Steele. Action-packed with a whirlwind of character development. Following the aftermath of the destruction of Dead End, the characters mostly split up and have their own adventures. Barney and Logs find out happily-ever-after has a few road bumps, Norma works to control her new ghost…
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by Randall de Sève, Illustrated by Carson Ellis 4 stars A delightfully sweet story of a neighborhood coming together. This is a nesting-style story in which each element builds on the next in the vein of The Napping House and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly!. Lovely illustrations that capture the homey feel of the…
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Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka 4 stars A humorous tale of mistaken identity. Bubba Brayna, a 97-year-old who makes the best potato latkes in the village, is preparing for a visit from the rabbi on Hanukkah. So when a guest arrives who looks like the rabbi, talks like the rabbi, and has the rabbi’s beard, Bubba…
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3 stars A fun adventure featuring demons, riddles, magic, new friends, and a few lessons. Sara has a hard time finding her place at the family Chanukah party. She’s too old for the little kids, ignored by the teens, and doesn’t get along with her brother and the cousins her age. After an unfortunate mishap,…
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5 stars An absolutely beautiful story, both visually and in its content, that explores loss, memory, and time spent together. Gentle and slow, this lovely book celebrates the connection between grandmother and granddaughter, passing on stories and making new memories. Poetic wordplay and soft, rounded illustrations make for a soothing reading experience. The artwork is…
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An Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Identifying 29 Wild, Edible Mushrooms by Frank Hyman 5 stars A fascinating read. Perfect for beginners. This is a book written for laypeople interested in mushroom foraging. Because of that, it focuses on the need-to-know information versus getting caught up too much in the science. This means there are some…
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by Kristin Pekoll 3 stars A nice overview of intellectual freedom considerations as they pertain to non-book items and happenings in libraries. The book provides examples and considerations regarding bans and critiques of displays and exhibits, artwork, programs and events, bookmarks and reading lists, social media, and databases. It also touches on the importance of…
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Illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger 3 stars A great holiday read. Kayla loves Kwanzaa, but this year a snowstorm stops her brother from coming home for the holiday. The celebration feels different without Khari, but Kayla finds ways to celebrate with her family even when they can’t be together. The book goes through this different days…
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4 stars Such a cool concept which worked beautifully in this format. A fascinating look at connection, possession, and trying to live up to other’s expectations. In a bout of frustrated, Flo throws away her ice skates. Doing so creates a powerful junkwraith, set of attacking her memories. To break the curse, Flo ventures into…
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Illustrated by Charlene Chua 3 stars A lovely rhyming picture book highlighting the different ways of celebrating Diwali. In the story, the family prepares and celebrates by hanging mango leaf buntings, creating rangoli, singing hymns, telling stories, feasting, and joining together with their community. The artwork is stunning. Beautiful use of color. It really captures…
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