5 stars A mouthwatering collection packed with facts, recipes, and adorable illustrations. Anytime I picked this book up, I instantly craved dumplings in one form or another. This book has everything from savory dumplings, to sweet dumplings, more traditional flavors and some riffs. I really enjoyed the mix-and-match style of the book. Amano provides the…
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5 stars What a wonderful way to teach an important lesson. When Amera has a bad day and uses unkind words, her mother suggests tasting her words before she says them, which opens Amera to the power of words. Inspired by Proverbs 16:24, “Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for…
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5 stars A frightened ghost swept away from his family, a “solid” (aka non-ghost person) who can see ghosts, and a library that has a few mysteries. This was a delightful read. It started off a bit dark with Kaz being blown away from his family. But it ends on a hopeful note and sets…
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3 stars I’m a little conflicted on what version is the best reading experience. I listened to the audio book and Kate Atwater does an absolutely phenomenal job reading. Each character is easily recognizable by the change in her voice and it was such a pleasure to listen to. However, then I realized the physical novel is…
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4 stars Absolutely loved this collection! There is so much positive energy and joy packed into this book. Despite the struggles presented in each story, they all show so much love and acceptance in their themes and characters. There’s a great variety in terms of plot, style, and the authors who wrote them. Loved seeing…
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5 stars A fiercely powerful collection of prominent voices in the YA and children’s lit community. This is a book everyone should read. Regardless of race, ethnicity, skin color, age, religion. Everyone should read this book. Told from a variety of perspectives, each parent, author, artist, and educator gets at the same message of a…
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3 stars Pizazz doesn’t like her name, her cape, her “embarrassing” superpower, or being a superhero in general. But as she navigates the world of elementary school, she learns new ways of viewing the world and how to save it. An engaging story about a reluctant superhero and her struggles fitting in at a new…
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4 stars A well-written book that takes some big topics and simplifies them for a young audience. Systemic racism can be a big idea that’s hard to wrap your head around, especially when you aren’t used to trying to see it or when it’s easier to ignore. This book helps kids and adults alike understand…
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3 stars An open and compelling memoir as well as a call to action for representation into the intersection between Blackness and queerness, especially within the YA genre. Johnson does a wonderful job crafting a memoir that acts as a place of relatability for those who share his identities as well as a place for…
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4 stars A brilliant glimpse into the lives of the Bronte sisters. Recounting a few of the major events through their lives, this graphic novel focuses on the sisters’ relationships to their father, brother, each other, and writing. An engaging way to learn about this trio of gifted writers in a format that is artistic…
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