Things that Go Bump in the Day

by Melinda Beatty Illustrated by Charlene Chua 3.5 stars A sweet little story about an adorable vampire child trying to get some sleep and his ever-reassuring mother explaining away the sounds in the day. A cute bedtime story full of humor. Nicely written. I really enjoyed the spin on what noises would be scary to…

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My Little Pony: The Wonderbolts Academy Handbook by Brandon T. Snider

3.5 stars Get a glimpse into Rainbow Dash’s Wonderbolts Academy Handbook and learn what it takes to be a Wonderbolt. Includes information on the history of the academy, school rules, and lessons for being your best self. Includes some nice advice on leadership, teamwork, self care, and communication. There are data drill sections to test…

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Pengrooms by Paul Castle

3.5 stars Such a sweet story. Pringle and Finn make fantastical custom cakes for various animal couples and help make their weddings perfect. When it’s time for the penguins own wedding, the other animals return the favor. This is so cute. The illustrations are adorable. A nice gentle story without a big conflict. Also includes…

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Moon by Alison Oliver

3.5 stars A sweet celebration of nature, play, and the freedom of embracing one’s wolfy ways. The story follows a little girl named Moon whose every moment of the day is accounted for. One night she journeys out to learn to be free and a little bit wild. I absolutely love the colors in this….

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Exactly as Planned by Tao Nyeu

3.5 stars A heartwarming two-sided picture book celebrating adapting to the circumstances and spending time with good friends. Read the book one way to follow Fox’s preparations for tea with Moose. Flip it the other way to follow Moose’s journey to Fox’s tree for tea. The stories meet in the middle in a sweet resolution….

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Someone Just Like You by Helen Docherty

Illustrated by David Roberts 3.5 stars Bright, colorful illustrations and a story that encourages empathy, kindness, and acceptance. The illustrations are wonderfully diverse, featuring characters with different skin colors, gender expressions, body types, disabilities, hair styles, and nationalities. I love how the pages mirror each other, showing the similarities among individuals, their likes and dislikes….

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Butterfly on the Wind by Adam Pottle

Illustrated by Ziyue Chen 3.5 stars A sweet story of the strength of community and the power of individuals. It’s the day before the talent show and Aurora is nervous to perform. She manifests a butterfly using ASL, which travels the world, inspiring Deaf children to add to the flurry of butterflies. They make their…

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The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

3.5 stars A humorous story about the power of banning together and the danger of only looking out for yourselves. The Little Guys are proud of how strong they are together. They can do anything. But that also means they can take things too far, picking fights, stealing from others, and being bullies. After a…

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The Grudge Keeper by Mara Rockliff

Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler 3.5 stars A really sweet story about forgiveness and friendship. No one in Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge except Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper, a sort of archivist of the townspeople’s complaints about one another. When a storm hits the town, the people see just how much space all their grudges take…

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