Personal rating of 3 out of 5 stars
3 stars A hilarious, fast-paced adventure featuring friendship, a well-dressed villain, and a whole lot of unique cryptids. Penny and her mother are moving. But before they do, Penny wants to thank the mysterious creature who saved her from drowning. Together with her friends, she sets out to find the Bawk-ness Monster and discovers the…
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3 stars An adorable introduction to the world of mushrooms. Gravel shares her experiences going mushroom hunting with her family. She is very clear that she is not an expert and that the book is meant to share an interest in mushrooms. The book includes information on the parts of a mushroom, a few best…
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adapted by Naoko Amemiya 3 stars A lengthy picture book that covers the entirety of the film, Howl’s Moving Castle. I don’t normally like picture books that use screengrabs of movies, but the artwork from this movie is so well done, I really didn’t mind. I think you could take any Miyazaki film and easily…
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Featuring Dorian Alexander, Archie Bongiovanni, Sage Coffey, Shelby Criswell, Dylan Edwards, Julia Bernhard, JB Brager, Rosa Colon Guerra, Max Dlabick, Trinidad Escobar, Mady G, Alex Graudins, Binglin Hu, Shing Yin Khor, Kazimir Lee, Melanie Gillman, Levi Hastings, Robyn Jordan, Maia Kobabe, Matt Lubchansky, Mariah-Rose Marie, Jason Michaels, Sfe R. Monster, Breena Nunez, Elisabet Run, Ria…
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Illustrated by Rii Abrego 3 stars A sweet, gentle story. Grace lives on a space station with her mother, Evelyn. But she longs for exploration and adventure. So when she plans to accompany her mom, Kendra, on a trip to Titan, she can’t wait. But when Kendra gets caught up with work, Grace take matters…
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by Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido Illustrated by Melissa Sweet 3 stars A wonderful exploration of the creative process by finding inspiration around you, questioning the world, and uncovering the words within you. The artwork is so dynamic and fun. Engaging collages featuring circular and natural imagery that pair wonderfully with the text. A breathtaking…
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3 stars A sweet picture book dedicated to the versatility of kimchi. Follow the character through each day of the week as she enjoys a different dish featuring kimchi. Told in simple and catchy rhymes, this is a soothing and fun read. The art style is so cute. Kim used cut paper on hanji to…
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3 stars A tale of secret societies, spies, fantastic inventions, and flight. Adventure, humor, and history combine as the story interworks historical events with fantastical elements. A fun blend of text and illustrations to advance the story. A historical flight taken by a sheep, a rooster, and a duck; a plot to steal the plans…
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Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa 3 stars I enjoyed this one more than the first book. As with the first one, Figueroa’s illustrations are fantastic. It was really fun to see all of Oona’s inventions and I loved all of the unique details included. In this one, Oona attempts to befriend a quiet shark. Nice way…
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by Stacy Wells Illustrated by Jesus Aburto 3 stars Nice story overall. Tobias loves hoop dancing, but is self-conscious about what his peers will think. Will he face his fears and showcase his skills at the talent show? A nice way to learn about some of the basics of hoop dancing. Tobias must deal with…
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