Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold by Mark Leiknes

3 stars A whirlwind adventure starring an elf kid, a wizard-in-training, a rock troll, an impulsive leader, and a flatulent pig-dog-thing. The Quest Kids set out to rescue a town, but may have bitten off more than they can chew. Along the way, they must face a golden-pants-wearing dragon, an invisible forest, acid swamps, a…

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Kevin’s Kwanzaa by Lisa Bullard

Illustrated by Constanza Basaluzzo 3 stars A nice introduction to the celebration of Kwanzaa. Told in four short chapters, this picture book goes through some of the basics of preparing and celebrating. This includes decorating a unity cup, enacting the seven principles, and setting up the candles and lighting them over seven days. It also…

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The Terribles: Welcome to Stubtoe Elementary (The Terribles #1) by Travis Nichols

3 stars A hilarious collection of interconnected stories, comics, and infographics. Perfect for fans of anything Dav Pilkey and Mo O’Hara‘s My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series. Venture to Creep’s Cove and meet the students of Stubtoe Elementary. From Frankie, the fringe scientist, to Quade, the politest sasquatch you’ll ever meet, to Lizzie the reptilian kaiju with anger problems, and…

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Chibi Usagi: Attack of the Heebie Chibis by Julie and Stan Sakai

3 stars A cute rendition of Usagi Yojimbo complete with Miyamoto Usagi in chibi form along with Chibi Tomoe and Chibi Gen. The three friends meet a dogu and help save the dogu village from the evil Salamander King. Nice story of friendship and helping others. Also includes some interactive and educational materials at the…

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My Zero-Waste Kitchen by Kate Turner

3 stars A nice intro with various tips for reducing food waste. This book covers quite a bit of ground in a short amount of time. Includes ideas on cooking with and regrowing from food scraps. Also includes some basic information on storage, meal planning, composting, and guidelines for judging freshness. Note, this is more…

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Muddy People: A Muslim Coming of Age by Sara El Sayed

3 stars Written as part of her Master of Fine Arts project, this book gives glimpses into El Sayed’s life, both from childhood to adolescents and into adulthood. The book tackles many topics including cancer, parental expectations and double standards, racism, bullying, divorce, friendship, religion, and moving to a different country. It deals largely with…

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