Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san, Vol. 1 by Honda

Translated by Amanda Haley 3 stars A humorous behind-the-scenes look at working in the manga department of a Japanese bookstore. Filled with relatable customer-service woes, Honda pulls from real-life experiences and shares a variety of interactions and issues such as out-of-stock items, staff recommendations, customer service training, and seriously awkward customer requests. The artwork is…

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Detective Beans: The Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen

3 stars Detective Beans is the best in the business. Or he likes to think so at least. One day, Beans sets out to solve the mystery of who’s leaving him encouraging notes only to discover… his detective hat is missing. Before he can solve the note-giver mystery, he must track down his hat and…

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My Little Pony: 40th Anniversary Celebration The Deluxe Edition

Featuring stories by Sam Maggs, Jeremy Whitley, and Tony Fleecs Illustrated by Keisha Okafor, Amy Mebberson, and Brianna Garcia 3 stars A fun blending of various generations to celebrate 40 years of My Little Pony. Explore adventures from Generation 1 through Mark Your Mark with references to Friendship is Magic. In “Friendship is Forever” (Sam…

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Blue Horses by Mary Oliver

3 stars Another beautiful collection of poems. This one didn’t resonate with me quite as strongly as the other collections I’ve read from her, but it was still a wonderful read. A nice exploration of life, nature, and relationships. Goodreads

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The Gingerbread Man: Buttons on the Loose by Laura Murray

Illustrated by Mike Lowery 3 stars A cute little early graphic novel. Join the Gingerbread Man as he searches for his missing buttons in this adorable rhyming tale. Cute artwork. Great rhythm and rhyme. Short and simple story with dynamic illustrations. A nice next step for those who enjoy the picture book series and a…

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Rarity’s Charity by G. M. Berrow

3 stars An early chapter book adaptation of My Little Pony: Rarity and the Curious Case of Charity. Rarity is excited for her new apprentice to arrive, but when Charity takes her idolization of Rarity too far, Rarity must figure out how to be the mentor Charity actually needs. While it’s the same story, the chapters…

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Get the Party Started (DnDoggos #1) by Scott Underhill

3 stars An action-packed adventure featuring a band of adorable canines on their first D&D campaign. Join Pickles, Tonka, and Zoey along with DM Magnus as they set out on a rescue mission. An entertaining and fun-filled adventure story with plenty of humor. The illustrations are great and the characters are so much fun. I…

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Lauren McGill’s Pickle Museum by Jerdine Nolen

Illustrated by Debbie Tilley 3 stars An odd little adventure dedicated to pickles. Lauren McGill is obsessed with pickles. She loves everything about them. After an eventful field trip to a pickle factory, her classmates realize how great pickles are too. Now Lauren doesn’t feel special and isn’t sure she likes pickles anymore… until inspiration…

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My Pet Slime (My Pet Slime #1) by Courtney Sheinmel

Illustrated by Renée Kurilla 3 stars A cute little story about an adorable slime coming to life. Piper longs for a pet, but she’s allergic to everything fluffy, cuddly, and cute. With a little help from a mysterious gift from her grandmother, Piper creates her very own perfect pet. Nicely written. The full-color illustrations are…

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