Bella Ballerina by Sharon M. Draper

Illustrated by Ebony Glenn 3 stars A cute, rhyming picture book following a young ballerina’s first recital. Gorgeous illustrations with lovely movement. I love that the dancers include both girls and boys with different skin tones and hair textures. At the back there is a glossary of the terms used in the book including different…

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The Trouble with Teachers (Angela Anaconda #1) by Barbara Calamari

3 stars I absolutely loved this show as a kid. I had no idea there were novelizations. This book adapts the episodes “You’re So Vain” and “The Substitute”. In the first, Angela Anaconda gets some unexpected attention after her poetry assignment is misinterpreted. Then Angela finds inspiration for her rainforest project with a substitute teacher…

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The Owl House: Hex-cellent Tales from The Boiling Isles

Adapted by Steve Behling 3 stars A TV adaptation that retells the episodes “I Was a Teenage Abomination” and “Adventures in the Elements”. Follow Luz as she encounters Hexside School and learns her first two spells. Nicely written. It was fun to revisit the characters in these pivotal episodes of The Owl House. Includes black-and-white…

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Feeling Boo by Alex Boniello and April Lavalle

Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller 3 stars A sweet story about friendship, sadness, and listening to others. Ollie has the boos and his best friend, Ellie, will do whatever it takes to chase those sad feelings away. But sometimes we have to slow down and just sit with our sadness in the company of good…

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Morgan Morning by Stephen Cosgrove

Illustrated by Robin James 3 stars A tragic tale that tells the backstory of Morgan the unicorn. Morgan is a curious colt who lives with his mother in the Meadows of Morning. One day, his curiosity gets the better of him and he must make a difficult sacrifice in order to survive. Definitely darker than…

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My Little Pony: Under the Sparkling Sea by Mary Jane Begin

3 stars An interesting adaptation of the Friendship is Magic universe. The Mane Six travel to the underwater world of Aquastria for the Annual Aquastria Race. There they make new friends and explore the kingdom. But when an unexpected injury puts the seapony team at a disadvantage, they’ll have to work together to help their…

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Unico: Awakening (Unico #1) by Samuel Sattin

Illustrated by Gurihiru 3 stars A modern-day Unico brings joy and kindness to all he meets while the jealous Venus is determined to destroy him. As I have not read the original manga, my only experience with Unico before this was watching The Fantastic Adventures of Unico. However, this appears to be a mostly faithful…

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My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart

3 stars A sweet representation of being your full self. It’s about liking what you like and not worrying about how your interests fit into gender norms. Nicely highlights how interests and activities are not only for one gender or type of person, though it does still seem to come from a binary perspective. The…

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My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Canterlot High Tell-All by Susan Ring

3 stars A fun, interactive guide that gives insider info about Canterlot High. The guidebook introduces the characters, explores Canterlot High, and shares the Humane Seven’s favorite things including memories from the original Equestria Girls movie, Rainbow Rocks, and Friendship Games. Great visuals. Includes a few activities throughout such as a quiz and a cootie…

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Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek

3 stars A Gothic fantasy with cozy Polish charm. This is an interesting read in its duality with the blending of Slavic folklore and Polish culture. On one side is baking, found family, and homemaking, and the other is magic, bargains, spirits, and demons. I didn’t particularly care for either of the main characters or…

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