The Bad Guys: Episode 1 by Aaron Blabey

3 stars An exciting adventure featuring a misunderstood wolf, his attempts to turn around the reputation of carnivores from land and sea, and the mayhem that ensues along the way. I enjoyed the twist on the gray area between “good” and “bad” and the theme of carnivores being misunderstood. Similar style to picture books like Misunderstood…

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The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton

4 stars A charming read featuring a warrior princess, an adorable pony, a great battle, and a few pony farts thrown in. Fun, humorous, and heartwarming. Beaton shows the importance of being true to yourself and embracing your interests, even if they don’t fit with who others think you should be. Promotes helping others and…

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The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

5 stars A stunning graphic novel that perfectly captures the beauty of everyday life cut with the shattering effects of anxiety and PTSD. Manuel works to navigate a world that no long feels safe after witnessing a traumatic event involving gun violence. With the help of some new friends, a supportive therapist, and a love…

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The Quest for Snacks (Cat & Cat Adventures #1) by Susie Yi

3 stars An adorable magical adventure complete with new friends, unexpected danger, and the quest for unlimited snacks. In the first book starring two characters from Yi’s webcomic, Squash and Ginny set out to collect the ingredients for an unlimited snack potion. Along the way, they encounter difficult dilemmas, problems requiring some creative thinking, and…

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Cat’s Café A Comics Collection by Maxx Tarpley

5 stars SO. WHOLESOME! I absolutely loved this comics collection. A perfect book to have on hand when you need a pick-me-up or a reason to smile. I’ll admit, I’m slightly obsessed with this series. I started reading it on Webtoon and follow Tarpley on all the social media platforms. Whenever a new comic comes…

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Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker, Illustrated by Zoe Persico

4 stars An allegorical tale of Greta Thunberg’s activism and how she’s inspired others to stand up to demand change. The use of talking animals and literal giants helps make this engaging for young children while sticking to its message of environmentalism. Though the characters are small compared to the giants, when they come together…

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Before After by Anne-Margot Ramstein and Matthias Arégui

4 stars A lovely beast of a book, packed with gorgeous illustrations and complex ideas. Much more intricate than it first appears. When I checked this out from the library, I was expecting the obvious before/after relationships (caterpillar to butterfly, acorn to tree). But this book goes far beyond that. Some are before and after…

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