White Pine: Poems and Prose Poems by Mary Oliver

4 stars Another stunning collection from Oliver. I especially love her musings and observations of nature. The way she describes birds is absolutely perfect. Themes of this collection include nature, love, death, and aging. A few of my favorite poems here are “Porcupine”, “In a Dark Wood: Wood Thrushes”, “Stories”, and “I Looked Up”. A…

Read More

Agent Unicorn by Jenny Alvarado

3 stars A cute comic-style picture book about a unicorn that longs to be a special agent. The artwork was really cute. I loved the color palette. The story itself was fine. Unicorn is a real jerk for most of the book, but kind of learns a lesson at the end. There is some nice…

Read More

Over the Garden Wall: Hollow Town by Celia Lowenthal

Illustrated by Jorge Monlongo 4 stars Delightfully spooky. After a series of unfortunate raft troubles, Wirt, Greg, Beatrice, and everyone’s favorite frog seek refuge in a quiet town filled with polite inhabitants. However, the longer they stay, the more sinister the town seems. Can they unlock its dark secrets, and if they do, will they…

Read More

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

Read More

At Blackwater Pond: Mary Oliver Reads Mary Oliver

5 stars A wonderful collection of poems read by Mary Oliver herself pulled from throughout her writing career. A fantastic listen. Featuring birds, plants, and the natural world, Oliver reflects on beauty, virtue, death, and more. I loved listening to these poems and especially hearing Oliver tell them. She reads each poem with her own…

Read More

Emilio Sloth’s Modern Manners by Renée Ahdieh

Illustrated by Alea Marley 3 stars A cute picture book that celebrates friendship, taking your time, and minding your manners. Follow Emilio Sloth on his journey to meet a friend for teatime. Along the way, he greets old friends and makes new ones, always polite and mindful of being on time. Goes through some polite…

Read More

Distillatoria (Over The Garden Wall Original #1)

by Jonathan Case Illustrated by Jim Campbell 4 stars Follow Greg and Wirt on a brand-new full-length adventure. The brothers find themselves back home, but all is not as it seems. Beatrice is still with them and a talking bird is sure to gain some attention. Now they must figure out how to get her…

Read More

Witchy, Volume 1 by Ariel Slamet Ries

4 stars Hyalin is a magical world where witches’ hair length indicates their power. But those whose hair is deemed too long are declared enemies of the kingdom and annihilated. Years ago, Nyneve’s father met such a fate. Now she is determine to keep under the radar of the conscription officials and hide her true…

Read More

The Story of Gumluck the Wizard (Gumluck #1) by Adam Rex

4 stars Wasn’t sure what to expect, but this one was adorable. Meet Gumluck, also known as the Little Wizard Who Lives in the Big Hill, or so he thinks. He spends his time thinking of others, helping them without thanks, and doing his best to make them happy. All he really wants is to…

Read More