Bear in a Bathrobe by Maddie Frost

5 stars An absolutely adorable story about anxiety, bravery, friendship, and doing hard things. Bear would much rather stay home in his bathrobe than spend time outside with his friends. After all, anything can happen to a bear on the ice. But after his friends share what makes them feel safe and brave, Bear just…

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The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

4 stars Delightfully spooky. An unexpectedly sweet story featuring an old house in the woods, a skull, and a brave girl looking for a place to stay. After running away from home, Otilla comes across a house whose sole occupant is a kindly skull. Little does she know, the skull has a secret and that…

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Stacey’s Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams

Illustrated by Kitt Thomas 4 stars A sweet story about a love of words, perseverance, and using your words to help others. Stacey loves learning new words. When she’s asked to participate in a spelling bee, she jumps at the chance to learn even more. But will her fear of making a mistake get in…

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Sir Ladybug (Sir Ladybug #1) by Corey R. Tabor

4 stars An adorable adventure of new friendships, open communication, compromise, helping others, and doing what scares you. Sir Ladybug and his herald, Pell, and squire, Sterling, are called upon to help a caterpillar in distress. But will a hungry chickadee be the end of our heroes? Fun humor with plenty of puns and jokes….

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brave (Berrybrook Middle School #2) by Svetlana Chmakova

5 stars Another fantastic story in the Berrybrook Middle School series. This book works in many of the issues brought up in the first book. It really focuses on bullying and the culture that normalizes it. I loved that the characters examine the deeper issues of bullying and the ways they can change their environment…

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The Girl Who Married a Skull and Other African Stories

3 stars I recently read The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories and absolutely loved it. So, I thought I’d read some of the earlier collections in the series. What I loved about The Woman in the Woods is that it showcases a variety of indigenous authors and artists. As far as I can…

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Bo the Brave by Bethan Woollvin

Also published under the title I Can Catch a Monster 4 stars A delightful adventure that takes the reader through the Frightful Forest, the Sea of Secrets, and the Peaks of Peril in search of monsters. Bo wants to go on a monster hunt, but her brothers tell her she is too little. She sets…

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