Thistlefoot by Gennarose Nethercott

4 stars Beautifully written. I absolutely love Nethercott’s writing style. Lyrical and stunning to visualize. Siblings Bellatine and Isaac haven’t seen each other in years, but reunite to claim a strange inheritance. They are both surprised to receive a house with chicken legs. Together they embark on a journey filled with unexpected encounters, close calls,…

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Sejal Sinha Battles Superstorms (Sejal Sinha #1) by Maya Prasad

Illustrated by Abira Das 4 stars A fun adventure that nicely blends magic and science. Sejal loves science. With the help of some cardboard box magic, she’s always ready for adventure. When a big storm threatens the Diwali celebration, Sejal teams up with her cousin, Mira, her little brother, Abu, and her sidekick, Professor Cheetah,…

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Mazie’s Amazing Machines by Sheryl Haft

Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes 3 stars A fun, high-energy story about the power of engineering, creative thinking, and problem solving. Mazie loves using engineering to help solve her family’s problems. But when she encounters a problem that seems too big to handle on her own, her family puts their heads together to engineer a solution….

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A Dreidel in Time: A New Spin on an Old Tale

by Marcia Berneger Illustrated by Beatriz Castro 3 stars A fun, quick read about the origins of Hanukkah complete with adventure and time travel. Reminiscent of the Magic Treehouse books. All Devorah and Benjamin want to do is open their Hanukkah presents. But they’re in for a surprise when their family gives them an old…

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The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes: Ultramarine Vol. 1

Story by Mei Hachimoku Illustrated by Koudon Translated by Alexa Frank 5 stars Definitely grabbed this one for its gorgeous cover. I didn’t initially realize it was based on a light novel that was made into an anime. Even without background though, I thoroughly enjoyed this manga. When Kaoru overhears a legend about a tunnel…

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The Enchantress Returns (The Land of Stories #2) (Audiobook)

by Chris Colfer 3 stars Another fun dive into the Land of Stories. Alex and Conner are back in the real world after their first adventure in their father’s homeland. This comes with its own ups and downs, including a new dog, getting used to school again, and their mother’s changing relationship with her coworker,…

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We Are a Song by Lorian Tu

4 stars A touching tale of all the individual pieces that come together to make a family. Arturo and Emilyn visit their family members to pick up supplies for a party. Along the way, they cherish the different elements of their Chinese and Cuban heritage and find inspiration for a poem. Such a sweet story….

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Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld

by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale Illustrated by Asiah Fulmore 4 stars I wasn’t sure about this one going into it. The DC reboots have been hit or miss for me. But I ended up really enjoying it. Princess Amaya is always up to something. But when her magical pranks go too far, her parents…

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Fairest of all (Whatever After #1) by Sarah Mlynowski

2 stars The mirror in the basement is not all it seems. After knocking on the mirror three times, Abby and her brother, Jonah, are transported into a fairy tale realm. While trying to help a young girl, they realize they’ve changed the ending of her story. Now they must set things right and find…

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The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories #1) (Audiobook)

by Chris Colfer 3 stars Twins Alex and Conner are having a hard time adjusting to life after the death of their father. When their grandmother gives Alex her book of fairy tales, the siblings are transported inside into the Land of Stories. Now the two must search for the items of the Wishing Spell…

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