Words Between Us by Angela Pham Krans

Illustrated by Dung Ho 4 stars A beautiful picture book about language, heritage, and the bond between a grandmother and grandchild. I love the way Felix and his grandmother connect across generations, languages, and cultures, sharing things they enjoy with each other. Felix is so excited for his grandmother to come to America and meet…

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Disney Frankenstein, Starring Donald Duck

by Bruno Enna Illustrated by Fabio Celoni Translated by Tea Orsi 2 stars An interesting Disneyification of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. This version tones down some of the darker elements of the original such as Victor von Duckenstein making his creation out of cardboard and everyone surviving relatively unscathed. Victor is certainly more redeemable in this…

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The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

3.5 stars A humorous story about the power of banning together and the danger of only looking out for yourselves. The Little Guys are proud of how strong they are together. They can do anything. But that also means they can take things too far, picking fights, stealing from others, and being bullies. After a…

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Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu by Ying Chang Compestine

Illustrated by Crystal Kung 5 stars A unique and entertaining retelling of Rapunzel. Ra Pu Zel is a princess who loves food, but isn’t so interested in meeting princes and acting like her parents think she should. So one day, she locks herself in a tower with her dog to enjoy cooking and trying different…

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My Little Pony: Friendship Tales

4 stars This collection includes “Meet the Ponies of Ponyville” by Olivia London, “Hearts and Hooves” by Jennifer Fox, “Ponies Love Pets!” by Emily C. Hughes, and “Meet the Princess of Friendship” by Lucy Rosen. A nice mix of pony adventures and introductions to various characters. Follow along with the Mane 6 and the Cutie Mark Crusaders through mishaps…

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Is This . . . Easter? by Helen Yoon

4 stars A delightfully fun book to celebrate Easter. When a group of animals happens upon an egg, they know just what to do with it. But it seems they can’t quite agree. Will they paint it… or eat it? Humorous and fun. This was a weird little adventure and I loved it. A sweet…

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I Am Happy! by Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Robert Starling 3 stars A short and sweet book about being happy. Follow an enthusiastic puppy through their day, doing things that making them happy. Cute representation of how contagious happiness can be as more friends join in along the way. This is the first I’ve read of Michael Rosen’s I Am series….

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Ghostwriter: A Match of Wills by Eric Weiner

Illustrated by Eric Velasquez 3 stars There’s a mystery and the Ghostwriter team is on the case. Jamal receives a mysterious inheritance from a woman he befriended at the community center. But he has to solve the clues and retrieve it before the woman’s greedy son can snatch it away. Help Jamal and the team…

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Quinnelope and the Cookie King Catastrophe Vol. 1

by HF Brownfield and Kayla Coombs 3 stars Delightfully-sweet chaos. Quinnelope’s got a craving for cookies, but they seem in sort supply. Together with her trusty butler, Bub, and companion, Star, she sets off on a quest to rescue the Cookie King and bring back the cookies. Packed with humor, bright illustrations, and sugary fun….

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Ghostwriter: Courting Danger and Other Stories

by Dina Anastasio Illustrated by Eric Velasquez 4 stars Just started rewatching this show that I loved as a kid. Was definitely fun to dive into a few of the books. This one was really fun. Each story is presented as its own mystery and the Ghostwriter team collects clues. At the end, they solve…

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