Song in the City by Daniel Bernstrom

Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed 5 stars A beautiful story of stopping to appreciate the world around you, sharing experiences, and changing perspectives. Told through rhythmic text, the book tells the story of Emmalene and Grandma Jean’s journey to church. On the way, Emmalene listens to the song of the city, but Grandma Jean doesn’t have…

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Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise, Part 2

by Gene Luen Yang Illustrated by Gurihiru 3 stars Continues the story established in Part 1. I checked out the first two books from the library together and didn’t realize there was a third book, so I was thinking this would wrap up more quickly. Still, this one offers a nice break from the major…

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Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise, Part 1

by Gene Luen Yang Illustrated by Gurihiru 3 stars This graphic novel spin-off picks up where the show left off. Aang and Katara are getting all cutesy, giving Sokka major “oogies”. Toph has started a school for metalbending. And Zuko has become the new Fire Lord, establishing the Harmony Restoration Movement to remove Fire Nation…

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Care Bears: Unlock the Magic by Matthew Erman & Nadia Shammas

Illustrated by Agnes Garbowska 3 stars A cute spin-off of the 2019 show. I actually didn’t know about the show before reading this and have since watched a few episodes. The graphic novel seems pretty true to the characters and setting. The artwork is super cute. Really fun visuals. On the wordy side, but the…

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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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Once Upon a Zombie: Tales for Brave Readers by Deborah Underwood

Illustrated by Kaley McCabe 5 stars A hilarious early reader perfect for those looking for spooky stories with more humor than scares. Features three zombie-themed fairy tales: “Little Red Zombie”, “Hansel and Gretel Zombie”, and “Three Little Zombies”, perfect for zombie bedtime stories. Cute, spooky artwork featuring eyeballs, brains, and fairy tale characters fed with…

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Nate’s Lucky Day (Yo-Kai Watch #1) by Noriyuki Konishi

Translated by Tetsuichiro Miyaki 3 stars A fun manga with plenty of humor. I enjoyed watching the show so thought I’d give the manga a try. In the first volume, we’re introduced to Nate, shown how he meets his yokai butler, Whisper, and how he befriends various yokai including the ever-popular Jibanyan. As with the…

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The Icy Hand (Something Wickedly Weird #2)

by Chris Mould 3 stars Another exciting and creepy entry in the Something Wickedly Weird series. In this one, Stanley crosses the Wooden Mile once more for a winter visit, thinking his troubles are over. But a headless ghost informs him that his run-ins with pirates are just getting started. This book continues the story…

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Dragonbreath (Dragonbreath #1) by Ursula Vernon

2.5 stars A fun story that takes readers to the ocean depths to learn about life under the sea. After getting an F on a paper, Danny does some field research with the help of his best friend, Wendell, and his cousin, Edward. Together, they explore the Sargasso Sea, search for treasure in a sunken…

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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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