Stacey’s Remarkable Books by Stacey Abrams

Illustrated by Kitt Thomas 5 stars Such a sweet story. It explores themes of a love of books and reading, making new friends, celebrating differences, and not being afraid to try new things, even if you aren’t good at them right away. When Stacey meets Julie, they dream of reading every story in the library…

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Little Witch Academia Vol. 1

by Yoh Yoshinari Art by Keisuke Sato 3 stars A nice blend of events from the anime along with original mini-stories. Great for those who want more after watching the show. I especially loved the character design section at the end. It delivers on all the personalities from the show. Nice art style. Fun humor….

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If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams

4 stars In this nonfiction picture book, Williams discusses the role of sharks in the oceans and what could possibly happen if sharks went extinct. Wonderful to see sharks presented beyond a scary element. The text is simple, breaking down a complex system into something more easily digestible for a young audience. There are more…

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Frankenslime by Joy Keller

Illustrated by Ashley Belote 4 stars A fun story about experimentation, creativity, and new friends. Victoria Franken loves slime. She’s known for her creative recipes. But has her latest recipe gone too far? A delightful spin on the story of Frankenstein. While it is silly and fun, it also works in some scientific elements in…

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Mothman Baby! by Elias Barks

Illustrated by Zoe Persico 4 stars Another sweet bedtime board book from Hazy Dell Press. In this one, join Mothman Baby as he swoops through West Virginia, visiting friends and doing good deeds. Adorable illustrations. Rhythmic, rhyming text. And a paranormal nighttime journey. The book features 6 chunky flaps to open to reveal strange happenings…

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Bigfoot Baby! by Elias Barks

Illustrated by Meg Hunt 4 stars Spend the day with Bigfoot Baby as they visit friends and explore their forest home. A sweet, rhyming book with adorable illustrations. This chunky board book includes 6 thick, sturdy flaps for readers to discover what’s hidden in the forest. Sweet and whimsical. Great for bedtime. Goodreads

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The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island #1)

by Christina Soontornvat Illustrated by Kevin Hong 4 stars Given the short length of this book, I wasn’t sure how developed it would be. My worries were unfounded because Soontornvat has done it again. This is a to-the-point story with beautiful world building, great characters, and fantastic messages. Plum is content living with her grandparents…

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Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston (Sir Callie #1)

by Esme Symes-Smith 2.5 stars I’m really conflicted about this one. I went into it excited to read an epic fantasy about a non-binary child who dreams of being a knight in a world that enforces a strict gender binary of girls using magic and boys training to fight, going up against an unknown evil…

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Speak Up! by Rebecca Burgess

5 stars What a great read. I loved this book! It tackles so many great issues (misunderstandings with parents, fights with friends, bullying, sensory sensitivities) along with an entertaining plotline about secret internet fame. Burgess provides a great example of a parent trying to look out for their child and doing what others tell them…

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enemies (Berrybrook Middle School #4) by Svetlana Chmakova

4 stars When her sister, Letty, teases Felicity about never finishing her projects, Felicity sets out to win the Pitch the Future competition. To do so, she must team up with her friend and come up with a great idea to change the world. But along the way, she has to face disagreements of ideas,…

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