Illustrated by Hanna Cha 5 stars A stunning picture book that celebrates heritage, identity, and stories. Follow a young boy as he travels through his mother’s bedtime story to visit his grandmothers and learn their truths about dragons. A wonderful blend of Eastern and Western mythologies and a beautiful emphasis on the validity of both…
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Illustrated by Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya 4 stars A powerful, beautiful celebration of resilience and identity told through fierce verse and stunning illustrations. The book draws parallels between different culture’s histories, struggles, and treatment while still recognizing the distinctness and diversity of different groups. Gorgeous illustrations that pair wonderfully with each verse. Beautiful color and a wonderful…
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by Vivien Chien Narrated by Cheryl May 2 stars A fine cozy mystery. I enjoyed this well enough and appreciated the spin on the genre. I do think it kind of dragged by the end but it works fine as a relatively quick, low-stakes read. I listened to the audiobook though and the narrator did…
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Illustrated by Shiho Pate 4 stars A delicious story about patience, practice, perseverance, and family. Hiro sets out to make the perfect bowl of ramen just like his dad and his dad’s dad. He’s watched his dad thoroughly and taken detailed notes. But once he gets started, things don’t go to plan. Adorable artwork. I…
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Illustrated by Dung Ho 5 stars Another lush, heartwarming, gorgeous read from Joanna Ho and Dung Ho. Through poetic text, the narrator describes how her eyes are different from her adoptive family’s and how their loves connects them. It explores the narrator’s relationship with her adoptive father and mother, and her curiosity about her birth…
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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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Illustrated by Derek Desierto 3 stars While looking for her favorite shoes, Juno is transported into a magical consortium featuring the shoes of famous women. She tries on the shoes of Frida Kahlo, Sally Ride, Misty Copeland among others, until finally finding the perfect fit, taking inspiration from her magical journey. Loved the concept. Great…
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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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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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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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