Moomin: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip, Vol. 2 by Tove Jansson

4 stars Another delightful, insightful, and wonderfully odd collection of comics. From hiring a maid to building a house, there are big changes in store for Moomin and his family in this volume. Notable characters are added to the cast including Mrs. Fillyjonk, Little My, and Misabel. Wonderful artwork that matches the whimsy, absurdity, and…

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I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 5 by Okura

Translated by Leighann Harvey 5 stars A heartwarming ending to a fantastic series. I have loved watching all the characters grow and learn in each volume. In the final volume, we see Hiroki explore his love of dance and become a bit more confident, Yuri start digging into his lack of interest in romantic relationships,…

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Distillatoria (Over The Garden Wall Original #1)

by Jonathan Case Illustrated by Jim Campbell 4 stars Follow Greg and Wirt on a brand-new full-length adventure. The brothers find themselves back home, but all is not as it seems. Beatrice is still with them and a talking bird is sure to gain some attention. Now they must figure out how to get her…

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Losing Hit Points by Kristopher Mielke

5 stars A heartfelt story that is surprisingly cozy. I absolutely love the blending of fantasy and reality as we follow the characters in their D&D campaign and their personal lives in the real world. Wonderfully written. I loved the characters. This is some of the characters’ first time playing D&D so there is a…

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I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 4 by Okura

Translated by Leighann Harvey 5 stars Absolute perfection. This is such a wonderful, wholesome series. This volume focuses on friendships growing apart, stereotypical assumptions and society’s conditions on acceptance, body image, and gender norms. I love how much Tomoko has developed and learned through her interactions with Hiroki as well as her coworkers. We also…

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I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 3 by Okura

Translated by Leighann Harvey 5 stars Another fantastic collection of comics. There are so many interesting interactions at play in this volume from secret crushes to coworkers, parents and siblings to friends. We see more dynamics between Hiroki and his father in this volume, which were well done. I loved how the family countered Akiyoshi’s…

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Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

5 stars A modern-day Monster with a story all its own. Told through powerful verse and emotive visuals, this is the story of Amal Shahid, a teenage artist and poet sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. I love Zoboi’s writing and this one did not disappoint. Packed with raw emotion, this book is…

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Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams

Illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff 5 stars I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The novel-in-verse genre at its finest. I absolutely loved this book. Well-written with engaging characters, powerful themes, and a wonderful story. Includes themes of friends growing apart, loss, grief, guilt, racism, crushes, masculinity, family, and societal expectations. There was…

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I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 2 by Okura

5 stars Another fantastic collection. This series is so sweet. I love how supportive Hiroki’s mom is and how she is willing to learn from him and respect his privacy. In the second volume, we learn a little bit more about Yuri, witness a reunion with a childhood friend, and see Hiroki’s friendship with Daigo…

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The Curse of Eelgrass Bog by Mary Averling

5 stars A little bit creepy, very mysterious, and so intriguing. I loved this one! Kess is doing her best to keep her family’s Unnatural History Museum going while her parents are away on a job and her older brother is holed up in the library doing “research”. That leaves her spending most of her…

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