by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Abandoning their previous home, Shiva and Teacher have escaped the soliders for now. They travel far to find a new home in an attempt to escape the past. But it always has a way of catching up to them. Another fascinating read. The mysteries continue to build….
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Translated by Kathryn Henzler 4 stars What happens to a powerful sorceress after she defeats the Demon King? Referred to as the Witch From the Forest of No Return, Jeanne mostly keeps to herself in her home inside a tree. One day, she summons a guardian beast… who turns out to be a cat from…
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Translated by Adrienne Beck 2 stars Definitely weird but not in a way that worked for me. Chise is enslaved then sold to a mage, who takes her on as his apprentice… and also a future wife? Okay story. There were parts I liked. Cool fantasy world-building. The plot was a bit confusing. There are…
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Illustrated by Sally Chen 3 stars Nolan is excited to attend a friend’s birthday party at the roller rink. They pick out the perfect outfit and are ready for the festivities. But when the DJ announces “boys skate” and “girls skate”, Nolan doesn’t feel they belong. Based on a true story, this book is nice…
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Illustrated by Khoa Le 3 stars A visually-stunning story promoting peace and kindness, especially between feuding siblings. Using second person narration, the story follows two sisters who, after a day of fighting, share a dream of dragons. The artwork is absolutely stunning. I really enjoyed seeing all the different dragons. Definitely a good fit for…
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Illustrated by Jialei Sun 3 stars A fun exploration of pickles and poetry. Dive in to the world of pickled foods from pickled cucumbers and kimchi to chowchow and piccalilli. Follow along in this rhyming journey as four families prepare to host a pickle party, showcasing their favorite pickled foods and coming up with fun…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Another haunting volume. Piece by piece we learn more about the curse and the strange inhabitants of the Outside. After a terrible loss, Teacher and Shiva face new challenges that seek to draw them apart and Teacher must contemplate what is best for Shiva. Adorable, eerie, and…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars This series always knows just how to pull me in. Reunited with Teacher after the devastating events in the village, Shiva easily returns to her life on the Outside. But her aunt hasn’t found the transition quite as simple and acts on her mistrust of Teacher. In…
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Illustrated by Bonnie Pang 3 stars A adorable exploration of chemical reactions in everyday life. From baking to cleaning to breathing, Sooy shows how we interact with chemistry every day and how necessary it is to so many different activities. This is a wonderful introduction to thinking about chemistry for young readers. The simple text…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars The mystery continues with more delightfully creepy adventures in the Outside. Shiva’s aunt has come back to claim her, but strange things start happening in their village. Teacher continues his search for Shiva and Shiva’s aunt reveals an unexpected secret. Picks up right where the last one…
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