4 stars Pure chaos in the best of ways. Follow a band of adventurers as they set out to recover the stolen Mystical Crystals of Life. They travel through cold mountains, spooky forests, and dark dungeons, and find that not everything is quite as it seems. Fantasy, adventure, humor, and some fun twists. The illustrations…
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Illustrated by Melissa Castrillon 4 stars Sweet, poetic text with magnificent, fantastical artwork. The narration is lovely. The narrator speaks of love, gratitude, sharing, hope, knowledge, and equality, showing the importance of each. A beautiful representation of incorporating each into one’s daily life and worldview. I really love Castrillon’s art style. The illustrations follow the…
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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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5 stars A touching and empowering picture book about the associations attached to words, the way our words affect others and ourselves, and the freedom of allowing yourself to take up space. Simple narration with a powerful message. The story shows the shift in childhood from when “big” is seen as a good thing (“What…
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Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler 3.5 stars A really sweet story about forgiveness and friendship. No one in Bonnyripple ever kept a grudge except Cornelius, the Grudge Keeper, a sort of archivist of the townspeople’s complaints about one another. When a storm hits the town, the people see just how much space all their grudges take…
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Translated by Angela Liu 4 stars A fitting conclusion to the story of Yoneko, her friendship with Nerimu, and her unconventional apprenticeship as a slumber spirit. In this volume, we really see Yoneko debating whether she’d like to be a slumber spirit or not. I absolutely loved her connection with Nerimu and how it builds…
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4 stars Delightfully spooky. An unexpectedly sweet story featuring an old house in the woods, a skull, and a brave girl looking for a place to stay. After running away from home, Otilla comes across a house whose sole occupant is a kindly skull. Little does she know, the skull has a secret and that…
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3 stars A fun, interactive book that sends your hands dancing. The book becomes the dance floor and you are the star. Turn the page and follow the actions to explore movement, creativity, and art. Great for learning and practicing verbs such as twirl, bounce, weave, freeze, and fall, adjectives like light, wild, big, small,…
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Illustrated by Rhaida El Touny 3 stars A fun new twist on the classic fairy tales Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Sleepy Beauty. Told through interconnected stories, the book follows Rumaysa who is locked away in a tower where a witch makes her spin straw into gold. I really enjoyed the endings in this book. The heroines…
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Translated by Margaret Ngo 3 stars A sweet, slice-of-life adventure that follows Rosa, a young girl with a mysterious past who’s training to be a knight. Follow Rosa as she bonds with the knights at Castle Claustra, interacts with the royal family, carries out page duties and mundane tasks, and makes some unexpected friendships. Throughout…
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