The Kindest Red: A Story of Hijab and Friendship

by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali Illustrated by Hatem Aly 5 stars Another beautiful story from Muhammad and Ali. This one focuses on kindness and friendship. When their teacher tasks them with drawing the kind of world they’d like to live in, Faizah and her friends take action at their school to create a…

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Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures

by Jason Pamment 5 stars bsolutely stunning! The artwork is gorgeous. The story is heartwarming. I loved the world Pamment created. A fun adventure filled with new friendships, found family, and discovering your place in the world. Perfect for fans of The Stonekeeper series who are looking for a relaxing read. A gorgeous book with a story…

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Strange Planet (Strange Planet #1) by Nathan W Pyle

4 stars A hilarious collection of comics about seeing the oddities of human life through the eyes of aliens. The book covers a variety of topics, from sports to school to friendship to daily customs. Such a very fun read. Includes many previously-shared comics as well as brand new ones. A great way to add…

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That Can Be Arranged: A Muslim Love Story

by Huda Fahmy 5 stars A sweet, humorous story about Fahmy’s journey though the pressure to get married, incompatible suitors, and finally meeting her husband. The story goes through various rules of Islam related to interpersonal relationships and some of the innerworkings of arranged marriages. It offers a first-hand, positive experience with arranged marriage, corrects…

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Taproot: A Story About a Gardener and a Ghost by Keezy Young

3.5 stars A truly beautiful book. I loved the aesthetic. Ghosts, gardens, romance, and necromancy. A winning combination. The story itself was a bit disjointed. The connections in the second half weren’t very clear. Honestly, I’m not mad about it though. I was perfectly content to be along for the ride. The characters are all…

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Komi Can’t Communicate by Tomohito Oda

Translated by John Werry 2 stars Tadano just wants to blend in at school. But when he meets Komi and discovers her difficulty talking to people, he resolves to help her, even when it puts unwanted attention on him. For me, this one was just okay. Based on the title, I assumed the story followed…

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Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

by Mariko Tamaki Illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell 2 stars A slow-paced story about what happens when the power of love works against you and how it can overshadow other aspects of your life. Freddy loves Laura Dean. But their on-again-off-again relationship leaves her confused and wondering, is it worth staying with someone you love if…

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From the Desk of Zoe Washington (Zoe Washington #1)

by Janae Marks 5 stars At times, I struggle with getting into realistic fiction, but I loved this one. Zoe has such a great voice and intriguing personality. This one really pulled me in. I also love that despite Zoe’s good intentions, she still has to face the consequences of her actions when she makes…

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Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes) by Travis Baldree

5 stars A fantastic cozy fantasy filled with coffee, cats, and just enough danger to keep things interesting. This was such a sweet story. I loved going along for the ride on this low stakes, slice of life adventure. It was so satisfying to see all the pieces come together as Viv builds her dream…

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