Illustrated by Courtney Lovett 3 stars A fun read overall. Honestly, the setup was a little weird to me. A journalist and a doctor drive around the country in their RV with their two young children and their dog helping out with various natural disasters. It seemed odd that Jaden and Leela would go along…
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Illustrated by Ebony Glenn 3 stars A cute, rhyming picture book following a young ballerina’s first recital. Gorgeous illustrations with lovely movement. I love that the dancers include both girls and boys with different skin tones and hair textures. At the back there is a glossary of the terms used in the book including different…
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by Jay Jay Patton with Kiara Valdez Illustrated by Markia Jenai 2.5 stars I was really excited to read this one, but it left me feeling a bit disappointed. A quick read that shares some important events in Patton’s childhood including her father getting out prison, moving to Florida, starting a new school, learning to…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Another eerie and intriguing volume in the series. When we last left Shiva and Teacher, a strange new Outsider had touched Shiva, cursing her; and those within the Inside had seen a girl in the forest and viewed her as a threat. Now the unexpected duo must…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars In a world divined between the Outside and the Inside, a little girl finds herself in the care of one of the Outsiders, a humanoid beast who could curse her with a single touch. Follow their unexpected friendship as they navigate the Outside and the evils it…
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Illustrated by London Ladd 5 stars Stunning! A fantastic ode to hair and heritage. Through poetic text, the narrator connects hair to history, telling tales of iconic figures, sports, dance, and afternoons spent in the kitchen together. It connects family, culture, strength, and love. Beautifully written. I especially enjoyed all the creative wordplay. The artwork…
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by Belen Medina Illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro 4 stars A beautifully illustrated biography of Lorena Ramírez, a Rarámuri ultramarathon runner. Through lyrical text, the story follows her on a sixty-mile run, providing information about her attire, her childhood, and her way of life in Chihuahua, Mexico. The illustrations are lovely. Beautiful use of color. All…
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Illustrated by Brianna McCarthy 4 stars A truly fantastical story of an expectant mother imagining the place where her unborn child waits and dreaming of their adventures together. The artwork is stunning. Beautiful colors and imaginative scenes. They pair perfectly with the otherworldly images of the lyrical text. While the themes of the story will…
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Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita 4 stars Another fantastic book from Doyon and Juanita. An absolutely gorgeous story that celebrates the value of different ways of thinking, neurodiversity, and challenging the status quo. This lyrical story follows a mother and child as they communicate and interact with each other throughout the day, spending time together and…
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Illustrated by Natasha Nayo 3 stars It’s Kwame’s first year at Nkonyaa School, where children learn about their innate magic and how to use it with the help of magical calabashes. But when he arrives, his teachers can’t figure out the magic of his calabash. A fun adventure inspired by Akan beliefs and practices. Mensah…
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