Illustrated by Mae Waite 5 stars A poetic celebration of hula and Hawaiian culture and history. Follow a young girl’s journey to become a hula dancer, learning about her heritage, culture, folklore, and the natural world of her island home through dance. Absolutely gorgeous. The artwork is breathtaking. Each page is packed with color, emotion,…
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Illustrated by Michaela Goade 3 stars A lovely story of family, community, and home. A young Cherokee girl and her family are excited to move out of the city to the Cherokee Nation reservation. There they connect with family, nature, and the rhythm of their ancestral home. It is so refreshing to see a positive…
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Illustrated by Xanthe Bouma 3 stars Handling middle school is a whole lot easier when Jess can hang out with best friend, Olivia, and play D&D. But now Olivia wants to bring in more players to their campaign and Jess has no interest in making new friends. A nice story overall. Can easily be read…
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4 stars For Halloween, Hughie volunteers at Harvest House, a haunted house fundraiser highlighting local ghost stories. But strange things start happening at the crossroads by Harvest House. With the help of his friends, Hughie investigates to determine whether something sinister is lurking at the crossroads. A cool blend of mystery, supernatural elements, and current…
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5 stars An absolutely fantastic read! I finished this a few weeks ago now and have been trying to figure out how to put into words how I feel about this book. It’s fantastic. Everything about it is fantastic. When I first saw that Sorell and Waters were teaming up for this, I was expecting…
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3 stars A sweet novel-in-verse about family, perseverance, and the bond between a girl and her dog. Malian is visiting her grandparents on a Wabanaki reservation when the COVID-19 shelter in place order is enacted. Together with Malsum, the mysterious rez dog who adopted her, and her grandparent’s stories, Malian finds the strength to overcome…
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Illustrated by Marcus Cutler 3 stars A humorous rendition of Inuit folklore showing that you don’t always get it right on the first try. During the creation of the world, Guk breathes life into two animals. A walrus whom she gives a large pair of antlers and a caribou with a set of long tusks….
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Illustrated by Michaela Goade 5 stars A truly beautiful book. This picture book adaptation of Joy Harjo’s poem, “Remember”, adds stunning illustrations to a powerful piece that highlights the interconnectedness of the natural world. Goade’s artwork is absolutely stunning. Wonderful use of color and imagery. Each page is a treat. The book wonderfully depicts themes…
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Illustrated by Steph Littlebird 5 stars A beautiful celebration of hair. The illustrations are fantastic. Absolutely beautiful use of color and imagery. The story wonderfully depicts the connection between hair, memories, nature, history, and community. Also deals with loss of a loved one and healing from generational trauma. At the back of the book is…
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by Stacy Wells Illustrated by Jesus Aburto 3 stars Nice story overall. Tobias loves hoop dancing, but is self-conscious about what his peers will think. Will he face his fears and showcase his skills at the talent show? A nice way to learn about some of the basics of hoop dancing. Tobias must deal with…
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