by Rob Sanders Illustrated by Robbie Cathro 5 stars Absolutely adorable. This delightful picture book tells the story of Michael McConnell and Jack Baker’s journey to getting married. Told by the two grooms on their wedding cake, it follows how they met all the way through their decades-long marriage. Beautifully written with lovely parallels drawn…
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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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5 stars Another fantastic collection. This series is so sweet. I love how supportive Hiroki’s mom is and how she is willing to learn from him and respect his privacy. In the second volume, we learn a little bit more about Yuri, witness a reunion with a childhood friend, and see Hiroki’s friendship with Daigo…
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by Shou Arai Translated by Massiel Gutierrez 2.5 stars An interesting read about gender, aging, relationships, and living as an intersex person. Arai works in various topics including sex, age differences, culture, and gender expression. It was especially interesting to learn about some of the intricacies of living as an LGBTQIA+ person in Japan such…
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by HF Brownfield and Kayla Coombs 3 stars Delightfully-sweet chaos. Quinnelope’s got a craving for cookies, but they seem in sort supply. Together with her trusty butler, Bub, and companion, Star, she sets off on a quest to rescue the Cookie King and bring back the cookies. Packed with humor, bright illustrations, and sugary fun….
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Translated by Leo McDonagh 4 stars Initially I wasn’t sure about this based on the title, but it was pleasantly sweet. Hiroki’s mother is pretty sure her son is gay. His various slipups seem to confirm her suspicions. Through it all, she is caring, accepting, and patient with him, always letting him know that she…
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Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita 4 stars This is all around a touching and wholesome story. While Mommy leaves on a work trip, the main character stays home with Mama. They go about their daily routines, but things are a little different without Mommy. Works well for discussing missing someone and waiting for them to come…
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Illustrated by Gillian Reid 3.5 stars It’s her very first picture day and Molly is excited. But when Mom reveals the dress she wants Molly to wear, all that excitement is gone. The dress has a weird collar and puffy parts and no pockets. It doesn’t feel like Molly at all. Now Molly has to…
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by Rob Sanders Illustrated by Jamey Christoph 4 stars A beautiful book that depicts the remarkable story of the AIDS Memorial Quilt through lyrical text and wonderful illustrations. In this narrative nonfiction picture book, Sanders tells some of the major events in Cleve Jones’ life alongside the development of AIDS in America. Interspersed throughout the…
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5 stars Hard-hitting and wonderfully told. Aiden has always felt different. He doesn’t fit in at school. His family life is chaotic. It’s the year before he starts high school and he’s at his favorite place, summer camp. But things aren’t going as well as he’d like. Despite his friendships and interesting camp courses, he…
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