The Quest for Snacks (Cat & Cat Adventures #1) by Susie Yi

3 stars An adorable magical adventure complete with new friends, unexpected danger, and the quest for unlimited snacks. In the first book starring two characters from Yi’s webcomic, Squash and Ginny set out to collect the ingredients for an unlimited snack potion. Along the way, they encounter difficult dilemmas, problems requiring some creative thinking, and…

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Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

4 stars A heartfelt tale of friendship, community, and a bit of wonder. Red the wishtree has a lot to offer: shade, homes for animals, and a place for wishes. But perhaps their most important contribution is one not directly evident. Through their story, they promote acceptance, understanding, and sympathy. A sweet tale about different…

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Tidesong by Wendy Xu

4 stars A gorgeous book to immerse yourself in. Beautiful artwork, a captivating story, and wonderful lessons and messages. Reminiscent of Kay O’Neill‘s The Tea Dragon Society. Gentle fantasy with fantastic artwork. This book is so much more than pretty pictures and Xu accomplishes a lot with a relatively simple story. Sophie’s insecurity is easy to relate…

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Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

4 stars A heartwarming and magical tale that explores family structures, fantasy versus reality, and self-discovery. Mystery, secrets, and magic combine to explore some of the complexities of growing up and coming into one’s self. The majority of the book is in black and white, which makes the full-color fantasy scenes even more magical. The…

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My Magical Unicorn by Yujin Shin

5 stars This has everything I look for and love in a board book. Fun, colorful artwork, a simple but sweet story (bonus points for rhyming), and activities to keep little ones entertained. This push, pull, slide adventure has plenty to keep little hands busy as they journey through a magical land with a unicorn…

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The Wish Tree by Kyo Maclear, Illustrated by Chris Turnham

4 stars A sweet story about a little boy and his toboggan who set out on a journey to find the elusive wish tree. Along the way they encounter some new animal friends and help them with their own tasks. This is such an adorable story about kindness and helping others. Loved the simple magic…

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