Poorlier Drawn Lines (Poorly Drawn Lines #3)

by Reza Farazmand 5 stars Hilarious. This is the first of the books I’ve read, but I’ve read the comics online and enjoyed watching the show adaptation. Farazmand’s style is a great blend of optimism, snark, and humor. I really love all the reoccurring Poorly Drawn Lines characters he’s created. Perfect for those who enjoy…

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Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

5 stars A powerful novel-in-verse that takes on the cycle of violence and vengeance. A non-traditional ghost story that follows Will who seeks revenge after his brother’s murder. The majority of the story takes place in the 16 seconds it takes to ride the elevator to the lobby. In that time, Reynolds grabs the reader’s…

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The Yawns Are Coming! by Christopher Eliopoulos

4 stars An adorable story about a sleepover invaded by the Yawns. Two best friends have a plan to stay up all night to complete their list of fun things. But some uninvited guests show up to disrupt their plans. I loved the physical representations of the Yawns and other sleep-related elements. The illustrations were…

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Myths and Legends of Africa by Scott A. Leonard

4 stars A nice introduction to African myths and legends. There are 11 stories included in total that range from 1 to 4 pages. Photographs of various elements associated with the story are paired with each. I especially liked that the book isn’t just a collection of stories with no context. After each story, there…

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A Giraffe and a Half by Shel Silverstein

3 stars A fun, silly tale that builds nicely. It starts with a boy and a giraffe then continues to add elements in the same vein as There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Each addition is paired with a new illustration, which helps break up the repetition of the text. Humorous story that…

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Grumpy Unicorn: Why Me? by Joey Spiotto

3 stars A humorous book filled with sass and sarcasm. The illustrations are very fun. Colorful, silly, and full of grumpiness. This book introduces readers to Grumpy Unicorn. It consists of short comics with a variety of themes such as holidays, daily activities, and travel. Great for fans of non-traditional unicorns. A quick, fun read…

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Up to No Ghoul (The Ghoul Next Door #2)

By Cullen Bunn Illustrations by Cat Farris 4 stars A fantastic follow-up to the wonderfully creepy The Ghoul Next Door. This one picks up right where the last one left off, with Grey and Lavinia forced apart. But when a new threat rolls in to Ander’s Landing, they must break the rules to save the town….

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Pure Sea Glass: Discovering Nature’s Vanishing Gems

by Richard LaMotte Photography by Celia Pearson 4 stars A great resource for learning more about sea glass. Provides details about the origin, history, and prevalence of different colors and types of glass. Also provides details for identification of bottles, tableware, flat glass, marbles, insulators, and more. There is also a section that breaks down…

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Aster and the Mixed-Up Magic (Aster, #2) by Thom Pico

Illustrated by Karensac 5 stars A wonderful follow-up to Aster’s adventures in book one. This volume includes new perils, some familiar characters, and tons of adventure. As with the first book, this one is broken into two interconnected tales, each with magic, danger, and Aster’s quick-thinking. Karensac’s artwork is spectacular. Loved seeing new character designs…

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Primates

The Fearless Science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani, Illustrated by Maris Wicks 2 stars I really wanted to love this book. The illustrations are great, often working in details that aren’t touched on in the text. I love the focus on women in science and their extraordinary passion. However,…

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