Illustrated by Minnie Phan 5 stars A remarkable story of bravery, hope, and working toward a better future. Set during the 2020 California wildfires, the story follows Simone as she and her mother evacuate. Though Simone is scared, her mother helps calm her by recounting her own evacuation during a flood in Viet Nam. Using…
Read More
Illustrated by Brenda Hickey 4 stars After noticing an abundance of litter on their latest camping trip in the White Tail Woods, the Cutie Mark Crusaders team up with an unexpected ally to help preserve the forest. A fun mystery turned pursuit of environmental justice with a little cryptid-style storyline woven throughout. I loved seeing…
Read More
5 stars A fantastically-worded poetic letter about figuring it out, being enough, and chasing your dreams. Wonderful imagery. Full of power, inspiration, and the vulnerability of admitting you don’t know it all. I loved the visual elements of the text with changes in fonts, sizes, and grayscale highlighting. Pure Reynolds. Lyrical, powerful, inspirational, and honest….
Read More
2 stars A fast-paced adventure tale of saving the world and the balance of light and dark The looming threat of the Ruckus has returned. In order to restore balance, five Wiz’s (I don’t know why this is the plural form but it is apparently) must band together to summon the Great Wiz. But is…
Read More
Translated by Kat Skarbinec 4 stars Wholesome and delightful. Welcome to Cafe Hachiware, a mysterious cat cafe that only presents itself to weary souls. Inside, you’ll find a cat barista, ready to make you the drink he thinks you need and offer some helpful advice. Each chapter presents a trouble human with their own problem….
Read More
Illustrated by Sarah Rebar 5 stars An absolutely adorable pickle-filled adventure. Kennedy wants to have a pickle party for her birthday, but Waffles accidently drops the last jar. Determined to set things right, Waffles and Mochi learn all about making pickles and the time it takes to make them. Well-written, especially for an early reader….
Read More
Illustrated by Joey Ellis 1 star Came for zombie unicorn hilarity, left very disappointed. Not particularly well-written in my opinion. The events were pretty boring and the plot is meandering. This is the first book so maybe the adventures get more interesting after the initial setup, but nothing much really happened. There are garbage-eating zombie…
Read More
Inspired by the characters of Roald Dahl Illustrated by Emily Jones 4 stars A brand-new adventure featuring the Twits. The infamously grouchy couple is about to face their biggest challenge yet: new neighbors. To add insult to injury, these neighbors are nice and pleasant and disgustingly lovely. Follow along as they try to get rid…
Read More
Illustrated by Brenda Hickey 3.5 stars Learn about some of the lost legends of Equestria. As Sunburst explores Star Swirl the Bearded’s study, he finds previously unknown legends written by the famous wizard himself. Diving into the stories, he learns of Equestria’s history and its secrets. The six stories center around the Elements of Virtue:…
Read More
by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Another haunting volume. Piece by piece we learn more about the curse and the strange inhabitants of the Outside. After a terrible loss, Teacher and Shiva face new challenges that seek to draw them apart and Teacher must contemplate what is best for Shiva. Adorable, eerie, and…
Read More