The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

4 stars Delightfully spooky. An unexpectedly sweet story featuring an old house in the woods, a skull, and a brave girl looking for a place to stay. After running away from home, Otilla comes across a house whose sole occupant is a kindly skull. Little does she know, the skull has a secret and that…

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Tap! Tap! Tap!: Dance! Dance! Dance! by Hervé Tullet

3 stars A fun, interactive book that sends your hands dancing. The book becomes the dance floor and you are the star. Turn the page and follow the actions to explore movement, creativity, and art. Great for learning and practicing verbs such as twirl, bounce, weave, freeze, and fall, adjectives like light, wild, big, small,…

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They’re So Flamboyant by Michael Genhart

Illustrated by Tony Neal 3.5 stars An adorable picture book about inclusion, acceptance, and not making assumptions about others. When a flamboyance of flamingos moves into the neighborhood, the other birds are upset by their bright colors and bold appearances. Finally, they decide to confront them. But when they arrive, they see their new neighborhoods…

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Black Roses: Odes Celebrating Powerful Black Women

by Harold Green III Illustrated by Melissa Koby 3 stars Such a great idea for a poetry collection. Pulling from various fields including sports, politics, music, art, and activism, Green highlights powerful Black women who have impacted and inspired him. This includes women such as Tarana Burke, Misty Copeland, Kamala Harris, Janelle Monáe, Nikole Hannah-Jones,…

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Comics for a Strange World (Poorly Drawn Lines #2)

by Reza Farazmand 4 stars Another hilarious collection of comics from the Poorly Drawn Lines universe, complete with some classic characters and new faces. I really enjoy Farazmand’s blend of snark, oddity, and humor. Weird in the best of ways. Definitely a fun read. Goodreads

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Coral’s Reef Vol. 1 by David Lumsdon

Illustrated by Shiei 3 stars I loved the My Little Pony: The Manga – A Day in the Life of Equestria Vol. 1 so I was really excited to see these two team up again. Welcome to Reef Beach, home to many fantastical residents including ifrits, sea sprites, sirens, kappa, and more. Follow Coral as she makes…

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Stitch by Stitch: Cleve Jones and the AIDS Memorial Quilt

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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Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac

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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The Race by Édouard Manceau

Translated by Sarah Quinn 3 stars A strange but entertaining read. Manceau describes a race between caribou from an outsider’s perspective who knows nothing about races. This leads to some humorous descriptions and interpretations (the finish line, the starting pistol, the lineup at the start of the race). The pictures are fun and give a…

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A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett

4 stars Perfectly Pratchett. A fantastic collection of fantasy and sci-fi stories featuring ghosts, dragons, wizards, talking animals, and time travelers. What a fun read. Its history is as interesting as the stories themselves. Loved diving into this collection of recently discovered stories, the majority originally published under the pseudonym Patrick Kearns. The collection features…

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