4 stars After a summer spent studying for Chinese school, playing soccer, and bonding with her grandmother visiting from Taiwan, Měi Yīng is excited to start fifth grade. But then she becomes the target of new kid Sid’s racist jokes. Should she ignore him like everyone suggests or stand up to his ignorance? Great themes…
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2 stars This one was okay. Took a quick dive into fantasy, which was unexpected. Based on the cover, I thought there would be more sharks in this one. Growing up, I was always too scared to read Goosebumps because of the covers. But now that I’ve read a few as an adult, I realize…
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5 stars A stunning graphic novel featuring all sorts of ghosts from spooky to friendly to downright adorable. A great adventure with plenty of humor, friendship, and mischief along the way. I loved this book. July Chen’s yin-yang eyes allow her to see ghosts. She usually tries to ignore them, but when she encounters a…
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3 stars Wizkit is a wizard’s apprentice who prefers lounging inside and using magic to get out of doing work. But when the wizard instructs her to return an overdue library book, she’s forced to set out on a quest with the chatty book. Along the way, the pair make new friends, help other’s with…
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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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4 stars Wasn’t sure what to expect, but this one was adorable. Meet Gumluck, also known as the Little Wizard Who Lives in the Big Hill, or so he thinks. He spends his time thinking of others, helping them without thanks, and doing his best to make them happy. All he really wants is to…
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Narrated by Hope Newhouse 5 stars A tree, a table, and a book. Three little tales have the unexpected power of connecting the past to the present in a whole new way. Absolutely beautiful. Sophie W. is 11 years old. Sophie G. is 88. Despite their age gap, they are best friends. When the elder…
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Illustrated by Anna Volcan 2 stars Some dynamics of school stay the same no matter where you are. Feeling like an outsider, getting used to new teachers, and the quandary of where to sit in the cafeteria. These are true even if your school is attended by ghosts, werewolves, and vampires. This is a pretty…
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by Christine Virnig Illustrated by Korwin Briggs 4 stars Fascinating, entertaining, and downright disgusting. This was a great read. Grabbed this from the library based on the title alone and was not disappointed. Virnig takes the reader on a trip through time to learn about some of history’s grossest jobs, from a dining room attendant…
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Illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff 5 stars I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The novel-in-verse genre at its finest. I absolutely loved this book. Well-written with engaging characters, powerful themes, and a wonderful story. Includes themes of friends growing apart, loss, grief, guilt, racism, crushes, masculinity, family, and societal expectations. There was…
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