5 stars A breathtaking novel-in-verse. Kwame Alexander’s historical fiction novel tells the story of Kofi, an Asante boy on the verge of his initiation into manhood. Though he nears this milestone, there are secrets his elders still keep from him. I loved the emphasis on Kofi’s life in the Asante Kingdom, the various ways readers…
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3 stars A fun adventure featuring demons, riddles, magic, new friends, and a few lessons. Sara has a hard time finding her place at the family Chanukah party. She’s too old for the little kids, ignored by the teens, and doesn’t get along with her brother and the cousins her age. After an unfortunate mishap,…
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3 stars A whirlwind adventure starring an elf kid, a wizard-in-training, a rock troll, an impulsive leader, and a flatulent pig-dog-thing. The Quest Kids set out to rescue a town, but may have bitten off more than they can chew. Along the way, they must face a golden-pants-wearing dragon, an invisible forest, acid swamps, a…
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4 stars An interesting look at the initial outbreak of Covid in Wuhan through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old. Mei loves cooking, improving her skill through an online cooking game. But when the pandemic spreads, Mei faces being separated from her family, a city-wide shutdown, food shortages, neighbors turning on each other, and those around…
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3 stars A hilarious collection of interconnected stories, comics, and infographics. Perfect for fans of anything Dav Pilkey and Mo O’Hara‘s My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish series. Venture to Creep’s Cove and meet the students of Stubtoe Elementary. From Frankie, the fringe scientist, to Quade, the politest sasquatch you’ll ever meet, to Lizzie the reptilian kaiju with anger problems, and…
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2 stars Two things before we get into it: 1. I have not read Mary Downing Hahn’s original novel. 2. I’m reading this right after Wait Till Helen Comes: A Ghost Story Graphic Novel (which I really enjoyed) so I can’t help but compare them. A spooky story set in rural West Virginia, featuring a villainous conjurer,…
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3 stars Based on the novel by James Howe and Deborah Howe A fun graphic novel adaptation of the spooky classic. The book sticks closely to the original tale, complete with Chester, the wannabe vampire slayer, Harold, the trusty narrator with conflicting interests, and Bunnicula, the mysterious new addition to the family. As with the…
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5 stars A delightful ghost story centered around friendship and growing up. This book is absolutely beautiful! I loved every moment of it. It is sweet, relatable, gut-wrenching, and heartwarming all rolled into one gorgeous package. The artwork is fantastic. I really enjoyed the cozy art style and Yee perfectly captures the emotions of her…
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4 stars Delightfully spooky and surprisingly heartwarming. I never read Mary Downing Hahn’s novels growing up, but I just might after finishing this graphic novel adaptation. An interesting way to revive an older tale and make it more appealing to a modern audience. A new house, a blended family, and sinister secrets. This story had…
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3 stars A fun epistolary series for young readers. Told entirely through letters, notes, newspaper articles, and reports, this book is full of mischief, humor, and blossoming friendships. A writer who hasn’t written in 20 years, a ghost who wants to be published, a boy whose paranormal-researcher-parents distance themselves from his assertions that ghosts are…
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