Living With… Allergies by Nancy Dickmann

with consultant Marjorie Hogan, MD 3 stars An interesting non-fiction picture book about allergies. The book covers what causes allergies, common allergens, various symptoms, and how they are treated. The content is simplified for a young audience. It goes through various concepts such as allergens in an easy to understand way. The book is formatted…

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Wei Skates On by Nathan Chen

Illustrated by Lorraine Nam 5 stars A fantastic story about accepting your mistakes, working hard, and finding joy in doing what you love. A nice message that winning isn’t everything. The story doesn’t deny that winning feels good. But the emphasis is on doing what you love, trying your best, and making yourself proud. The…

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Storyteller Skye: Teaching from My Ojibway Grandfather

by Lindsay Christina King Illustrated by Carolyn Frank 5 stars Such a wonderful read! At the start, we are introduced to Skye, who shares stories from her grandfather about the natural world. They explain the origins of animal characteristics such as raccoon’s black mask, beaver’s large teeth, and rabbit’s long ears. Each story ends with…

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Stacey’s Remarkable Books by Stacey Abrams

Illustrated by Kitt Thomas 5 stars Such a sweet story. It explores themes of a love of books and reading, making new friends, celebrating differences, and not being afraid to try new things, even if you aren’t good at them right away. When Stacey meets Julie, they dream of reading every story in the library…

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If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams

4 stars In this nonfiction picture book, Williams discusses the role of sharks in the oceans and what could possibly happen if sharks went extinct. Wonderful to see sharks presented beyond a scary element. The text is simple, breaking down a complex system into something more easily digestible for a young audience. There are more…

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Frankenslime by Joy Keller

Illustrated by Ashley Belote 4 stars A fun story about experimentation, creativity, and new friends. Victoria Franken loves slime. She’s known for her creative recipes. But has her latest recipe gone too far? A delightful spin on the story of Frankenstein. While it is silly and fun, it also works in some scientific elements in…

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Mothman Baby! by Elias Barks

Illustrated by Zoe Persico 4 stars Another sweet bedtime board book from Hazy Dell Press. In this one, join Mothman Baby as he swoops through West Virginia, visiting friends and doing good deeds. Adorable illustrations. Rhythmic, rhyming text. And a paranormal nighttime journey. The book features 6 chunky flaps to open to reveal strange happenings…

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Bigfoot Baby! by Elias Barks

Illustrated by Meg Hunt 4 stars Spend the day with Bigfoot Baby as they visit friends and explore their forest home. A sweet, rhyming book with adorable illustrations. This chunky board book includes 6 thick, sturdy flaps for readers to discover what’s hidden in the forest. Sweet and whimsical. Great for bedtime. Goodreads

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Hush Now, Banshee!: A Not-So-Quiet Counting Book

by Kyle Sullivan & Derek Sullivan 4 stars A delightfully sweet counting book filled with Irish folklore. Banshee wanders through the forest, looking for someone to play with. But everyone is having quiet time. Can she learn how to enjoy quiet time with her friends? I loved that despite her volume, her friends still want…

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Payden’s Pronoun Party by Blue Jaryn

Illustrated by Xochitl Cornejo 5 stars A delightful picture book that normalizes questioning one’s gender identity, surrounding yourself with supportive friends and family, and finding a good fit for you. Payden doesn’t quite feel like a boy and sets out to talk to friends and community members about how they found their pronouns. The books…

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