A Thousand White Butterflies

by Jessica Betancourt-Perez and Karen Lynn Williams Illustrated by Gina Maldonado 4 stars A sweet story about new experiences, a new home, and a new friend. After Isabella and her mother move to the United States from Colombia, Isabella is anxious for the first day of school and making new friends. There’s a lot to…

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Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy

5 stars A hilarious and heartwarming coming of age tale about figuring out your identity. At her old school, Huda was “the hijabi girl”. But when her family moves to a new town, she’s no longer the only one wearing hijab. She must come to terms with her identity issues and learn who she truly…

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Nick and Charlie: A Heartstopper Novella by Alice Oseman

4 stars The Heartstopper boys are back! Loved catching up with Nick and Charlie. In this novella, Nick is excited to head off to university, but that enthusiasm makes Charlie feel left behind. A fun story in which we get a bit of an update on the Heartstopper characters including Tao, Elle, Tori, Aled, Harry,…

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Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor

4 stars A heartwarming story about a town coming together to search for a missing child. Aurora and Frenchie are best friends. But when Aurora starts making new friends, she finds it difficult to balance her friendship with Frenchie, who is autistic and nonvocal. When Frenchie goes missing, a part of Aurora can’t help but…

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Something About Grandma by Tania de Regil

5 stars A delightful picture book celebrating the intergenerational love between a child and her grandmother. While her parents wait for the new baby to arrive, Julia visits her grandmother’s house near Mexico City. There, she experiences the magic of her grandmother’s home and the magic of her grandmother herself. Through homesickness, joy, and comfort,…

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A Sweet New Year for Ren

by Michelle Sterling Illustrated by Dung Ho 3 stars A deliciously sweet story for a sweet new year. Every year, Ren hopes she can finally help make pineapple cakes for Lunar New Year. Will this be her year? A delightful story with wonderfully warm illustrations. Nice scenes of togetherness and moments of sharing and teaching….

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Birthday Blues (Nikki & Deja #2) by Karen English

Illustrated by Laura Freeman 3 stars A cute series for young readers. Deja is excited for her upcoming birthday party. But when her class rival decides to have a party the same day, she worries whether her party will be so great after all. This is the first book in the series that I’ve read….

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The Night Before Lunar New Year

Natasha Wing with Lingfeng Ho Illustrated by Amy Wummer 4 stars A fun real-aloud story focusing on Lunar New Year. Follow Mei Mei and her family as they prepare for and celebrate the spring festival. This includes cleaning, decorating, cooking, and setting off firecrackers. But the loud noises meant to chase away Nian are too…

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Friends Are Friends, Forever by Dane Liu

Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield 5 stars A beautiful story of friendship, sharing traditions, and making new connections. This was such a sweet book. Best friends Dandan and Yueyue spend one last Lunar New Year together before Dandan moves to America. Before she leaves, Yueyue gives Dandan a special gift and an important message. In America,…

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