I Love My Magic! by Kelly Leigh Miller

4 stars Short and sweet. Willow loves using magic. But sometimes she uses it too much. When her wand is confiscated, Willow has to do things a different way… and it’s maybe not as bad as it first seemed. Cute messages about seeing the world in different ways and using your talents for good, not…

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Athena the Brain (Goddess Girls Graphic Novels #1)

Created by Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams Adapted by David Camptiti Illustrated by Eduardo Garcia 2 stars Athena has just found out some shocking news. She’s the daughter of Zeus and now she’s being summoned to Mount Olympus Academy. She’ll meet new friends (and enemies), create some exciting inventions, and try to get the hang…

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Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise, Part 2

by Gene Luen Yang Illustrated by Gurihiru 3 stars Continues the story established in Part 1. I checked out the first two books from the library together and didn’t realize there was a third book, so I was thinking this would wrap up more quickly. Still, this one offers a nice break from the major…

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Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Promise, Part 1

by Gene Luen Yang Illustrated by Gurihiru 3 stars This graphic novel spin-off picks up where the show left off. Aang and Katara are getting all cutesy, giving Sokka major “oogies”. Toph has started a school for metalbending. And Zuko has become the new Fire Lord, establishing the Harmony Restoration Movement to remove Fire Nation…

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Dragonbreath (Dragonbreath #1) by Ursula Vernon

2.5 stars A fun story that takes readers to the ocean depths to learn about life under the sea. After getting an F on a paper, Danny does some field research with the help of his best friend, Wendell, and his cousin, Edward. Together, they explore the Sargasso Sea, search for treasure in a sunken…

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Rory and the Magical Mix-Ups (Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy #1)

by Kallie George Illustrated by Lorenz Alvarez Gómez 4 stars Such a sweet story! Rory dreams of being a fairy godmother, but she’s having trouble with her magical spelling. It’s her first week at Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy and no matter how hard she tries, her spells aren’t going as planned. Will she be ready for…

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Insomniacs After School Volume 1 by Makoto Ojiro

Translated by Andria Cheng 4 stars A sweet, low-stakes manga featuring unexpected friendship, life after dark, and an adorable cat. Ganta Nakami can’t sleep. When he discovers classmate, Isaki Magari’s secret hideout, they bond over their shared sleep issues. They form their own secret club and start fixing up the old observatory to make a…

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The Queen of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes

Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton 5 stars A sweet companion book to The King of Kindergarten. MJ’s mom gives her a tiara to wear on the first day of school and tells her how to be a good queen. This includes brightening up the room, being caring and kind, and helping others. MJ does just that, making…

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The Worry Balloon by Mónica Mancillas

Illustrated by Betty C. Tang 4 stars The first day of school has arrived, but with it comes Isla’s worries. With her Mami by her side, Isla practices mindfulness, visualization, and positive thinking to battle her anxiety and blow the worry balloon away. Beautiful illustrations. Nice visual representations of how Isla’s feelings influence how she…

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John’s Turn by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Kate Berube 3 stars A visually pleasing story that perfectly encapsulates the beauty of doing something you love. Every Friday, one of the students gets to share a talent with the entire school. Today, it’s John’s turn. He’s nervous all day, but as he starts performing, magic happens. The illustrations are wonderful. It…

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