From Garden to Pickle by Penelope S. Nelson

2 stars A simple look at how pickles are made for early readers. Simple narration paired with bright stock photos provides an overview of how pickles are made. Doesn’t provide much detail beyond pick, scrub, add brine, seal, and wait. Short, simple sentences between 1 to 7 words long. I did enjoy the infographic at…

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The Gingerbread Man: Buttons on the Loose by Laura Murray

Illustrated by Mike Lowery 3 stars A cute little early graphic novel. Join the Gingerbread Man as he searches for his missing buttons in this adorable rhyming tale. Cute artwork. Great rhythm and rhyme. Short and simple story with dynamic illustrations. A nice next step for those who enjoy the picture book series and a…

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Rarity’s Charity by G. M. Berrow

3 stars An early chapter book adaptation of My Little Pony: Rarity and the Curious Case of Charity. Rarity is excited for her new apprentice to arrive, but when Charity takes her idolization of Rarity too far, Rarity must figure out how to be the mentor Charity actually needs. While it’s the same story, the chapters…

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At Blackwater Pond: Mary Oliver Reads Mary Oliver

5 stars A wonderful collection of poems read by Mary Oliver herself pulled from throughout her writing career. A fantastic listen. Featuring birds, plants, and the natural world, Oliver reflects on beauty, virtue, death, and more. I loved listening to these poems and especially hearing Oliver tell them. She reads each poem with her own…

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Lauren McGill’s Pickle Museum by Jerdine Nolen

Illustrated by Debbie Tilley 3 stars An odd little adventure dedicated to pickles. Lauren McGill is obsessed with pickles. She loves everything about them. After an eventful field trip to a pickle factory, her classmates realize how great pickles are too. Now Lauren doesn’t feel special and isn’t sure she likes pickles anymore… until inspiration…

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Adventure Time: The Fionna and Cake Compendium Vol. 1

5 stars Fast-paced adventures featuring battles with the Ice Queen, an epic Card Wars tournament, and mini-quests. This volume compiles Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake #1-6 (Natasha Allegri, Betty Liang), Adventure Time with Fionna & Cake: Card Wars #1-6 (Jen Wang, Britt Wilson), and a variety of short comics (ND Stevenson, Lucy Knisley, Kate…

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Before the Ships: The Birth of Black Excellence by Maisha Oso

Illustrated by Candice Bradley 5 stars A lyrical tribute to Black history, culture, and resilience. Fighting against Black history being boiled down to only slavery and the Civil Rights Movement, Oso highlights the complexity and diversity of Black history in the time before the transatlantic slave trade. She explores rulers, warriors, creators, builders, and stargazers…

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Please Be OK: A Story about Addiction by Diane O’Neill

Illustrated by Anastasiya Kanavaliuk 4 stars Fiona loves spending time with her older brother, Dylan, but lately Dylan has been acting differently. He rarely leaves his room and Fiona notices him acting strangely. They’ve always been a team, but now Fiona must decide whether to tell her parents about Dylan’s odd behavior. A heartfelt story…

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