Air by Monica Roe

5 stars What a fantastic read. Emmie, a 12-year-old WCMX enthusiast, runs her own online shop selling custom wheelchair bags to save up for her dream tricked-out wheelchair. But after a minor accident at school, she’s bombarded by support she didn’t ask for and accommodations she doesn’t need. Caught up in all the “well-intentioned” help,…

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crush (Berrybrook Middle School #3) by Svetlana Chmakova

5 stars I always love a visit to Berrybrook Middle School. The third book in the series does not disappoint. I loved Jorge’s character is the second book, so was especially excited to follow him in this one. Jorge is perfectly content to hang out with his two best friends and serve as the quiet…

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Hungry Ghost by Victoria Ying

5 stars This book contains a content note for depictions of disordered eating. A hauntingly beautiful story of friendship, loss, family, and healing. Valerie has always tried to be a “good” daughter. To her, that means giving in to her mother’s concerns about her gaining weight, even if it means taking unhealthy measures to comply….

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A Seed Grows by Antoinette Portis

4 stars Beautiful in its simplicity. Portis wonderfully captures the life cycle of a sunflower in this colorful picture book. Follow a seed through each step of development, highlighting the elements needed for growth – soil, sunlight, water, and air, as the cycle repeats itself. Short, simple phrases on each page cover each step. Lovely,…

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Naming Ceremony by Seina Wedlick

Illustrated by Jenin Mohammed 5 stars A beautiful story celebrating new life and special connections. Amira is excited for her baby sister’s naming ceremony. But as her friends and family arrive, she worries the name she’s chosen isn’t special enough. Soon baby sister will wake and the naming ceremony will begin. Will Amira be ready…

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What’s The T? by Juno Dawson

Illustrated by Soofiya 5 stars A fantastic read that is educational, supportive, affirming, and inclusive. What a great book. Dawson brings a touch a humor to a topic that can often be scary, stressful, and frustrating. She also offers advice and support along the way. While the book is targeted toward teens and young adults…

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Matilda Makes Matzah Balls by Rhonda Cohen

Illustrated by Francesca Galmozzi 3 stars Matilda and her grandmother are preparing for the Passover seder. But this year there’s an exciting change. Matilda gets to help with the matzah ball soup. She adds her creativity to her grandmother’s recipe and together they experiment to make an out of this world creation. A cute representation…

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Ten Minutes to Bed Little Dragon

by Rhiannon Fielding Illustrated by Chris Chatterton 4 stars A sweet bedtime story with a bit of adventure. This is the first Ten Minutes to Bed story that I’ve read. I loved the map of the The Land of Nod on the endpapers (daytime and nighttime versions), which shows places and characters introduced in the…

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Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

Illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks 4 stars Pumpkin spice and everything nice. It’s Deja and Josie’s last autumn working at the Patch and they each have a mission. Josie to finally talk to the Fudge Girl and Deja to eat all her favorite foods at the Patch one last time. While the night doesn’t go…

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When Dimple Met Rishi (Dimple and Rishi #1)

by Sandhya Menon 2 stars A fun, fairly light rom-com between a not-like-other-girls coder and a family-focused romantic. I loved the show adaptation so figured I’d read the book. Dimple loves coding and will do whatever it takes to bring change to the world. Rishi is a hopeless romantic off to meet the girl of…

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