by Cynthia Levinson Illustrated by Mirelle Ortega 4 stars A powerful fictionalized account that tells the story of Plyler v. Doe, which mandated free public school education for all US residents regardless of immigration status. This nonfiction picture book follows Alfredo Lopez who loves school where he can learn and see his friends. But one…
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Translated by Elina Ishikawa 4 stars A hilarious and relatable collection of comics perfect for cat-lovers. Tamako Tamagoyama shares the strange behaviors of her two rescue cats, Ton-chan and Shino-san. Includes relatable adventures in living with a cat such as intense cat stares, nail cutting, navigating the dynamics of a two-cat household, converting husbands to…
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5 stars I read the graphic novel adaptation of this book a few years ago and loved it. Finally got around to reading the original and was not disappointed. Molly moves with her family to a renovated church in the middle of nowhere, complete with a quiet little graveyard. The place creeps Molly out, but…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Ah, my heart can’t take this! In order to save Shiva, Teacher must make an unbearable decision, but can their relationship withstand his choice? Beautiful artwork. An intriguing story. I absolutely adore these characters. This volume takes quite the turn. We also get a peek at how…
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Story by Mizuki Tsujimura Illustrated by Tomo Taketomi Translated by Jacqueline Fung 4 stars I watched the anime adaptation and absolutely loved it so of course I had to check out the manga. The first volume did not disappoint. Plagued with intense stomach pains, Kokoro is staying home again. But today is different. Today she…
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Illustrated by Jorge Lacera 4 stars A short and sweet comics-style picture book. Absolutely adorable. Four friends are convinced there is a monster living in the forest near their shared apartment building, Wild Oaks. They just can’t decide which monster (and their favored snack). When their beloved apartment building is scheduled for demolition, they turn…
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by James LaRue 3 stars A quick read that works well as an introduction to the topics of censorship, book challenges and bans, and intellectual freedom. As a public librarian, I appreciate LaRue’s accounts of fighting censorship and his examples of how challenges can arise, how to deal with them, and why giving in to…
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Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie 3 stars On the fence about this one. I loved the ways that Winnie’s teacher recognizes Winnie’s needs and finds ways to involve the whole class in meeting those needs together. They all participate in fun activities and in the process connect with Winnie. However, the basis of the book relies…
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by Irinbi Illustrated by Grrr Translated by Kakao Entertainment 5 stars It feels like I’ve waited an eternity for my library to get a copy of this book. Now that it finally has, this volume did not disappoint! Ailette is getting the hang of her new transmigrated life. When she gets an opportunity to meet the…
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Illustrated by Danielle Arrington 3.5 stars A sweet story about treating your hair with love and kindness. With the help of her older sister, a young girl learns how to care for her hair and treat it like a friend. The story goes through various steps of hair care, pointing out when the be gentle…
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