Illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov Narrated by Christopher Hampton 5 stars I’ll admit I put off reading this one because I didn’t think I’d ever like a Western. But oh my gosh, this book was so good. Will and his father set out from Texas to Oklahoma to stake their claim during the Land…
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by Judy Katschke 4 stars The Trenchcoat Twins are off to Camp Wishing Well, but things are already off to a rocky start. Snacks around camp have gone missing and Mary-Kate is the prime suspect. The twins must gather the clues and catch the real culprit to clear Mary-Kate’s name before she’s sent home. I’ve…
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by Haro Aso Illustrated by Kotaro Takata Translated by Nova Skipper 4 stars The team has made it to Akira’s hometown and are settling in nicely. That is until a group of miscreants with their own bucket list enact their plan to cause chaos and turn everyone into zombies. Now they’ll have to team up…
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Illustrated by Leeza Hernandez 5 stars A fun read that blends cats, vehicles, and humor. Follow a crew of colorful cats as they build the perfect cat lounge complete with nap nooks, scratching posts, perches, and hidey-holes. But uh-oh, looks like some rats are trying to help. Instead, they cause a big mess. Can the…
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Illustrated by James Mayhew 5 stars A richly illustrated fairy tale of the love shared between a merman and a human. While marketed as an “update to The Little Mermaid story”, that doesn’t feel quite right. A merperson falls in love with a human and his father thinks humans are too dangerous. That’s where the…
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by Lydia Corry 3 stars Through simple narration and stunning artwork, Corry explores the life and adventures of Emily Dickinson. Along with her trusty canine companion, Dickinson explores the outdoor world, traveling through meadows and pastures, a grove of woods, a leafy forest, and a stream. Readers take a peek into Dickinson’s family life, friendships,…
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by Lisa Fiedler 4 stars I loved this series as a kid. It was really fun to dive back in as an adult. I don’t think I read this one in particular before. Mary-Kate and Ashley are off to cheer camp. They’re having so much fun and Ashley is even nominated as a candidate for…
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Illustrated by Emily Holden 5 stars A sweet story about love, happiness, belonging, and connection with a fascinating cast of characters. Ruby the barista at the local coffee shop may seem a little strange. That’s because she’s actually a super-genius humanoid created in a lab to solve problems. After escaping the lab, she tries her…
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by Shelia P. Moses Illustrated by Gillian Flint 5 stars Follow the journey of Opal Lee from a young girl living in segregated Texas to a passionate volunteer and activist. The book provides information about Lee’s childhood, education, career, volunteerism, and her activism to make Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday. Nicely told. I really…
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3 stars A nice modern adaptation of Little Women that makes some very satisfying changes to the original story. Following Jo’s perspective, this version shows her dealing with crushes, unreciprocated feelings, friendship, joining the school newspaper, sisterhood, exploring her love of writing, and understanding her own feelings and identity. Nice artwork. Great themes of friendship,…
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