3 stars This one took me a bit to get into. It deals with so many heavy topics: puberty, looking older than one’s age, sexual harassment, parental neglect, addiction, death of a parent, and being shuttled from one “home” to the next. But once I dove into the narration and story, I was swept up…
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4 stars A powerful read that demands to be heard, that defines its own voice, and rejects any false labels others try to pin on it. This book empowers readers to be themselves, to be who they are in all the ways they are. With messages of confidence, bravery, perseverance, curiosity, respect, humor, tenderness, and…
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4 stars A beautiful exploration of the ways differences can separate people, but common interests can bridge the gaps to bring them closer together. Spanning age, language, and culture, Lê demonstrates how relationships do not have to be defined by the words we use to communicate. All they need is a shared space to overcome…
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5 stars A powerful tale of a life lived and how quickly the world can change. Inside Out & Back Again tells the story of a year in the life of Hà, based on Thanhha Lai’s own childhood. In that year (1975), Hà experiences the Fall of Saigon, the treacherous journey by ship to America,…
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4 stars A delicious book recounting the tale of a girl trying different foods (even though pizza is the best!) for the sake of science. Perfect for pizza lovers of all ages and a good reminder about how fun (and delectable!) it can be to try new foods. Gianna Ruggiero‘s illustrations are just the right…
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5 stars A mouthwatering collection packed with facts, recipes, and adorable illustrations. Anytime I picked this book up, I instantly craved dumplings in one form or another. This book has everything from savory dumplings, to sweet dumplings, more traditional flavors and some riffs. I really enjoyed the mix-and-match style of the book. Amano provides the…
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5 stars What a wonderful way to teach an important lesson. When Amera has a bad day and uses unkind words, her mother suggests tasting her words before she says them, which opens Amera to the power of words. Inspired by Proverbs 16:24, “Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy for…
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5 stars A frightened ghost swept away from his family, a “solid” (aka non-ghost person) who can see ghosts, and a library that has a few mysteries. This was a delightful read. It started off a bit dark with Kaz being blown away from his family. But it ends on a hopeful note and sets…
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3 stars I’m a little conflicted on what version is the best reading experience. I listened to the audio book and Kate Atwater does an absolutely phenomenal job reading. Each character is easily recognizable by the change in her voice and it was such a pleasure to listen to. However, then I realized the physical novel is…
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4 stars Absolutely loved this collection! There is so much positive energy and joy packed into this book. Despite the struggles presented in each story, they all show so much love and acceptance in their themes and characters. There’s a great variety in terms of plot, style, and the authors who wrote them. Loved seeing…
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