Illustrated by Vali Mintzi 5 stars A beautiful story of hope and light in dark times and the power of books. When war reaches their home in Damascus, cousins Nour and Amir band together to create a secret library. Together with their friends and neighbors, they collect books from abandoned homes and bombed buildings to…
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Illustrated by Edward Miller Consultant: Lezette Rivera 4 stars A sweet board book celebrating different skin colors. I loved the interactive aspects of the book, from the spinning wheel to a spot to look at and incorporate your own skin color to those presented in the book. Talks about people having different skin colors and…
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Illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz 4 stars A sweet picture book following a family through their day and showcasing how they show their love. From a trip to the farm and car singalongs to bath time and watching a storm, baby loves spending time with their two mothers and feeling their love. Lovely, soft, calming…
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Translated by Gittemarie Johansen, Jens Damborg Jens, and Christian Bredvig Fjordside 4 stars A great introduction to living more sustainably. I love the approach Johansen takes in this book. She recognizes that people don’t have the same abilities and privileges, and encourages readers to do what works for them and not to feel guilty about…
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Illustrated by Bryan Collier 5 stars A beautiful biography in verse recounting various moments in the life of Maya Angelou. From her childhood to her reading “On the Pulse of Morning” at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton, the book shares glimpses throughout Angelou’s life. It includes moments from her childhood, her work as a…
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by Annelise Ryan 3 stars A cozy mystery with a cryptid twist. Cryptozoologist and bookstore-owner, Morgan Carter, is hired to help the police with an open investigation. The bodies of animals and humans have been washing up on the shores of Lake Michigan with mysterious injuries and Morgan is tasked with determining if their deaths…
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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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3 stars A sweet story based on the author’s memories of attending Pride parades with their mothers. To be in the parade, Emily knows you have to be loud, proud, and colorful, but is Emily enough of those things to participate? With the encouragement of Mama and Mommy, Emily learns there is no one way…
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Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell 5 stars A beautiful story of grief, loss, and remembering. The narrator and her grandfather have a special box of treasures that is all their own. Together, they add to the collection. But when her grandfather passes away, the narrator doesn’t want to open the box anymore; it will just…
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4 stars An entertaining 80s/90s throwback with a fun Goosebumps-vibe for a YA audience. In 1987, Cori, Maz, and Sam are the best of friends. But after Sam goes missing, nothing is the same. Flash forward five years and Maz and Cori no longer see each other. That is until Sam comes back. Now they’ll…
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