Poems of Parenting by Loryn Brantz

5 stars A sweet, heartwarming, humorous collection of poetry focusing on the ups and downs of parenting. Accompanied by charming line art, these touching and hilarious poems explore the chaos and joys of raising children, from the endless laundry and cleaning to the never-ending tiredness to experiencing every wonderful little thing children do as they…

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A Song for You and I by K. O’Neill

4 stars A ranger who loses sight of who they are. A shepherd more focused on music than the sheep. Follow Rowan and Leone as they find the confidence to be their true selves. A gentle fantasy filled with stunning landscapes, soft moments, deepening connections, and fun characters. Not surprising for O’Neill, but the artwork…

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Please Pay Attention by Jamie Sumner

4 stars Following a traumatic school shooting, Bea takes up horseback riding to help her cope. We see glimpses of Bea’s life before and after the shooting, learning about her experience with cerebral palsy, her adopted mom Max, and her attempts to get her Little, Josie, to come out of her shell. A heartbreaking story….

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Becoming a Ballerina: The Story of Michaela Mabinty DePrince

by Laura Obuobi Illustrated by Olivia Duchess 4 stars An absolutely stunning picture book biography of Michaela Mabinty DePrince. The story follows DePrince’s life from her time at an orphanage in Sierra Leone, her adoption and moving to the US, her passion for ballet growing up, and her success as a ballerina. It also explores…

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Dragon Dreams by Roni Schotter

Illustrated by Khoa Le 3 stars A visually-stunning story promoting peace and kindness, especially between feuding siblings. Using second person narration, the story follows two sisters who, after a day of fighting, share a dream of dragons. The artwork is absolutely stunning. I really enjoyed seeing all the different dragons. Definitely a good fit for…

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Strange Pictures by Uketsu

Translated by Jim Rion 5 stars An oddly fascinating collection of macabre tales featuring strange drawings and dark secrets. Well-constructed and deeply intriguing. Its format of interconnected logic puzzles paired with a dark tone really pulled me in. Mind-bending in the best of ways. Each tale invites the reader to solve the clues along with…

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 Lily’s Dream: A Fairy Friendship by Bea Jackson

5 stars An absolutely stunning book! A sweet story of friendship, kindness, understanding, and perseverance paired with breathtaking artwork. Lily dreams of soaring high, but no matter how hard she tries she just can’t fly. It isn’t until she encounters a human in the forest that she discovers the magic of a supportive friendship and…

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Lucy Lancaster Has a Secret by Willow Coven

Illustrated by Priscilla Burris 5 stars Lucy lives a normal life. She hangs out with her best friends, Heidi and Bruce, goes to school, and puts up with rude classmates. But something strange is going on. Every time Lucy hiccups, odd things start happening. Are her hiccups the cause or is it all just a…

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