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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Illustrated by Mag Takac 4 stars Rain is a rather unconventional fairy. She doesn’t like glitter and sparkles. She’d rather play in the mud and enjoy a storm. While Rain isn’t thrilled to join the Fairy Scouts, it’s the only way to earn her magic. But when she has to work with a team of…
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4 stars Delightfully strange. This book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people who keep the universe working properly as they go up against sabotage, covert operations, and family struggles. Fascinating characters. Unique dynamics. Such an interesting story. Honestly, there were parts of the science and interworking that went right over my head, but it…
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by Angélique Roché Illustrated by Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe 3 stars I was really excited to see a graphic novel about Opal Lee geared toward adults, but the execution of this just did not work for me. The story jumps around to different time periods without much context given. I had a…
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by Sean Qualls 5 stars A fantastic read. Explores the history of Black hair in America, from pivotal Black figures in the haircare industry to views of Black hair through time and different styles and trends. Well written. This was such an interesting read. Includes sections on different styles such as afros, Jheri curl, locs,…
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Illustrated by Tara Anand 5 stars Fantastically written. Shreya loves painting. She feels special when her art teacher praises her work. Mr. Rao even asks Shreya to come to the art room for him to paint her. But then something happens. Shreya feels different. She doesn’t want to be praised anymore. She doesn’t want to…
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Illustrated by Basia Tran 5 stars Heartwarming and sweet. Hungry ghost Gwei can’t wait to head into the city for the Ghost Festival to snack on all his favorite foods. But no matter how much he eats, he always feels empty. It isn’t until he meets another hungry little ghost that he learns maybe it’s…
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by Philip C. Stead 2 stars Full disclosure, I listened to the audiobook of this and think that may have hindered my enjoyment of the book. I fully expected to enjoy this one. It had a Terry Pratchett feel to it so I really thought I’d love it, but the whole book just fell through…
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Translated by Jim Rion 5 stars Another unsettling exploration of truths revealed through a complex web of diary entries, interviews, magazine articles, and floorplans. After the popularity of Strange Houses within the novel, the author receives a variety of additional cases related to unique floorplans, strange renovations, and odd buildings. As he explores the stories,…
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Illustrated by Violeta Encarnación 5 stars A beautiful picture book that celebrates a young girl’s connections to her grandmother, her ancestors, nature, and hoodoo. It’s the end of the school year and Juniper can’t wait to get away from the bullies at her school and visit her grandmother for the summer. There she will connect…
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