Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

4 stars A lovely cover that houses some ugly truths about the world. The book deals with many difficult issues including homelessness and hunger from a child’s perspective. Jackson is old enough to partially understand what is happening with his family, but young enough that his parents still want to hide the truth. This is…

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Graveyard Shakes by Laura Terry

4 stars I didn’t really know what to expect going in to this but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Graveyard Shakes is a spooky tale of friendship, sisterly love, and acceptance (of loss, of life, and of oneself). The entire atmosphere of the book was so compelling. Ghostly dance parties, spooky graveyards, an…

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Donut the Destroyer by Sarah Graley and Stef Purenins

4 stars Another awesome adventure from Graley and Purenins! This one follows Donut, the child of notorious villains who just wants to be a hero. While attending Lionheart School for Heroes, Donut makes new friends, learns what it takes to be a hero, and must confront a friend from the past, Ivy, who wants nothing…

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Magic to Brew (Moonstruck Vol. 1) by Grace Ellis

4 stars This graphic novel opens with such a great start. From the opening spread of the café, I was immediately drawn in. There’s so much detail and things going in, I instantly wanted to get to know the characters and how they all connected with one another. As the characters were introduced, I fell…

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Audacity Jones to the Rescue (Audacity Jones #1) by Kirby Larson

4 stars An engaging story that mixes adventure, mystery, history, and a hint of the fantastical. This was a nice bit of historical fiction geared toward young readers. Larson admits to taking a lot of liberties with the story of the disappearance, but many elements are inspired by facts and the whole thing comes together…

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Stargazing by Jen Wang

4 stars A sweet, compelling story exploring the ties between family, friends, and oneself. Loved the emphasis on being true to yourself and embracing who you are, even if that makes you stand out or is different from what people expect you to be. The artwork is stunning. The characters are adorable. And the story…

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