Illustrated by Natasha Nayo 3 stars It’s Kwame’s first year at Nkonyaa School, where children learn about their innate magic and how to use it with the help of magical calabashes. But when he arrives, his teachers can’t figure out the magic of his calabash. A fun adventure inspired by Akan beliefs and practices. Mensah…
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2 stars Cinnamon has a quiet life on her family’s spice farm. But when a hot demon shows up and reveals a sinister plot, Cin is forced on a quest to take down an evil witch, putting her in close proximity to said demon and making her life anything but quiet. Fun humor and all…
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Illustrated by Danica Novgorodoff 5 stars I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The novel-in-verse genre at its finest. I absolutely loved this book. Well-written with engaging characters, powerful themes, and a wonderful story. Includes themes of friends growing apart, loss, grief, guilt, racism, crushes, masculinity, family, and societal expectations. There was…
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Illustrated by Robert Paul Jr. 5 stars A wonderful celebration of Black men as role models, from entertainment to law, activism to sports. The narrator finds inspiration through different famous men, which inspires him to take an active role in his community. Told through lyrical text and a powerful refrain, this book celebrates both contemporary…
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Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson 5 stars A gorgeous, soothing homage to libraries and reading. As a librarian, I may be a little bias, but this book is absolute perfection. The lyrical text celebrates the different versions of ourselves we live out when we read and the wonderful places our imagination can take us. The…
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Illustrated by Brittany Jackson & Tajae Keith 4 stars Parker’s day is not going well. She’s missing her friend and her siblings are being too loud. Her mother helps her remember ways to feel better by breathing, exercising, and having some quiet time. A great example of how to deal with big feelings. This is…
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Illustrated by Jade Orlando 5 stars Sydney wants to grow up to be a great leader, but public speaking makes her nervous and she can’t get the words out. To help her gain the confidence to give a speech to her class, her father teaches her about famous Black women in history including Kamala Harris,…
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Illustrated by Tamisha Anthony 5 stars A delightfully sweet and delicious story of family, love, culture, and food. Hana is excited for all her grandparents to visit. But one set is from South Korea and the other set is from South Carolina, which leaves Hana wondering what to make for dinner for them all to…
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Illustrated by Emily Cannon 3 stars An interesting blend of history and the paranormal with plenty of mystery and secrets. Chelsea has worked hard to shake her past as the “Ghost Girl”. She’s got new, popular friends at her fancy, new school and everything is going just fine. Until she’s forced to work at Ghost…
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5 stars A touching and empowering picture book about the associations attached to words, the way our words affect others and ourselves, and the freedom of allowing yourself to take up space. Simple narration with a powerful message. The story shows the shift in childhood from when “big” is seen as a good thing (“What…
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