Written by Jason Reynolds Art by Danica Novgorodoff 5 stars I loved Reynolds’ original novel-in-verse and was a little nervous about this graphic adaptation. But it really delivered. Reynolds’ words and messages shine through accompanied by Novgorodoff’s haunting artwork and stunning visuals. The watercolors perfectly capture the essence of Reynolds’ words. Absolutely stunning. A fantastic…
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5 stars Such a fun read! I initially started reading this on Webtoon. While I miss the awesome soundtrack from the digital version, it was nice to read it as a full-sized book to really get swept up in the storytelling and visuals. The artwork is wonderful. Humorous, glamorous, sweet, adorable, with excellent creepiness splashed…
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Illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng 4 stars A beautiful reimagining of the Han tale of The Seven Brothers. This serves as a nice alternative to The Five Chinese Brothers with detailed illustrations and a full color pallet. In this version, the seven brothers learn that Emperor Ch’in Shih Huang is making people work day and night…
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5 stars A powerful novel-in-verse that takes on the cycle of violence and vengeance. A non-traditional ghost story that follows Will who seeks revenge after his brother’s murder. The majority of the story takes place in the 16 seconds it takes to ride the elevator to the lobby. In that time, Reynolds grabs the reader’s…
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5 stars A fantastic autobiographical novel-in-verse that beautifully showcases Woodson’s voice. Set in the 1960s and 1970s, Woodson shares stories from her life living in Ohio, South Carolina, and New York. Woodson tackles so many themes in this book. From family upheaval to moving to a new place, experiencing death of family members to standing…
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Edited by Steve Berman Featuring stories from James H. Moran, John Linwood Grant, Jonathan Harper, M. Yuan-Innes, John T. Fuller, Charles Payseur, B. J. Fry, Alysha MacDonald, Mark Ward, Evey Brett, Rob Rosen, and Ann Zeddies 3 stars Definitely a population that has been underrepresented in fairy tales, Burly Tales gives hefty gay men their…
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4 stars Delightfully creepy. Perfectly macabre. As with many macabre stories, while reading this I often found myself wanting more information, to know what happened after the end. But the unknown has a special place is each of these tales, which adds to their unsettling charm. Great artwork that wonderfully captures the tone of the…
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5 stars A fantastic follow-up to Eyes that Kiss in the Corners (read my full review here). Joanna Ho and Dung Ho team up once again to create a lyrical story with gorgeous artwork on every page. This book celebrates the power of one’s eyes and their connection to family. Wonderful themes of love, looking to…
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5 stars A heartfelt book recounting Omar Mohamed’s experiences growing up in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. The book goes through Mohamed’s daily life and long-term struggles including taking care of his brother, arguments with friends, trying to get an education in the camp, learning English, coping with food shortages, fighting for resettlement in…
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4 stars Weird and wonderful. Exactly what I’ve come to expect from Tan. As always, he creates a fascinating world, filled with mystery and wonder. Through mistakes, fights, and reconciliation, follow two boys through their adventures. Each page has its own story, depicting an event in one remarkable summer. From parades and parties to undercover…
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