by Chris Colfer 3 stars Another fun dive into the Land of Stories. Alex and Conner are back in the real world after their first adventure in their father’s homeland. This comes with its own ups and downs, including a new dog, getting used to school again, and their mother’s changing relationship with her coworker,…
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by Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill Illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice 5 stars Short and sweet review because this book has me smiling so big. A stunning picture book filled with positive affirmations to repeat every day. Each spread contains a daily affirmation along with a poem that expands on it. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous….
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by Chris Colfer 3 stars Twins Alex and Conner are having a hard time adjusting to life after the death of their father. When their grandmother gives Alex her book of fairy tales, the siblings are transported inside into the Land of Stories. Now the two must search for the items of the Wishing Spell…
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Illustrated by Kitt Thomas 4 stars A sweet story about a love of words, perseverance, and using your words to help others. Stacey loves learning new words. When she’s asked to participate in a spelling bee, she jumps at the chance to learn even more. But will her fear of making a mistake get in…
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Illustrated by Lorraine Nam 5 stars A fantastic story about accepting your mistakes, working hard, and finding joy in doing what you love. A nice message that winning isn’t everything. The story doesn’t deny that winning feels good. But the emphasis is on doing what you love, trying your best, and making yourself proud. The…
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Illustrated by Kitt Thomas 5 stars Such a sweet story. It explores themes of a love of books and reading, making new friends, celebrating differences, and not being afraid to try new things, even if you aren’t good at them right away. When Stacey meets Julie, they dream of reading every story in the library…
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Cowritten by Andrew Weiner Illustrated by Brittney Williams 3 stars This action-packed graphic novel introduces a new superhero, Lolo, who develops psychokinetic powers, sparked when her brother is attacked by police. A wonderful look at family dynamics. After her mother left, Lolo and her brother have been raised by their father. I loved the representation…
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3 stars A sweet, modern twist on Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, featuring a unicorn from the woods who attends school with other unicorns for the first time. Featuring a delightful cast of magical friends, including a fatherly troll and supportive goblin, fairy, cat, and minotaur, Haddish presents an engaging world. Though there’s plenty of…
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5 stars This book has no pictures and it doesn’t need them. A humorous read aloud filled with silly noises, meta humor, and fun fonts sure to insight laughter and engagement. Novak forces adults to not take themselves so seriously and play up the text when reading to children. Some of my best memories as…
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2 stars First of all, Iredale knocked it out of the park with that artwork. Each page is gorgeous and I loved all the details woven into each spread. She really captured the magic of the settings, especially their natural elements. However, the book itself is a bit odd. I’m hesitant to call it a…
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