Translated by Takami Nieda 4 stars A wonderfully cozy read. Rumor has it that the hippo ride at Hinode Park has magical powers. Rub a body part on Kabahiko the healing hippo and it will heal the same part on you. Follow various neighbors as they seek Kabahiko’s healing powers, only to discover what they…
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by Andrew Larsen Illustrated by Oriol Vidal 5 stars The fascinating story of Nelson Molina and the amazing museum he created with things people threw away. A wonderfully-told story. Great focus on finding new uses for things and rethinking before throwing something away. I really enjoyed the stories of Molina’s childhood fixing, repurposing, and gifting…
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Illustrated by Sophie Bass 5 stars Absolutely stunning. Weaving together a Rapunzel narrative with the history of enslaved Africans using cornrow patterns to navigate their journey to freedom, Cooke creates a compelling, empowering, and magical tale. Wonderfully written with flowing narration. A lengthy text but certainly worth the read. I love how empowering the narrative…
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Illustrated by Kelsi Jo Silva 3 stars A nice story of a community coming together to fight unfairness and corruption. Soup grew up in The Brazen Manticore, a restaurant run my the infamous Trysil Heldritch. She loves cooking and being a chef in its kitchen, but when she sees a different side of her boss…
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by Gayle E. Pitman Illustrated by Christopher Lyles 3 stars A sweet book providing a tour of San Francisco landmarks related to the LGBTQ community, all of which are visible from Lyon and Martin’s picture window. The text follows the transformation from when the couple first moved in to the community that blossomed. The text…
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by Shinobumaru Translated by Kevin Ishizaka 4 stars Another fantastic adventure in the spirit realm featuring the human daughter of a spirit, an ex-exorcist turned apothecary, and the power of found family. It’s autumn in the spirit realm and the season is alive with good food, friends, and celebrations. But Shinonome is keeping a secret…
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by Shinobumaru Translated by Jason Muell 4 stars A foundling human taken in by spirits, a young exorcist who is the natural enemy of her world, and a bookshop that caters to the spirit realm. A really fun world to dive into. I loved meeting all of the different spirits and learning about the dynamics…
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Illustrated by Ziyue Chen 3.5 stars A sweet story of the strength of community and the power of individuals. It’s the day before the talent show and Aurora is nervous to perform. She manifests a butterfly using ASL, which travels the world, inspiring Deaf children to add to the flurry of butterflies. They make their…
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Illustrated by Lenny Wen 3 stars A delicious story of community, family, and generosity. Every Saturday, Carina visits Tia Mimi’s to make empanadas. But this week, Tia Mimi is volunteering at the food center, which leaves Carina to collect all the ingredients herself. Along the way, she finds that her diverse neighbors all have their…
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3.5 stars A humorous story about the power of banning together and the danger of only looking out for yourselves. The Little Guys are proud of how strong they are together. They can do anything. But that also means they can take things too far, picking fights, stealing from others, and being bullies. After a…
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