5 stars An absolutely beautiful story, both visually and in its content, that explores loss, memory, and time spent together. Gentle and slow, this lovely book celebrates the connection between grandmother and granddaughter, passing on stories and making new memories. Poetic wordplay and soft, rounded illustrations make for a soothing reading experience. The artwork is…
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by Jen Campbell, Illustrated by Adam de Souza 5 stars A delightfully dark collection of tales spanning the globe. From Korea and Japan to Norway and Ireland to Nigeria and South Africa. A nice selection, all with a gruesome or spooky leaning. I especially enjoyed that Campbell’s selection highlighted many brave, creative, clever, and quick…
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5 stars A delightful ghost story centered around friendship and growing up. This book is absolutely beautiful! I loved every moment of it. It is sweet, relatable, gut-wrenching, and heartwarming all rolled into one gorgeous package. The artwork is fantastic. I really enjoyed the cozy art style and Yee perfectly captures the emotions of her…
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5 stars A touching story with exceptional artwork. Follow Finn as he builds a boat and sets out to find the place of his grandfather’s stories. Taking the trip they’d always talked about going on together, Finn sees fantastic sights, travels to remarkable places, and deals with the loss of his grandfather. The Fan Brothers…
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5 stars A fractured fairy tale featuring a new take on Rumpelstiltskin. I loved every word! I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings, especially those featuring misunderstood villains. Shurtliff’s version was right up my alley. I loved the way she played with the power of names and destinies. Featuring magic, pixies, trolls, royalty, witches, gold,…
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3 stars Told in short chapters with simple language, this fictionalized account of Ivan’s story places Ivan at the center, giving him voice and agency in making change for himself and his friends. A wonderful story that highlights the importance of animal rights and the ethical treatment of animals. Applegate uses many of the real…
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5 stars A) I love interpretations of fairy tales. B) I am fascinated by Tan’s stunning artistic style. It’s no wonder I loved this book. Each spread showcases a sculpture along with a scene from the fairy tale that inspired it. The photos themselves are stunning, perfectly lit, sometimes with engaging backgrounds, sometimes allowing the…
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5 stars Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of hype about this book and it is much deserved. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but was sucked into the blending of Marjorie’s and Wendell’s worlds. A girl whose family owns a laundromat befriending a sheet-donning ghost has got to be one of…
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1 star A disappointing read from a book with such a catchy title and lovely cover. Loved the idea but the execution did not work for me. For me, this book tries to do too much. It is part memoir, part poetry anthology, and part poetry analysis with some facts and quotes from other poets…
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