Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen

Illustrated by Kadir Nelson 3.5 stars An engaging read with sweet themes of confidence and not being afraid to be different. Sassy dreams of dancing on stage, but she’s taller than all the other girls in her ballet class and none of the boys can lift her. She feels different because of her height, long…

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The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

4 stars A heartwarming story about a little house finding her place. There once was a little house on a hill in the country. From her perch she watched day become night and night become day. She watched the seasons change and the world go by. But over time, the world around her changed. There…

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Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

5 stars A fantastic book about book bans and using your voice to speak up for what you believe in. “It wasn’t just good books that shouldn’t be hidden away. It was all books. Any books. It didn’t matter what they were about, or whether I liked them, or Mrs. Spencer liked them, or the…

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All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

3 stars A weird gothic tale of inheritance, revenge, and greed with a mix of mystery and romance. Zeb arrives at his relative’s manor only to discover he’s been tricked into a strange competition against his estranged (married) brother, Bram, and deviant cousin, Hawley, to woo his cousin, Jessamine, in order to inherit the property….

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Family Found: A Queer Friendsgiving Celebration

by Joanna McClintick Illustrated by Keisha Morris 4 stars A lovely story of food, reminiscing, and bringing people together. A child wonders how their chosen family’s Friendsgiving tradition got started, asking different members of the family. They all think they had a part in starting the tradition, but by the end they recognize that the…

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Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina

Illustrated by Angela Dominguez 5 stars A heartwarming story of a girl, her grandmother, and their pet parrot. This was such a sweet book. At first, when Mia’s grandmother moves in, they have a hard time understanding each other. Mia doesn’t know much Spanish and her grandmother doesn’t know much English. But together, they teach…

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The More You Give by Marcy Campbell

Illustrated by Frenci Sanna 5 stars The most beautiful picture book I have ever read. A gentle intergenerational tale of a family’s gifts of kindness, love, an appreciation of nature, and time spent together. They grow and build a community as large as the forest they’ve planted. I checked this one out because I love…

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Soundtrack by Jason Reynolds (Audiobook)

Narrated by Nile Bullock, Mekhi Hewling, Jade Williams, Brandon Miles, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Amir Royale, Jasmin Richardson, Christopher Grant, Khaya Fraites, Nadine Simmons, Robb Moreira, Wé Ani, Rocky Anicette, and Brandiss Seward 5 stars Thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC of this book. I absolutely loved this book. Well-balanced with humor, tough topics, and heartwarming…

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The Memory Bookshop by Song Yu-jeon

Translated by Shanna Tan 3 stars Step into the Memory Bookshop, a mysterious place that stores all your conscious and unconscious memories and offers a unique opportunity. You have three chances to go back in time to try to change your life. But of course, this offer comes with a price. When Jiwon stumbles across…

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Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

4 stars Mia doesn’t feel fully connected to her Jewish identity. She looks different than most of the kids at her Jewish day school (some of whom are quick to point it out) and she feels disconnected from her Muscogee identity. So she decides to visit her father in Oklahoma to learn more about Muscogee…

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