Lonely Castle in the Mirror, Vol. 1

Story by Mizuki Tsujimura Illustrated by Tomo Taketomi Translated by Jacqueline Fung 4 stars I watched the anime adaptation and absolutely loved it so of course I had to check out the manga. The first volume did not disappoint. Plagued with intense stomach pains, Kokoro is staying home again. But today is different. Today she…

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The Wild Ones by Megan Lacera & Jorge Lacera

Illustrated by Jorge Lacera 4 stars A short and sweet comics-style picture book. Absolutely adorable. Four friends are convinced there is a monster living in the forest near their shared apartment building, Wild Oaks. They just can’t decide which monster (and their favored snack). When their beloved apartment building is scheduled for demolition, they turn…

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Wild for Winnie by Laura Marx Fitzgerald

Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie 3 stars On the fence about this one. I loved the ways that Winnie’s teacher recognizes Winnie’s needs and finds ways to involve the whole class in meeting those needs together. They all participate in fun activities and in the process connect with Winnie. However, the basis of the book relies…

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The Perks of Being an S-Class Heroine, Vol. 2

by Irinbi Illustrated by Grrr Translated by Kakao Entertainment 5 stars It feels like I’ve waited an eternity for my library to get a copy of this book. Now that it finally has, this volume did not disappoint! Ailette is getting the hang of her new transmigrated life. When she gets an opportunity to meet the…

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My Little Pony: Legends of Magic, Vol. 2 by Jeremy Whitley

Illustrated by Tony Fleecs 5 stars Ended up liking this volume considerably more than the first. While the first volume introduces all the legends, the second one follows Stygian’s account of how he brought the Pillars of the Pony World together. Rather than a simple frame story connecting the different legends, this one has much…

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Just What to Do by Kyle Lukoff

Illustrated by Hala Tahboub 5 stars An absolutely beautiful story about being there for those you care about when they’re grieving. As different people in his life experience loss, the narrator wants to help them, but they all seem to need different things. The narrator learns there is no one-size-fits-all approach and that just being…

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Homebody by Theo Parish

5 stars Absolutely perfect. Follow Parish on this autobiographical journey as they navigate life, figuring out who they are and how to best express themself. A fantastic book that is heartwarming, reaffirming, and wonderful. Goes through various aspects of gender-affirming care including haircuts, binding, clothing options, pronouns, and name changes. Expertly balances what gender markers…

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Off Menu by Oliver Gerlach

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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