Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson

by Lydia Corry 3 stars Through simple narration and stunning artwork, Corry explores the life and adventures of Emily Dickinson. Along with her trusty canine companion, Dickinson explores the outdoor world, traveling through meadows and pastures, a grove of woods, a leafy forest, and a stream. Readers take a peek into Dickinson’s family life, friendships,…

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Steam by Shaenon K. Garrity

Illustrated by Emily Holden 5 stars A sweet story about love, happiness, belonging, and connection with a fascinating cast of characters. Ruby the barista at the local coffee shop may seem a little strange. That’s because she’s actually a super-genius humanoid created in a lab to solve problems. After escaping the lab, she tries her…

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High-Class Homos: Volume 1 by Momozerii

4 stars Started reading this on Webtoon and am so happy to see it now as a graphic novel. Best friends, Princess Sapphia and Prince August, have a secret. They’re both gay and have no interest in the suitors their parents line up for them. So they hatch a plan to marry each other so…

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First Freedom: The Story of Opal Lee and Juneteenth

by Angélique Roché Illustrated by Alvin Epps, Bex Glendining, and Millicent Monroe 3 stars I was really excited to see a graphic novel about Opal Lee geared toward adults, but the execution of this just did not work for me. The story jumps around to different time periods without much context given. I had a…

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Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

3 stars This one definitely pulled me in with that killer title. A fun story with great messages. Margot hates feeling invisible. Her mom is always at work, her dad is preoccupied with getting famous, and she’s not getting much attention for her song videos online. When she finds a discarded synthesizer, Margot sees it…

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The Witches of Pepperwood Bay Vol. 1

by Lisa Manuzak Wiley 3 stars After a magical teapot goes missing at the Harvest Fest, witch sisters Juniper, Lily, and Clover are on the case. Their investigation will take them through Pepperwood Bay and under the sea as they follow leads and work through sisterly disputes. I really enjoyed the artwork. Dynamic movement with…

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Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy by Rey Terciero

Illustrated by Bre Indigo 4 stars A fun modern retelling of Little Women. I am always drawn to Jo as a character and this one was no exception. Join the Marches, a blended family living in New York, as they take on life’s battles. The sisters deal with missing their father during his deployment, their…

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The Deep & Dark Blue by Niki Smith

3 stars When the Solstice Blessing turns into a violent political coup, twins Grayson and Hawke must flee their home. They find refuge in the Communion of Blue where girls and women learn to spin the threads of reality. While Hawke (now Hanna) feels stifled and wants nothing more than to avenge the family and…

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