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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Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell 5 stars A beautiful story of grief, loss, and remembering. The narrator and her grandfather have a special box of treasures that is all their own. Together, they add to the collection. But when her grandfather passes away, the narrator doesn’t want to open the box anymore; it will just…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Another intriguing volume. As danger and violence closes in around them, Shiva and Teacher must decide where to place their trust and determine what lengths they will go to in order to secure their survival. The intensity definitely increases in this volume with the pursuing soldiers, the…
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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 Franck Prévot Illustrated by Aurélia Fronty Translated by Dominique Clément 5 stars Originally published in French, this wonderful picture book biography celebrates the life of Wangari Maathai and her impact on the world. The book follows Maathai’s childhood in Kenya, her atypical education, founding the Green Belt Movement, and her activism to promote environmentalism,…
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by Nagabe Translated by Adrienne Beck 4 stars Abandoning their previous home, Shiva and Teacher have escaped the soliders for now. They travel far to find a new home in an attempt to escape the past. But it always has a way of catching up to them. Another fascinating read. The mysteries continue to build….
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Illustrated by Sadoru Chiba Translated by Leighann Harvey 4 stars A slice-of-life adventure following School Living Club members Yuki Takeya, Kurumi Ebisuzawa, Yuuri Wakasa, and their club advisor Megumi Sakura as they go about their daily lives living at Megurigaoka Academy Private High School. From tending the garden, preparing meals, and going to the library,…
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Illustrated by Matt Rockefeller 5 stars Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Told entirely as a palindrome, this lushly-illustrated fantasy tale follows a young boy grieving the loss of his mother. In his anger and grief, he sets out on an adventure to seek the answer to a crucial question, learning an important lesson along the way. A…
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Illustrated by Coma Hashii Translated by Jocelyne Allen 4 stars Noshiro and Sanada’s friendship continues to grow, but their relationships with others complicate things. In this volume, Ayumi reveals her own feelings and we meet Makoto who develops a huge crush on Noshiro. Now Noshiro and Sanada must reflect on what they want for themselves…
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Translated by Jim Rion 5 stars An oddly fascinating collection of macabre tales featuring strange drawings and dark secrets. Well-constructed and deeply intriguing. Its format of interconnected logic puzzles paired with a dark tone really pulled me in. Mind-bending in the best of ways. Each tale invites the reader to solve the clues along with…
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