Mermaid and Pirate by Tracey Baptiste

Illustrated by Leisl Adams 3 stars A sweet picture book that shows that you can be friends even if you don’t speak the same language. The mermaid and the pirate both love storms. But when the pirate’s ship starts sinking, the mermaid rushes in to help. It doesn’t work out how either of them expect….

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Oona and the Shark by Kelly DiPucchio

Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa 3 stars I enjoyed this one more than the first book. As with the first one, Figueroa’s illustrations are fantastic. It was really fun to see all of Oona’s inventions and I loved all of the unique details included. In this one, Oona attempts to befriend a quiet shark. Nice way…

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Oona by Kelly DiPucchio

Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa 2 stars This one is a bit hard to rate. The illustrations are perfect. Absolutely beautiful. I loved all the details, seeing Oona’s creative thinking, and the way Figueroa brought her world to life. Always wonderful to see a Black mermaid as well. The story for me was really confusing. It…

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The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (Audiobook)

5 stars Beautiful and unsettling. A mermaid in human form and a plague doctor travel together after the mermaid’s daughters devour the kingdom. On their journey, they come across a village of ageless children ruled by three “saints” with mystifying abilities to bring back the dead. As the pair investigate, they uncover the saint’s dark…

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Other Ever Afters by Melanie Gillman

New Queer Fairy Tales 5 stars Absolutely fantastic! I’ve read this book three times now and I still want to dive back in. I made my husband and sister-in-law read this, because I enjoyed it so much. Enter a world of fairy tales like you’ve never seen. Fantastic twists and wordplay. Loved the queer storylines…

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The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers and Other Gruesome Tales

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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The Quest for Snacks (Cat & Cat Adventures #1) by Susie Yi

3 stars An adorable magical adventure complete with new friends, unexpected danger, and the quest for unlimited snacks. In the first book starring two characters from Yi’s webcomic, Squash and Ginny set out to collect the ingredients for an unlimited snack potion. Along the way, they encounter difficult dilemmas, problems requiring some creative thinking, and…

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The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nyguyen

5 stars Jaw-droppingly beautiful. A stunning, heartwarming story about family, love, and acceptance. This book was a pleasure to read. As soon as I finished, I wanted to pick it back up and do it all over again. I find when I really love a book, my review tends to be short. This is one…

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