Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

4 stars Another winner from Brosgol! In this part-memoir graphic novel, Brosgol tackles her time at Russian summer camp, complete with mean tent-mates, horrific outhouses (aka the Hollywood), new friends, run-ins with wild animals, camp competitions, reluctantly getting caught up in drama, and the desire to belong. Brosgol doesn’t shy away from some of the…

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Small Spaces (Small Spaces #1) by Katherine Arden

5 stars A delightfully spooky tale featuring a mysterious book, a class field trip to a farm, and an unexpected villain. Perfect for young readers looking for an engaging story that is thrillingly creepy. No gore or intense violence. This one uses unsettling elements to scare the reader. There’s an ominous vibe throughout the book…

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Chunky by Yehudi Mercado

2 stars Picked this up because I loved the idea of an imaginary mascot cheering the main character on. However, I was pretty disappointed. Chunky feels like he was added on to make the story more interesting but wasn’t actually that important. He sort of serves as Hudi’s conscience, but mostly just enthusiastically roots for…

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The Bad Guys: Episode 2: Mission Unpluckable by Aaron Blabey

3 stars Another hilarious adventure featuring Mr. Wolf and his fellow Good Guy Club members attempting to right wrongs and shake off their “bad guy” reputations. In the second episode, the team joins forces with another misunderstood critter to rescue the mistreated chickens from a Chicken Farm. They must come to terms with their own…

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The Bad Guys: Episode 1 by Aaron Blabey

3 stars An exciting adventure featuring a misunderstood wolf, his attempts to turn around the reputation of carnivores from land and sea, and the mayhem that ensues along the way. I enjoyed the twist on the gray area between “good” and “bad” and the theme of carnivores being misunderstood. Similar style to picture books like Misunderstood…

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The Ghoul Next Door (The Ghoul Next Door #1)

By Cullen Bunn Illustrated by Cat Farris 4 stars I read an ARC copy in which only the first few pages are in color. Even with that I was blown away by the story and artwork. I read this fairly quickly because I did not want to put it down. The perfect balance of adorable…

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Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

4 stars A heartfelt tale of friendship, community, and a bit of wonder. Red the wishtree has a lot to offer: shade, homes for animals, and a place for wishes. But perhaps their most important contribution is one not directly evident. Through their story, they promote acceptance, understanding, and sympathy. A sweet tale about different…

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