Story by Mei Hachimoku Illustrated by Koudon Translated by Alexa Frank 5 stars Definitely grabbed this one for its gorgeous cover. I didn’t initially realize it was based on a light novel that was made into an anime. Even without background though, I thoroughly enjoyed this manga. When Kaoru overhears a legend about a tunnel…
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adapted by Naoko Amemiya 3 stars A lengthy picture book that covers the entirety of the film, Howl’s Moving Castle. I don’t normally like picture books that use screengrabs of movies, but the artwork from this movie is so well done, I really didn’t mind. I think you could take any Miyazaki film and easily…
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4 stars So happy I finally got to read this! Another adorable, fantastic volume. The story picks up right where the last volume ended (that cliffhanger from book one still gets me). The second volume deals more with Nick’s journey to figuring out his identity, and Charlie’s amazing supportiveness along the way. <3 Plus, we…
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3 stars I’ve seen musical and film adaptations of the story, each choosing different details to include. But I never knew all the intense drama of the original. Despite my reservations, I was pulled in by the extensive details of the characters I only knew a simple version of (Esmeralda’s marriage, Phoebus’ womanizing antics, and…
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3 stars Told in short chapters with simple language, this fictionalized account of Ivan’s story places Ivan at the center, giving him voice and agency in making change for himself and his friends. A wonderful story that highlights the importance of animal rights and the ethical treatment of animals. Applegate uses many of the real…
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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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5 stars Was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I watched the Netflix adaptation when it first came out and found it interesting enough. Thus, I expected to feel similarly about the book. However, I was instantly pulled in and did not want to put this down. There are various changes made…
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5 stars Beautiful. This work is absolutely amazing. Wonderful artwork, a piercing story, and thought-provoking characters. I was presently surprised with this piece considering I didn’t like the film adaptation very much. It did not do this book justice. This graphic novel is truly perfect. Goodreads
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5 stars Gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! Every page is a treat to the eyes, every word a treat to the soul. This is the book every book-lover needs in their life. It perfectly captures the magic of stories and why we all fell in love with reading in the first place. Everything about this book is…
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4 stars Another fun Hilda tie-in. While I’d love this series to go more in-depth into the world we see in the show and the original comic, these books are not set up that way. Instead they combine episodes, creatively incorporating the plots together to make one continuous story. That isn’t necessarily bad; it’s just…
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