3 stars A fun exploration of some of America’s paranormal and true crime locations. This is a perfect reference guide for both fans of the podcast as well as anyone looking for an odd road trip exploring ghosts, murders, and general creepiness. I’ll admit, going into this I knew nothing about the podcast. I didn’t…
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5 stars Adapted from Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi‘s Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You A fantastic adaptation of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You for a younger audience. This is such a great series to adapt for different age groups and the kids and teens version have both been amazing. One aspect that is especially fun about the…
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5 stars A heartfelt book recounting Omar Mohamed’s experiences growing up in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. The book goes through Mohamed’s daily life and long-term struggles including taking care of his brother, arguments with friends, trying to get an education in the camp, learning English, coping with food shortages, fighting for resettlement in…
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4 stars A delightful read with some truly heartwarming moments. This book does a great job of blending the simple with the complex. There’s the obvious appeal of magic, dragons, and other mystical creatures, but it also pulls in some more mature themes and emotions including loss, guilt, and shame. This is a well-rounded read…
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3 stars An interesting twist on mermaid legends featuring a full-building aquarium, a motherly octopus, and a young mermaid with a mysterious past. This one was a bit difficult to get into at first. It follows an unnamed mermaid, referred to only as “Fish Girl”, who teases guests with glimpses of herself at the aquarium…
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4 stars A fascinating collection that explores the would-bes and what-ifs of fairy tale villains. These stories provide alternate explanations and prequels to give insight into the thinking of some of the most notorious villains in the fairy tale world. From the troll under the bridge and the giantess in the sky to the woman…
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4 stars A fantastic collection of hard-hitting poems from a variety of poets. I really enjoyed the premise of this anthology. The poems address various social justice issues and each pairs their work with a specific organization related to that issue. The book not only brings up important issues but also provides concrete ways to…
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A delightful collection of fairytale-inspired drabbles. Every story is told in exactly 100 words and puts a fresh spin on an old tale. Each author brings their own style to the collection. There is humor, there is fear, there is romance, there is adventure. A wonderful anthology for fairytale lovers looking for new riffs on…
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4 stars A wonderful collection of poetry and a great starting place for those interested in reading more Indigenous authors. This book features poets from around the country with a diverse inclusion of styles, themes, and heritages and tribes represented. It provides a nice sampling from which readers can explore more from the poets they…
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2 stars First of all, Iredale knocked it out of the park with that artwork. Each page is gorgeous and I loved all the details woven into each spread. She really captured the magic of the settings, especially their natural elements. However, the book itself is a bit odd. I’m hesitant to call it a…
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