A Dreidel in Time: A New Spin on an Old Tale

by Marcia Berneger Illustrated by Beatriz Castro 3 stars A fun, quick read about the origins of Hanukkah complete with adventure and time travel. Reminiscent of the Magic Treehouse books. All Devorah and Benjamin want to do is open their Hanukkah presents. But they’re in for a surprise when their family gives them an old…

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Amy Wu and the Ribbon Dance by Kat Zhang

Illustrated by Charlene Chua 3.5 stars Amy can’t wait for her friends to come over to have a dance party. She wants to share her love of ribbon dancing. But what can she use for dancing ribbons? A sweet book about creative thinking, problem solving, and doing what you love. Such a sweet book. Well…

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Supergran! by Rhonda Gowler Greene

Illustrated by Lee Gosgrove 5 stars A delightfully sweet picture book celebrating problem solving, creativity, and perseverance. When things go wrong, Supergran teams up with her Superteam to save the day. This rhyming book was absolutely adorable. Perfect from Grandparents’ Day or to read throughout the year to celebrate grandparents. The illustrations are so much…

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My New Life as a Cat Vol. 3 by Konomi Wagata

Translated by Molly Rabbitt 3 stars Another fun collection of slice-of-life adventures featuring human-turned-cat Nyao/Nao and his human, Chika. Funny, relatable cat moments such as getting stuck in weird places, adventures in nail trimming, and naughty nibbles. As always, the artwork is so sweet and cute. Humorous, adorable, and light-hearted fun. A nice read with…

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Slumbering Beauty, Vol. 1 by Yumi Unita

Translated by Angela Liu 4 stars An entertaining read with fun little references to Sleeping Beauty. Yaneko loves sleep. But when a sleep spirit named Nerimu gets tired of fighting to wake her up every morning, Yaneko learns there’s much more to the world of sleep. She tags along with Nerimu and finds herself helping…

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The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes: Ultramarine Vol. 1

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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Communism for Kids by Bini Adamczak

Translated by Jacob Blumenfeld and Sophie Lewis 2 stars An interesting little book that presents political and economic ideas in a simplistic fashion. Through short, humorous stories, Adamczak introduces concepts such as capitalism, communism, work, the market, and crisis. Then she goes through different executions of what communism could look like, following each to their…

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Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Márquez

Illustrated by Devin Elle Kurtz 3 stars A beautiful example of the power of representation and the joy of doing what you love. This book is an interesting mashup of a semi-autobiographical story mixed with magic and time travel. Meli loves exploring the waters of la Playita del Condado, especially the tidal pools. When she…

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Molly’s Tuxedo by Vicki Johnson

Illustrated by Gillian Reid 3.5 stars It’s her very first picture day and Molly is excited. But when Mom reveals the dress she wants Molly to wear, all that excitement is gone. The dress has a weird collar and puffy parts and no pockets. It doesn’t feel like Molly at all. Now Molly has to…

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Goodbye: A First Conversation About Grief

by Megan Madison & Jessica Ralli Illustrated by Isabel Roxas 5 stars A wonderful introduction to talking about death, dying, and grief with young ones. Told in kid-friendly language, this book provides talking points for caregivers to introduce concepts of death and grief. The book is broken down into different common questions such as what…

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