The Oracle Code by Marieke Nijkamp, Illustrated by Manuel Preitano

2 stars I really wanted to like this. I’m fascinated with the various iterations of Barbara Gordon. After absolutely hating that notorious scene in The Killing Joke, I was interested to see how a teenage Babs would become Oracle. The story omits the Joker plotline (thankfully) and instead gives a vague story about interrupting a…

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Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker, Illustrated by Zoe Persico

4 stars An allegorical tale of Greta Thunberg’s activism and how she’s inspired others to stand up to demand change. The use of talking animals and literal giants helps make this engaging for young children while sticking to its message of environmentalism. Though the characters are small compared to the giants, when they come together…

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When We Make It by Elisabet Velasquez

5 stars A powerful novel in verse that proves you are more than the hardships you have faced. I’d recommend looking at the trigger warnings before going in to this as there are quite a few traumatic events that occur. These include rape, food insecurity, homelessness, drug overdose, and police brutality. This book may not…

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Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

4 stars A heartwarming and magical tale that explores family structures, fantasy versus reality, and self-discovery. Mystery, secrets, and magic combine to explore some of the complexities of growing up and coming into one’s self. The majority of the book is in black and white, which makes the full-color fantasy scenes even more magical. The…

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