English 12+ Tropes Breaking the Fourth Wall Gothic Romance Stories Sci-Fi Heroines Shaenon K. Garrity & Christopher Baldwin summary I love a good self-aware book, and Willoweep (a graphic novel) has this in spades. It begins with our main character dramatically reading her book report, much to her stern teacher’s dismay. She’s ordered to explore…
Category: Historical Fiction
Season of the Witch & Tarot for Kids
English 6+ summary If you’re like me, not only is there an entire Spooky Season, but it’s a full-on lifestyle. Season of the Witch is the perfect history book to settle in with when I want to learn more about our witchy global past. When the weather gets hotter here in western MA, I long…
Two Books Honoring the Immigration & Refugee Experience
English 5+ Immigration Military Occupation Poetry CW: Violence, gunfire, occupation summary I’ve always lived in the same country, but that’s certainly not everyone’s experience. It’s not even all of my family’s experience. I have two books for you today that pay homage to the international refugee experience. With all of the abominable happenings in Afghanistan,…
The Wild Ones & a Love of Dessert
English YA Feminism Sci-Fi Fantasy BIPOC Narratives Anger Chosen Family Magic Love CW: Mentions of assault Nafiza Azad summary This. Book. Is. Everything. When a publicist got in touch and told me about The Wild Ones, I was instantly hooked. A roving band of girls that weaponize their screams in retaliation for the times they’ve…
Run, Little Chaski! An Inka Trail Adventure
English & Quechua 4-8 years Inka Culture Peruvian History Peruvian Authors Kindness Social-Emotional Learning Language Quechua Mariana Llanos & Mariana Ruiz Johnson summary Little Chaski is about to begin his first day as a royal messenger! After receiving some advice from other Chaskis (messengers) he goes to the Queen for his task. He receives a…
Ophie’s Ghosts
English MG & Up Ghosts Family Parent Loss Fantasy Servitude Enslavement Moving Pittsburgh Justina Ireland summary Ya’ll, this book is sooooo good!! Ophie and her mother have moved to Pittsburgh after their house is burned down, and her father is killed by white supremacists. This evening is also when Ophie found out she can see…
Finding Junie Kim
English & Korean MG & Up Korean War Family History Korean-American Experience Racism Friendship Activism Own Voices SEL Immigration War Communism CW: Violent death of a pregnant woman Ellen Oh Cover Art: Alex Cho summary I’ll be real with you, I didn’t expect this book to rip my heart out in the way that it…
Indigenous #OwnVoices Roundup
English; Nłe7kepmxcín, & Halq’emeylem (Stand Like a Cedar); Ojibwe (It’s a Mitig!); Inuktitut (Grandfather Bowhead, How I Survived & I Am Loved); Rocky Cree (Pīsim) 4 years & up Indigenous Voices Coastal & Interior Salish Identity First Nations Inuit Identity Own Voices Indigenous Culture & Identity Nature & Animals SEL & Mindfulness Family, Foster Care…
Humans Making an Impact: A Roundup of Yesterday, Today, and the Future
english 4-8 years Environmental Justice Activism STEM Marine Biology Girls Outdoors Various, see each review. Summary: In my ongoing Earth Day coverage, I wanted a post to focus on specific individuals who were passionate about different aspects of our natural world. Behold, an array humans that have made a difference throughout history (and one who…
The Magic in Changing Your Stars
English MG Family Black Culture & Identity Harlem Renaissance Fantasy Time Travel Tap Dancing Leah Henderson Summary: This book is really clever, and I love the idea of time travel that other people remember. Ailey is a talented dancer, but he has an utterly crushing tryout for The Wiz. When Ailey talks with his Grampa…