Category Archives: News and Fun

Review: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

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All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

All American Boys
Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Simon & Schuster
Published September 29, 2015

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About All American Boys

Rashad is absent again today.

That’s the sidewalk graffiti that started it all…

Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. Because it didn’t matter what Rashad said next—that it was an accident, that he wasn’t stealing—the cop just kept pounding him. Over and over, pummeling him into the pavement. So then Rashad, an ROTC kid with mad art skills, was absent … Continue reading →

Spring 2025 Picture Books On My Radar

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Spring 2025 Picture Books on My Radar

Spring 2025 Picture Books On My Radar

Spring is here, and the time when my littlest prefers picture books feels shorter than ever. She still brings them home from the library at school, but when she can, she prefers chapter books or graphic novels these days.

While I still have the chance, these are some titles I’m looking forward to snuggling up to read with her. She has pretty wide-ranging taste, as you can see from this short list. There are some books about history as well as social experiences and relationships.

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them … Continue reading →

Review: The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

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The Notorious Virtues by Alwyn Hamilton

The Notorious Virtues (The Notorious Virtues #1)
Alwyn Hamilton
Viking Books for Young Readers
Published April 1, 2025

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About The Notorious Virtues

A glamorous media darling, a surprise heiress, and the magical competition of a lifetime.

At sixteen, Honora “Nora” Holtzfall is the daughter of the most powerful heiress in all of Walstad. Her family controls all the money–and all the magic–in the entire country. But despite being the center of attention, Nora has always felt like an outsider. When her mother is found dead in an alley, the family throne and fortune are suddenly up for … Continue reading →

Review: Renegade Girls by Nora Neus and Julie Robine

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Renegade Girls: A Queer Tale of Romance and Rabble-rousing by Nora Neus

Renegade Girls: A Queer Tale of Romance and Rabble-Rousing
Nore Neus
Illustrated by Julie Robine
Little, Brown Ink
Published April 1, 2025

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About Renegade Girls: A Queer Tale of Romance and Rabble-Rousing

A swoonworthy queer romance set against a riveting story of social change in the 1880s, this historical graphic novel reimagines the life of America’s first stunt girl—a young undercover reporter—and her whirlwind summer of romance and fighting injustice. 

Seventeen-year-old Helena “Nell” Cusack came to New York this summer looking for a story—a real story. She dreams of one day writing hard-hitting articles for the New York … Continue reading →

MMGM Review: Ollie in Betwee by Jess Callans

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Ollie in Between by Jess Callans

Ollie in Between
Jess Callans
Feiwel & Friends
Published April 8, 2025

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About Ollie in Between

As endearing as it is humorous, this debut middle grade novel by Jess Callans is a tender, queer coming of age story about the courage it takes to find your own voice and choosing to just be.

Puberty, AKA the ultimate biological predator, is driving a wedge between soon-to-be 13-year-old Ollie Thompson and their lifelong friends.

Too much of a girl for their neighborhood hockey team, but not girly enough for their boy-crazed BFF, Ollie doesn’t know where they fit. And their usual ability to … Continue reading →

Review: Meet Me at Blue Hour by Sarah Suk

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Meet Me at Blue Hour by Sarah Suk

Meet Me at Blue Hour
Sarah Suk
Quill Tree Books
Published April 1, 2025

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About Meet Me at Blue Hour

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Past Lives in this gripping, emotional story of two childhood friends navigating the fallout of one erasing their memory of the other, from acclaimed author Sarah Suk.

Seventeen-year-old Yena Bae is spending the summer in Busan, South Korea, working at her mom’s memory-erasing clinic. She feels lost and disconnected from people, something she’s felt ever since her best friend, Lucas, moved away four years ago without a word, leaving her in … Continue reading →