Review: Duel by Jessixa and Aaron Bagley

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Duel by Jessixa and Aaron Bagley cover shows two girls wearing backpacks, standing with their backs to one another. One girl's arms are crossed. Their shadows cross fencing swords.

Duel
Jessixa Bagley
Illustrated by Aaron Bagley
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published November 7, 2023

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About Duel

A rivalry between sisters culminates in a fencing duel in this funny and emotional debut graphic novel sure to appeal to readers of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale.

Sixth grader Lucy loves fantasy novels and is brand-new to middle school. GiGi is the undisputed queen bee of eighth grade (as well as everything else she … Continue reading →

Review: Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia Dow

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Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia Dow

Just a Pinch of Magic
Alechia Dow
Feiwel & Friends
Published October 10, 2023

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About Just a Pinch of Magic

Alechia Dow’s middle-grade debut is as warm and sweet as a cinnamon bun, bursting with magic and sure to please the pickiest readers.

Wini’s family of enchanters runs a little bakery, but with the prices of magical ingredients skyrocketing, they’re going under. Desperate to save her family’s business, Wini takes a risk by casting a (sort of illegal) spell that would allow them to gather their own supply of their most … Continue reading →

Review: Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros

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Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros cover shows a golem made of stone whose face is partly that of a teenage girl.

Wrath Becomes Her
Aden Polydoros
Inkyard Press
Published October 10, 2023

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About Wrath Becomes Her

FRANKENSTEIN meets INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS in this stunning Jewish historical horror novel from the award-winning author of THE CITY BEAUTIFUL.

Vera was made for vengeance.

Lithuania, 1943. A father drowns in the all-consuming grief of a daughter killed by the Nazis. He can’t bring Chaya back from the dead, but he can use kishuf — an ancient and profane magic — to create a golem in her image. A Nazi killer, to avenge her … Continue reading →

6 Easy Ways to Unhaul Your Books

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6 Easy Ways to Unhaul Your Books shows three stacks of books including Strike the Zither, Secret of the Moon Conch, and The Edge of In Between.

6 Easy Ways to Unhaul Your Books

Spring and Fall always make me want to clean and organize, and one of my favorite things to organize is, of course, my books! This year, I’ll review somewhere around 200 titles, and about one-third of them will be in the form of physical copies I receive from publishers. Which means about 70 books for the year.

Not including the books I buy (not zero) or are gifted to me. Or books anyone else in our household of readers happens to buy.

At any rate, it’s too … Continue reading →

Q&A with Sentences Book Donations Founder Clinton Festa

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Q&A with Clinton Festa, founder of Sentences Book Donations image shows a blue header with the title of the post over a faded image of three stacks of books.

Almost ten years ago, I spoke with Clinton Festa about a really cool charity he founded called Sentences Book Donations. Through Sentences, he helps people donate books to prisons and other similar facilities. He does all the research for you. Simply pop onto the Sentences Facebook and Goodreads pages to find a place accepting donations. He’ll list what types of books facilities are interested in and how to send them. Then, you simply box up your donation and head to the post office to send … Continue reading →

Review: Plague Busters! by Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal

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Plague-Busters by Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal

Plague-Busters!: Medicine’s Battles with History’s Deadliest Diseases
Dr. Lindsey Fitzharris
Illustrated by Adrian Teal
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published October 10, 2023

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About Plague-Busters!

Smallpox! Rabies! Black Death! Throughout history humankind has been plagued by . . . well, by plagues. The symptoms of these diseases were gruesome-but the remedies were even worse.

Get to know the ickiest illnesses that have infected humans and affected civilizations through the ages. Each chapter explores the story of a disease, including the scary symptoms, kooky cures, and brilliant breakthroughs that it spawned. Medical historian and bestselling author Lindsey Fitzharris lays out the facts with her trademark wit, … Continue reading →