Reinberger Reviews

Click on the book titles to read the full reviews.

Picturebooks:

Big Cat, Little Cat

This story captures the bond of friendship and the circle of life with simple text. Cooper’s use of black lines against lots of white space brings the complex subject up front and alive with movement.

 

The Blue Songbird

A little blue songbird just wants to sing like her sisters, but could never manage to sound as lovely as they do. Her mother tells her to go out and find her song, so she leaves her nest to travel to far-off lands and talk to many other birds about how to find her special song.

 

The Bookstore Cat

This charming book will delight cat and word lovers as readers follow along to learn all the adjectives that fit the Bookstore Cat. Inspired by a Victorian parlor game, the Minister’s Cat, the Bookstore Cat is many things, and all of them are accompanied by adorable illustrations.

 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

On the night of a full moon, a told b, and b told c, “I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.” Who knew the whole alphabet would follow after them! 

 

Cut! 

A beautifully crafted biography, Cut! Shines a light on a little-known woman in the filmmaking industry by the name of Lotte Reiniger.

 

Dark Was the Night: Blind Willie Johnson’s Journey to the Stars

Gary Golio and E. B. Lewis bring the story of blues musician Blind Willie Johnson to life with rolling prose and imaginative watercolors. Inspiring while also somber, this book reminds all readers that even in the darkest moments there is still light.

 

A Different Pond

Engaging portrait of father, his son and one fishing trip on a crisp autumn morning. Told through the eyes of the author as a young boy, Bao Phi is brought to the United States with his family fleeing Vietnam in 1975. Now residing in Minnesota, one morning they both set out to go fishing for dinner.

 

The Digger and the Flower

A story of three trucks, Crane, Dozer and Digger, who mindlessly build and build until Digger notices a flower in the rubble. Struck by its beauty, Digger takes care of the flower as the other trucks continue to build around him until finally there is no more space to build on except the strip of earth where the flower grows.

 

Egg

A beginner’s book for your future graphic novel enthusiast. In true Henkes style, this story explores so many emotions that young children encounter when faced with someone different. Henkes achieves this using paneled illustrations.

 

Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History

With signature grace and style, Walter Dean Myers and Floyd Cooper harmoniously depict the life of Frederick Douglass in this picturebook biography. The storyline highlights the turning points in Douglass’s life, from the moment he realizes the value of words and education, to his quest for knowledge, freedom and equal rights for all. 

 

Good Dog Carl by Alexandra Day

As an adult, the beautiful illustrations and wordless plot of Good Dog Carl can still entertain me. Good Dog, Carl truly inspired my imagination, and I remember falling asleep many times to plotted adventures I would have if only Carl was my dog.

 

Grandad’s Camper

This heartwarming story shows the love between two grandparents even though one has passed, and that love is handed down to their granddaughter in the form of stories, pictures, and new adventures shared.

 

Green Pants

We all have our favorite something when we’re young—blankie, binky, shirt, pillow—and for Jameson, it’s pants. He loves his green pants so much that he refuses to wear any other color except green.

 

How do you spell unfair?

An eye opening and inspiring book, How do you spell unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee, is an  educational narrative of a brilliant young girl from Akron, Ohio, who studied hard and earned a place in the 1936 Washington D.C. spelling bee. The book walks you through MacNolia’s passion for learning and dedication to spelling bees, and how she won local competitions before qualifying for nationals.

 

I’m a Duck 

A young duck struggles with his fear of swimming but with encouragement from his wise friends and a touch of practice, he finds he can jump right in! The rhythmic flow of the text makes this story an enjoyable read-aloud choice for young children.

 

John’s Turn

Each Friday a student in John’s class gets to share a talent they have with the rest of the school during Sharing Gifts time. Today, it’s John’s turn. While John is excited to share his talent, he is also nervous about performing. What if the other kids don’t like his talent? What if they make fun of him for liking to dance?

 

Julián Is A Mermaid

When a young boy sees a group of women dressed as mermaids while on the train with his abuela (grandmother), his imagination takes hold. He loves the mermaids and wants to become one himself. He worries what his grandma will think.

 

Lily Leads the Way

Lily may be a small sailboat, but she can do mighty things! When all the big, speedy, and bossy boats in the harbor keep cutting in front of her to go into the lake, she tries her best to stay out of their way, and wait for her turn. Only thing is that in order to get the bridge to lower and pass into the lake, Lily needs to blow her horn in order to signal that she wants to pass, but no one can hear her small horn over those of the larger vessels!

 

Little Bat Up All Day

Little Bat is back in this picturebook about what happens when a nocturnal animal tries to stay up all day! The ever-curious Little Bat wants to know how the world changes when the sun comes up, and decides that the only way to find out is to adventure beyond the familiarity of his attic home during the day.

 

Mae Among the Stars

A biography of the life of Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman who was daring enough to travel in space. When a young Mae discusses a what-do-you-want-to-be assignment from school with her parents, she shares her dream of traveling to space one day.

 

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle is about a little girl who misses her mommy. Her favorite thing is to be in between her mama and her mommy but when her mommy leaves for a business trip, nothing is the same. The little girl and her mama work together through the week to adjust to life as they miss mommy, and concoct the perfect plan to welcome mommy home at the end of the week.

 

Moon’s Ramadan

A lovely introduction to the Islam holiday of Ramadan, where Muslims around the world fast during the day, eat at night during Iftar, and do their best to spread kindness over the course of one moon cycle.

 

Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports

Not just for sports fans! Phil Bildner’s storytelling genius pulls the reader in with a riveting rivalry between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. Bildner doesn’t overload the reader with a ton of information, but offers enough to inform the reader about the history of these frenemies.

 

Me and Ms. Too

Ms. Too used to be Molly’s favorite librarian, but then Ms. Too married Molly’s father and became her stepmother and suddenly Molly’s father no longer splashed in the pool or spun with Molly in the park. Now, Ms. Too perches at the edge of the pool and reads on a bench instead of spinning Molly on the merry-go-round. 

 

Milk and Juice: A Recycling Romance

When Milk and Juice meet, it is love at first sight, and they spend many happy days in the refrigerator together. However, when Juice is taken away to be recycled, their love faces an obstacle, but will not be destroyed.

 

Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters

When McKinley Morganfield was a young boy, he liked playing in the mud in his backyard in Mississippi so much that his Grandma Della started calling him “Muddy,” and it stuck. Muddy loved nothing more than making music – when he saved up enough money for a used guitar, he started playing his own brand of Mississippi blues, much to Grandma Della’s chagrin.

 

Namaste Is a Greeting

A young girl says namaste to her bustling city in the name of celebration, respect, peace, grief, and love. She notices that her neighbor, an older woman, does not seem very happy. She wonders: what’s wrong? After traveling through town, the girl decides to buy a plant, with the help of her mother. She adores the plant — showing it off, playing with it, and dancing with it — until the pot it’s housed in breaks. Her mother sees her gloom and helps her replant the pot.

 

Nell Plants a Tree

Nell Plants a Tree is a captivating narrative that describes the original planting of a pecan tree and the effect its growth has on Nell’s family as she gets older. The narrative oscillates between the past and the present. So, while Nell’s grandkids are racing up the tree and watching the birds hatch in the future, Nell is planting the seed and watering the soil in the past.

 

Noisy Night

With each turn of the page, the reader takes flight in this interactive story about a tall and noisy apartment building in the middle of a city. Beginning with a child unable to sleep as a result of mysterious “La La Las” above his head, to an opera singer interrupted by “ma ma mas”, the story moves up, up, up through each floor of the apartment building until reaching the very top where an old man’s sleep is interrupted by it all.

 

Oona in the Arctic

The young mermaid Oona goes on an adventure to bring a lost beluga whale back to her family. While Oona usually loves ocean surprises, she became very worried when she saw the baby whale all alone. Despite her greatest efforts to help the baby feel at home, the little wale missed her family. So Oona and her trusty, sea otter companion, Otto, put on their sea-scarves and sea-muffs to prepare for the journey to the Arctic Ocean, the home of the baby beluga.

 

Original Cat, Copy Cat

When Pineapple’s family gets a new cat, his quiet routine gets ruined, and he quickly grows annoyed when Kiwi copies everything he does. To make matters worse, Kiwi ruins everything that Pineapple likes to do.

 

Pandora

Colored pencil and watercolor—such simple and delicate tools—that Victoria Turnbull uses to tell the poignant story of a little fox, Pandora, who journeys through a destitute world, making a home amongst the remaining rubble of what once was. 

 

Phenomenal AOC: The Roots and Rise of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

An inspirational narrative for all, Phenomenal AOC is a picturebook about how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman in Congress.

 

Rivers of Sunlight: How the Sun Moves Water Around the Earth

This is a colorful and engaging way to introduce young children to the important role the sun plays in the Earth’s water cycle.  Molly Bang teams up again with MIT professor, Penny Chisholm to complete The Sunlight Series, books that explore the sun’s role in the water cycle.

 

See the Stripes

Don’t let the bright colors and pop-up design fool you, this picturebook contains puzzles that will have even the oldest of readers pouring over the foldable flaps, pull tabs, cut-away windows, and rotating designs within its pages.

 

Something About Grandma

Julia loves visiting her grandma in the small town that is tucked against a mountain just outside of Mexico City. But even though her grandma travels with her, it will be the first time Julia will make the journey without her parents as they remain behind to get everything ready for Julia’s soon-to-be baby brother’s arrival.

 

Somewhere

A little girl decides she wants to go on an adventure alone to somewhere, somewhere she has never been before, and where new secrets can be found. While her father quietly watches to make sure she is safe, the little girl journeys out along an unfamiliar path to find new treasures to share with him.

 

Song In The City

A young girl, Emmalene, and her grandma, Jean, walk busy streets on their way to church. As they travel, Emmalene, who is blind, enjoys the sounds of the city: sizzling hot dogs, honking cars, and crinkling leaves! She describes them enthusiastically to Grandma Jean, who pays them no mind. Once at the church, Grandma Jean listens merrily to the choir, while Emmalene sits disappointed by her side. Seeing her granddaughter’s sour mood, Grandma Jean asks her what’s wrong.

 

That Flag

That Flag is a gentle introduction to encounters with the confederate flag. Keira and Bianca are best friends at school, but not at home. Bianca’s parents have a confederate flag, and Keira’s parents tell her to stay away because of it. But Keira doesn’t understand why “that flag” means she can’t sleepover at her friend’s house. At a school field trip to a museum, Keira sees the violence and pain that the confederate flag represents.

 

To Boldly Go: How Nichelle Nichols and Star Trek Helped Advance Civil Rights

“Space: the final frontier.” The iconic opening line of the original Star Trek series, a revolutionary show that brought people together to watch in awe as the crew of the Enterprise traversed the universe, “To boldly go where no man has gone before,” because that was their mission.

 

True You: A Gender Journey

As it is becoming more common for kids to explore their gender identity and have the freedom to do so, there has been a growing need for children’s media to help kids and their families navigate what can be both a confusing and rewarding journey. Educators Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner decided to meet this need by writing True You.

 

Wanda’s First Day

Hello everyone! My name is Julie, and, for today’s staff pick, I’ll be discussing “Wanda’s First Day,” written by Mark Sperring and illustrated by Kate and Liz Pope. While the thought of a witch named Wanda may lead the current generation to picture Wanda Vision, this Wanda is much younger and belongs to a strikingly different universe, where witches live among fairies. At the beginning of this charming narrative, a young witch named Wanda discovers that she has accidentally gone to the wrong school: one for fairies, instead of one for witches!

 

Wolf in the Snow

Besides a couple of whines, sniffs, howls and barks, this wordless picturebook tells the courageous story of a little girl who gets lost in the snow while walking home from school. She finds and saves a wolf pup who has lost his wolf pack, and together they travel through the unforgiving and blinding snow.

 

Tween and Middle School Books:

Charlie Thorn and the Curse of Cleopatra

Charlie Thorne is back and ready for another adventure! After *ahem* borrowing information from the CIA, Charlie races across the world to find the hidden treasure of Cleopatra. Of course, she doesn’t expect it to be easy, but a sudden change in the CIA’s leadership and a personal vendetta by a billionaire art collector turns dangerous into deadly. Add in cobras, Mossad operatives, and a landscape that has drastically changed from the time of the Egyptian Queen and even Charlie might not be able to solve Cleopatra’s clues. 

 

Charlie Thorne and the Lost City

Charlie Thorne is one of the smartest people alive–don’t take her word for it? Don’t worry, she’s been tested. Unfortunately, being one of the smartest people alive happens to get her into a lot of trouble. 

 

Concealed

Katrina is used to going by many different names and constantly moving around the country with her parents, a necessary evil when you are in the Witness Protection Program, but everything she thought she knew changes when her mother goes missing. Suddenly, Katrina and her first-ever friend Parker are thrown into a dangerous adventure that will take every skill they have to not only survive, but also save Katrina’s family.

 

Dream, Annie, Dream

Annie may only be a middle-schooler, but she has big dreams and they include performing on stage. After she is told during her elementary graduation that she can be anything she wants to be, Annie decides that she is going to try out for the community theater’s summer production of “Annie,” and does not understand why others laugh when she states she is trying out for the lead. Why should the fact that she is Asian-American have anything to do with what parts she can play? Unfortunately, for a small town in the 80s, it has everything to do with what parts she can act.   

 

Ghost

A National Book Award Finalist in 2016, Ghost is just one of Jason Reynolds’ many works that have received recognition within the world of youth literature. Its triumphant narrative is perfect for middle schoolers, especially any young boy of color who too rarely sees an image of himself empathetically and realistically portrayed in text.

 

The Keeper

When James and his family move from Texas to Oregon, he feels that life as he knew it is over, and that nothing good can come from the change of scenery. If only he knew how right he was. To make matters worse, the move feels even more doomed without the presence of their abuelita, who had passed shortly before, and not even her recorded stories can make it better. While the new house seems cool, and the neighbors perfect, the uncanny feeling James cannot shake soon takes physical form. In the midst of a prank war with his little sister, Ava, James finds a letter on his desk from someone named “The Keeper” warning him about their new neighborhood. At first, James decides that Ava must have written the letter as the next attack in their prank war, but when more letters arrive and accidents start to happen around James, he realizes just how dangerous their new home and neighbors are.

 

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

Maizy Chen had only met her grandparents once in person, a brief visit that was over before it truly began. But when Maizy’s grandfather gets sick, she and her mother drive to Last Chance, Minnesota to spend a few days with him. Those few days turn into the entire summer as Maizy and her mother realize just how ill he is.

 

Operation Sisterhood

It was bad enough that Bo and her mom were moving into her mom’s boyfriend’s home in Harlem, but no one told Bo that she would be sharing space with a dog, two cats, a bearded dragon, turtle, and chickens–in addition to another family and Bill’s daughter!

 

Prairie Lotus

When Hanna and her widowed father settle in the small town of LaForge in the Dakota Territory, Hanna is both excited and worried. Excited because after three years of traveling, they are finally in a town where they bought a store instead of renting–meaning her father intends to stay for longer than normal–and because she might be able to go to an actual school.

 

Show Me A Sign

Mary’s family had lived on Martha’s Vineyard since the first English settlers arrived on the island, and her great-great-grandfather was the first deaf islander. While being born deaf elsewhere during the 19th century would lead to a life of struggle, on Martha’s Vineyard it is nothing out of the ordinary, and people like Mary and her father are supported and accepted by the community.

 

The Unforgettable Logan Foster

The Unforgettable Logan Foster

After having been returned by six different foster families, Logan Foster does not expect to like–or be liked by–his newest foster family. Yet there is something about Gil and Margie, despite Gil’s horrible puns and Margie’s even worse cooking, that clicks with Logan. Whether it’s because they are secretly superheroes, or because they genuinely seem to care about him, Logan can’t quite decide. Of course, Logan isn’t supposed to know that they are superheroes, but with a brain like his, there is little he can’t figure out. And when explanations about why Gil and Margie are out all hours, never seem to eat, and the pretty intense security around the garage all fall short, Logan begins to wonder. 

Young Adult Books:

American Street

Ibi Zoboi’s American Street is a powerful Own Voice novel that will draw in teens who are interested in social issues of immigration, racism, police violence, and economic inequality.  Fabiola is an extremely likable and relatable character, and readers will love to root for her. She offers a much-needed representation that’s rare in young adult literature and empowering to so many teens.

 

Any Sign of Life

When Paige Miller wakes up, all she knows is that she fell asleep early the night before due to a fever. Except she soon finds that it wasn’t the night before, it was six days ago, and now her house is eerily quiet. Weak from being in a coma and fed by I.V. bags, Paige pulls herself from her room to look for her family, and finds that she is the only one in her house–and her town–still alive.

 

As Good As Dead

The conclusion to the trilogy that introduced us to Pippa Fitz-Amobi and her life as a young investigator with a podcast. In this conclusion, we see Pippa start another case as she gets ready to leave for university.

 

Children of Blood and Bone

A beautiful fantasy novel with elements of West African culture, Children of Blood and Bone is a fantastic debut book from Adeyemi that captivates readers, both teens and adults alike. Zélie (a maji in-training) and her protective brother Tzain are left heartbroken and desperate after the King’s army takes the life of their mother (a reaper or summoner of souls) in an unyielding pursuit to eliminate magic in Orïsha.

 

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager is teen romance and high school drama at its best. In addition to dealing with his parents’ divorce, Norris is starting out at a new high school in Austin, Texas. Before he even steps inside the school’s building he’s sure that he’ll be treated as an unwelcome outsider; he’s a new student, Canadian, bilingual, black, and a child of immigrants from Haiti.

 

The Grace Year

Kim Liggett’s novel begins in Garner county as Tierny prepares for her Grace Year. In this dystopia, when girls turn sixteen-years-old they are forced to spend a year fenced off in the wilderness as they work off their “magic” which otherwise can be used against men.

 

History Is All You Left Me

In History is All You Left Me, Griffin, a high schooler, must face the grief and complications that surround loss when his first love, Theo, passes away. He finds the courage to attend Theo’s funeral, but to fully grasp and move past his grief, he must relive and reexamine the losses that preceded this parting.

 

How to Make Friends With the Dark

This is a book about losing someone and navigating the loneliness of grief when someone you love dies. While it may not seem like the most fun book to read, it kept me on my toes. It felt like every chapter, Tiger and I were catching another curveball.

 

The Last Cuentista

There is nothing Petra wants more than to be a storyteller like her grandmother. However, with earth’s imminent destruction by a comet, Petra and her family are chosen to leave Earth, and travel to the nearest inhabitable planet.

 

The Lost Dreamer

The Lost Dreamer

Rich in worldbuilding and strong female characters, “The Lost Dreamer” introduces readers to a complex fantasy world inspired by ancient Mesoamerica with unforgettable characters, and an intricate plot. The chapters change between perspectives as the two main characters Indir and Saya uncover secrets surrounding themselves, and learn that they both have a fated place in the world that is changing around them.

 

Music From Another World

In Music From Another WorldTammy and Sharon are paired as pen pals for a school assignment. As they grow closer, they divulge secrets they don’t dare tell anyone about who they truly are. A historical fiction look at being LGBT in The 1970s.

 

The Nature of Witches

Clara is an Everwitch – someone whose magic is tied to every season, and this is rare. Most witches have one season they are tied to. Throughout a year, we see Clara grow, thrive, fall in love, and risk losing those she loves to save everyone.

 

Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir

Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir (a 2020 Michael L. Printz Honor Book) will showcase the power and freedom of verse in a whole new light to teens. Grimes’ vivid imagery, wide repertoire of poetic devices, and straightforward, yet insightful conclusions are artful, yet accessible.

 

Six Crimson Cranes

“Six Crimson Cranes” is an imaginative retelling of several classic stories including “The Wild Swans,” “Cinderella,” “the legend of Chang E,” and the “Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.” Lim expertly weaves together the core elements of each story with an original twist that will keep readers enthralled until the end, and then wishing for more. In true fashion of traditional fairytales, this story has all the hallmarks of a classic tale–a lost slipper, a cursed princess in disguise, an evil stepmother, and a monster who may not be so monstrous.

 

We Are Okay

Nina LaCour tells the beautiful and heart-wrenching story of Marin’s experience of grief, pain, and betrayal as she explores her complicated relationships with her mother, grandfather, and best friend/ex-girlfriend, Mable. Through flashbacks and a much-needed heart-to-heart with Mable, we unveil the mystery around Marin’s quick and mysterious departure and ease the unspoken tension between these two friends.

 

We Set the Dark on Fire

In Medio, graduates from the School for Girls marry into prominent families. One of those women is Daniela Vargas, the top student with fake papers about who she is.

 

When Dimple Met Rishi

Sandhya Menon offers a refreshing and well-written Own Voice perspective in the world of teen romance in When Dimple Met Rishi. Dimple just graduated high school and is ecstatic that her parents are letting her take a summer program in app development. Little does she know, her parents are using this opportunity to give Dimple time to get to know Rishi, a potential candidate for an arranged marriage.

 

Graphic Novels:

Aquicorn Cove

The author/illustrator of Tea Dragon Society and Princess Princess Ever After returns with Aquicorn Cove, a graphic novel that tells the story of Lana, a young girl grieving the loss of her mother who returns to the Island her family is from to help with relief efforts after a storm. 

 

Bedhead Ted

This delightful middle-grade graphic novel twines together mystery with messages about friendship and not basing judgments on first impressions. Sangiacomo perfectly captures the dread some students face as the summer ends and uncertainties can no longer be avoided

 

Galaxy: The Prettiest Star

In Galaxy: The Prettiest Star, a new YA release from DC Comics, a teenager named Taylor takes on classic high school struggles: first loves, friendship drama, homecoming, and winning the next big basketball game, all while hiding a big secret.

 

Heartstopper: Volume One

Charlie, an openly-gay year 10, and Nick, a year 11 rugby player both attend an all-boys school in Britain and become the unlikeliest of friends. But is there more to the relationship than meets the eye?

 

Isla to Island

This mostly wordless graphic novel tells the moving story of a young girl, Marisol, as she is forced to leave her beautiful home in Cuba, and move to the gray city of Brooklyn. Surrounded by people she cannot understand, and a culture that seems dull in comparison to what she knew back home, Marisol struggles to find a place in the new world she inhabits.

 

Juliet Takes a Breath

The graphic novel version of the bestselling book, Juliet Takes a Breath. Juliet Milagros Palante is leaving her home in the Bronx for the Pacific Northwest to work with her favorite feminist author.

 

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me (2020 Michael L. Printz Honor Book) is an engaging, beautifully illustrated graphic novel that tells the story of a teenage girl named Freddy and her experience in a tumultuous relationship with Laura Dean.

 

The Legend of Brightblade

The Legend of Brightblade tells the story of Prince Alto whose mother was once a great hero. He dreams of following in her footsteps and having heroic adventures of his own using bardic magic, but his mother insists that he stay in the castle and fulfill his duties as a prince. She rid the world of evil a long time ago and there are more pressing matters than music and magic, like the important alliance she’s forging with the troll kingdom they were once at war with. But when Alto escapes the palace and runs away to make a name for himself as a bard, he discovers a great evil threatening to overthrow the kingdom and ruin the two kingdoms’ chance at peace.

 

Miles Morales, Vol. 1, Straight Out of Brooklyn

In this volume, Miles struggles to balance his school and social life with his nighttime gig watching over the city. His Vice Principal is increasingly and frustratingly suspicious of him, making his school life even harder. But Miles has more pressing concerns when he discovers that immigrant children are going missing. With help from some old and new friends, he saves the day, but there’s a lot Miles has left to think about. 

 

On a Sunbeam

A lovely coming-of-age story, On a Sunbeam is a graphic novel about Mia and Grace, two girls who meet at an outer-space boarding school and fall in love. Crafted as two story lines that merge at the end, Walden expertly weaves an engaging plot line. The satisfying build-up of suspense will have readers on the edge of their seats by the end of the narrative.

 

Swan Lake: Quest for the Kingdoms

“Swan Lake: Quest for The Kingdoms” is a fast-paced graphic novel retelling of the classic “Swan Lake” with much to keep the attention of reluctant readers. With sword fights, dance breaks, humor, and an animal companion similar to a bear, this book will appeal to a wide range of readers. The quick pacing and mix of tough action with elegant ballet scenes will also help to capture the full attention of any who open this book.

 

Tidesong

Reminiscent of Studio Ghibli animations, this graphic novel introduces readers to a young witch named Sophie who travels to train under the guidance of her great aunt and cousin. While her magic is troublesome at times, Sophie is determined to prove to her family that she is powerful enough to be accepted into the Royal Magic Academy. Except instead of learning spells like she thought she would be, Sophie’s auntie Lan has her doing chores all day long and berates her for each little mistake.

 

Yummy: A History of Desserts

Calling foodies, history buffs, and bakers, Yummy takes readers on a delicious journey through the history of deserts. The book is narrated by three “food sprites,” the main narrator is Peri, who tells stories and legends about the history of desserts. She is joined by Fada, who explains the science behind how favorite desserts are baked, and Fee, who dresses up as famous bakers and inventors for interviews about their contributions to baking.