I read the first half from the physical book. I listen to the second half on audio. I wish I would have started this on audio from the start...

I adore the children in this book. 

What a lovely cozy fantasy that carries thought-provoking characters and plot. 

I want to be Kiela the librarian and I want a sentient spider plant as an assistant. I want us to live on a lovely little island and make jam and secretly market low-stake spells to the caring folks in the town. I want to befriend the baker and the neighbor and grow a garden and help everyone feel like they belong.

Since I can't do all that, thanks to Sarah Beth Durst for allowing me to escape to all of this for a little bit. 

A unique YA novel about a Korean American teen looking to make a name for herself in the music industry. Earning her spot at a prestigious music school for her senior year, Riley is excited to get her music career off the ground. 

Unfortunately, Riley is met with racist comments from both her advisor and bandmate. Riley is stuck between keeping quiet to hopefully move up her music career and talking about her experiences and giving herself a chance in the spotlight. 

John Vercher masterfully combines the literary fiction, magical realism, and mystery genres in this novel. 

This is a book about race, family, addiction, grief, history, mental health, and colonial systems. It made me think while reading and it continues to take up space in my mind now. 

A truly stellar memoir encompassing the life of a fierce young activist that also shines an accessible light on the horrors happening in Palestine under the Israeli occupation. This is an emotional must-read book for readers of all ages.

This is a fine introduction to memoirs and nonfiction for younger readers. 

This is a fun starter to a new middle-grade mystery series. Folks describing it as One of Us Is Lying meets The Inheritance Games have nailed the mash-up. 

I do wish there was something to make this book stand out a bit more, but I think it will be a hit with middle-grade readers, especially those looking to explore the mystery genre. 

This is a bright and beautiful picture book about Lorena Ramirez, an Indigenous marathon champion. The text is short on each page with striking illustrations that have accompanying onomatopoeias, like "clip clap, clip clap" to describe her sandals hitting the ground as she runs. This aspect of the book would make it a fun read-aloud to invite kids to participate in with you!

The back matter shares more about Lorena and her Raramuri Indigenous culture. 

A nicely illustrated picture book exploring the history of underwater diving and how humans crafted various tools to help us breathe underwater.  The author mixes in information about diving and the impact water pressure has on the human body with small nuggets mixed in sharing relatable moments, like having your ears pop and blowing up a pool floaty, to reasonable experiments, like placing an empty cup in water and watching how the air stays trapped inside. 

The back matter is full of accessible information: how to support our oceans, how to become a diver, career opportunities in diving, and TONS of water-themed fun facts!

This book is best suited for younger readers with stronger reading skills or as a read-aloud with some adjustments as the text blocks are written in smaller text with full paragraphs on each page. 

An accessible, informational book about the Mexican American story. This book is intentional about sharing the Indigenous history of Mexicans on what is now American lands and how the white colonizers have and continue to try to erase them and their story. 

One of my favorite parts of this book was that at the end of each chapter, there was a "Let's Think About It" section that asked the reader questions about what was covered in the chapter, which can help support reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.