This book puts all my other “romance” classified books to shame. I adore the diversity this brings to the teen romance genre but I can’t get over the constant foreshadowing and the inevitability of their love. I couldn’t finish it but maybe there’s a twist?

Either way, I’ll definitely still recommend this to tweens and teens that are fans of realistic fiction and romance.

Age: Preschool-1st grade

A girl observes her classmate experience humiliation and wonders what she can do to be kind. The story lists different types of kindness. Do we express kindness through giving? Helping? Paying attention? These questions and more open-ended text provides a great platform for discussion in a classroom or at home.

Ever since Lazlo Strange was a little orphan boy, he dreamed of the distant city of Weep. Growing up as a librarian’s apprentice, Lazlo gathered bits and pieces of this magical, faraway land that others disregarded as fairytale fluff.

When a group of Weep warriors appear, Lazlo musters up the courage to speak to them in their native tongue and be invited on a journey to The Unseen City. He soon finds out that he’s been invited not merely to see the city but to save it from the remnants of a powerful and cruel set of gods and goddesses.

A mystery leads to a journey leads to an adventure leads to a miraculous reveal, all wrapped in the beautiful and fast-moving prose of Laini Taylor.

Spoiler

Plot synopsis spoilers for my aging brain: Sarai meets Lazlo in his dreams and they fall in love. Eril-Fane finds out that there are godspawn still living in the citadel and that one of the godspawn can control ghosts. Sarai and Lazlo try to bring their respective sides closer to compromise but come up against fear, prejudice, and the thirst for revenge. One of the foreigners tries to blow up the immovable metal structure. It causes the ground to split and the citadel to start to fall down. Lazlo stops the citadel from tipping over and we discover he is a godspawn but not before Sarai falls off the citadel to her death. Lazlo pleads for her soul to be saved by the soul trapper and she does, but now she's under her manipulative control.

Spoiler

Point that I cried: When Lazlo finally gets to touch Sarai's body but she's dead and Sarai's ghost watches jealously from above

Award: Caldecott Honor 2018

Spoiler

Tough Issue: Death of a cat

An inventive use of black and white art to show an older cat and new kitten making friends, living together, and generally being best buddies.

Spoiler

I...almost cried at the reference desk when the old cat goes away and never comes back but I held my sh*t together. Great for a gentle discussion about death, grieving, and growing.

Age: Preschool

An adorable girl tries to trick daddy into sleeping on a luxurious cot so she can have mommy's cuddles all to herself. Future debate team leader in the making. Five thumbs up!

Although, I am confused about the pee pee page. Is she worried that her dad doesn't like the smell of her pee? Isn't she trying to convince him to leave? Anyone have answers to this boggling spread about pee pee? This is the real question we need to ask ourselves these days.

Age: 2 years-preschool
Animals: Plankton, mussel

Spoiler

Point of lolment: The mussel speaks Spanish

Plankton is generally a happy little fish until he encounters the unmoving, silent stare of Mr. Mussel who refuses to say hello back. Plankton cannot rest until Mr. Mussel does the *polite* thing and says hello. The surprise ending is absolutely delightful.

A satisfying conclusion to a series that took me way too long to finish.

Spoiler

I love Adam and I love Ronan and I loved seeing them together. Thank you, Maggie.

If I need plot references in the future, see this thorough review

Absolutely dying to be read out loud with your best Darth Vader voice, the narrator attempts to find out what Darth Vader is scared of. This will be an instant favorite for any young (and old) fans of Star Wars.

Age: Preschool
Community Helper: Librarian

Storytime attendees solve the mystery of the missing librarian only to find that she's been replaced by a bear. A cute way to show how libraries house gateways to other worlds.