Category: review

A Graphic Novel Review?! Yup, and it’s a Stunning One!

15 March 2018 / review / 0 Comments
A Graphic Novel Review?! Yup, and it’s a Stunning One!

Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez Format/Source: Hardcover/library Published: 2017 Publisher: Nobrow Press Length: 70 pages Genre: Middle grade spec fic (spooky) ★★★★½  Lorena Alvarez’s debut graphic novel for middle grade readers, Nightlights, tells the story of Sandy, a young girl who loves to draw. Sandy’s focus on her talent makes her an outcast among her peers at school. At night, Sandy catches the little lights that float around her bedroom. As she explains, “I catch the […]

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Review + Discussion Questions for Laura Lam’s Pantomime

28 February 2018 / review / 0 Comments
Review + Discussion Questions for Laura Lam’s Pantomime

Pantomime by Laura Lam Series: Micah Grey #1 Format/Source: Paperback/library Published: 2016 Publisher: Pan Macmillan (Angry Robot originally published this book in 2013.) Length: 386 pages Genre: Fantasy/speculative fiction ★★★★   Pantomime, the first book in a trilogy, follows Micah Grey as they learn what it means to be themself in terms of gender, sexual, and personal identity. Set in a steampunk world of forgotten magic and varied cultures, Pantomime tells a fantastical story featuring an […]

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A Delightful Early Chapter Book: Yours Sincerely, Giraffe [Review]

7 January 2018 / review / 5 Comments
A Delightful Early Chapter Book: Yours Sincerely, Giraffe [Review]

Yours Sincerely, Giraffe written by Megumi Iwasa and illustrated by Jun Takabatake Format/Source: Hardcover/library Published: March 2017 (Originally published 2011 in Japan) Publisher: Gecko Press Length: 104 pages Genre: Speculative fiction – early chapter book ★★★★½       I came across this wonderful little book while browsing new children’s books at the library. The discovery made me fondly recall those days when library browsing was my primary way of finding hidden […]

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Review: Indigenous Writes is a Must Read for Every Canadian

19 December 2017 / review / 0 Comments
Review: Indigenous Writes is a Must Read for Every Canadian

Indigenous Writes by Chelsea Vowel Format/Source: Paperback/Own Published: September 2016 Publisher: Highwater Press Length: 290 pages Genre: Non-fiction ★★★★½     I followed Vowel on Twitter for some time before I picked up her book. If you’re new to learning about Indigenous experiences, her Twitter feed may seem overwhelming. Not so her book Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nation, Inuit, and Métis Issues in Canada. Vowel writes in a casual, conversational […]

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Review: The Child Finder = Another Excellent Sophomore Novel

9 December 2017 / review / 0 Comments
Review: The Child Finder = Another Excellent Sophomore Novel

The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld Format/Source: Hardcover/Library Published: September 2017 Publisher: HarperCollins Length: 272 pages Genre: Literary fiction ★★★★½     The Child Finder focuses on the mystery of a missing child. If you stripped away the insightful prose, made the characters full of heart and heartbreak into something more generic, and ignored the histories that drive them, you’d be left with a pretty a pretty standard tale that could be the plot […]

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