I had been trying The StoryGraph for the first half of this year to avoid the Amazon-owned Goodreads. Unfortunately, it didn’t provide the convenience Goodreads offered so I’m back using Goodreads.
The Legend of Iron Purl by Tao NyeuMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
At first I was put off by this picture book because it seemed a bit wordy but it was a sweet and surprising story that’s perfect for read-alouds and anyone who loves to pore over the illustrations carefully.
Everything in Its Place: A Story of Books and Belonging by Pauline David-SaxMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A beautiful ode to books and the connections made with them.
The Little House of Hope by Terry Catasús JenningsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was hesitant to read this one since it was very similar to a picture book manuscript I’d written. But then there’s really no new idea/premise out there- just the way you present it. I really enjoyed this story for showing how important family and community is and the make-do attitude some people have. Lovely.
A Good Thing Happened Today by Michelle FigueroaMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I liked that actual good news stories were incorporated in this positive book.
Hooves or Hands? by Rosie HaineMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
A fun book for inquisitive minds that may inspire them to continue this train of thought- or to come up with new interesting questions.
If You Find a Leaf by Aimée SicuroMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fun picture book for fall- includes a fun activity to do!
If You’re a Kid Like Gavin by Gavin GrimmMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A wonderful picture book about trans activist Gavin Grimm told through the lens of every child who has many choices of who they want to be and what they believe in.
Shahzia: My Life as an Artist by Shahzia SikanderMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A beautiful picture book about an artist I wasn’t familiar with. I appreciated images of her works to better understand her style.
Odd Birds: Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock by Laura GehlMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fun board book about birds- focusing on the more unusual types!
Birding for Babies: Backyard Birds: A Numbers Book by Chloe GoodhartMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fun board book about birds- counting up to ten with different kinds of birds.
Birding for Babies: Migrating Birds: A Colors Book by Chloe GoodhartMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fun board book about birds- learning about different types based on their colors.
Answers in the Pages by David LevithanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
David Levithan does it again with his timely middle grade novel about books being banned. Alternating between three pairs of duos- including excerpts from the book (within the book) being challenged-, readers who know the life-saving/life-changing importance of representation will follow along until they learn the outcome of the book’s fate. One of the storylines was what I can only describe as pure which got me quite emotional. One of my favorite novels of the year.
The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank BaumMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I admit the only reason I even considered reading beyond the first book of this series (because there are so many of them and I loved the first one so much) was that the twist has became a sort of a LGBTQ+ thing which I’m sure the author didn’t intend but certain readers just interpreted through their lens. I think it just shows how much we crave representations of ourselves in the media we consume and how important it is when we think we see it.
Bridges: Engineering Masterpieces by Dan ZettwochMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fascinating book to learn about bridges with characters who travel all over the world to share why they love these engineering masterpieces. It made me want to visit some of the bridges they mentioned.
Annie on My Mind by Nancy GardenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This has been on my radar for awhile and I finally picked it up after it was mentioned in another book. I really enjoyed the book- a good mix of teenage angst and joyful first love. I was worried when one of my friends said this was sad so I started feeling apprehensive that this would go the way of many LGBTQ books of many decades ago.
The Magic Fish by Trung Le NguyenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This has been in my stack of books to read for awhile and I’m glad I finally read it. I loved the mix of fairy tales mirroring the family’s life story and how the character gets to imagine a version of a happily ever after because of them.
Last Seen After Midnight by Budjette TanMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Alexandra Trese is back solving more supernatural cases. I only gave this installment a lower rating because the previous volume was so good.
I’m looking forward to when the releases overseas and in the US finally catch up to one another.
I really got hooked on this series. It reminded me of Tommy & Tuppence if they were gay and if their stories had steamy scenes. I even read the extra stories online after each of the novels.
The Fox’s Tower and Other Tales by Yoon Ha LeeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This caught my eye at a Pride display at one of the libraries I go to. Beautifully written, for sure, but it did seem repetitive at times. Really short stories that were more about creating a certain kind of feeling than having a strong narrative. Some of the stories really stood out.
This may be good for writing exercises. I would recommend maybe reading one a day and then either expand on it or maybe draw a scene or two from it.
You can view all my reviews over on Goodreads.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Happy Reading!
The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer - Earl Dizon 
I have If You’re a Kid Like Gavin on my list this week, too. It’s a wonderful book. Answers in the Pages sounds interesting and timely.
So many interesting picture books and I am really interested in the Levithan’s Answers in the Pages as well. Thanks for the post.
Some of the books here are on my to read list. I just adore anything by David Levithan so I cant wait to read Answers in the Pages. When I started working as a teacher librarian, the only book with queer characters was Annie on My Mind. I read it, but it was so long ago… I actually have a copy of The Magic Fish, but when we started doing renovations it got put into a box. Now it’s in storage somewhere. I really look forward to having our bookshelves back.
Happy reading this week.
I can understand going back to Goodreads—I’ve thought about the StoryGraph, but since everyone else is on Goodreads too, it’s hard to make the switch! I have The Little House of Hope and Answers in the Pages on my list—with the first, I imagine it was hard to read it when it was similar to what you had written, but it’s very brave to try it anyway and get to enjoy it. And I am such an enormous fan of The Magic Fish, so I am so glad you got to read and enjoy it—it is genuinely my favorite graphic novel of all time. Thanks so much for the wonderful post, Earl!