Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Thoughtfully written and beautifully illustrated. Growing up is challenging, but growing up with a disability adds an even heavier burden to our children. Why Me, Mama? is a meaningful book that helps normalize disabilities while offering comfort to kids of all sorts. Rose is having a party, but this sweet little owl is too upset […]
An exquisite tale with a gravity all its own. In a world where love is a weakness and the oceans are made of sand, Norah is plagued with insecurities within her tight-knit community of To’Rahn. Besides enduring the tragic loss of her father and worrying over the famine that has ravaged the land, Norah doesn’t
Poignancy can be found in even the simplest of phrases. Beautiful in its simplicity and bold in its truthfulness, Deep Craving, A Collection of Poems contains dozens of delectable poems that speak to the core of our shared connection as living, loving, and learning beings. By means of verse, Joe Giampaolo reflects on love, loss,
Convolutions, complexities, and an abundance of action-packed scenes. Approaching middle age with an overwhelming sense of disappointment and a penchant for quality bourbon is never what John Bastian envisioned for himself. A happy family filled with love and children would have been nice, but a difficult divorce and some career catastrophes are all he has
You’ll want to share these outrageous true stories with everyone you can. “There is no black and white, there is only gray. Everyone has a story and it’s up to us to find the truth in the gray area.” That is exactly the challenge Rae Scott and Amber Allen tackle in Our Stories: Tales From
Remember when most of the planet was shut down? When we weren’t allowed to travel, a prohibition that was triggered by a microscopic virus? People spent hours lamenting canceled plans, rescheduling flights and hotels, re-rescheduling those arrangements, and then, with nothing left to do but wait for COVID to release its arresting hold, forcing our
Packed with vibrant characters, clashes of culture, and enough warmth to stir the soul. When their homeland was destroyed, almost everything was taken from them. But the love and fierce sense of justice that Finbarl and Aminatra share have kept them alive thus far. True, their makeshift family has expanded in surprising ways, but their
It seems like humans are divided on virtually everything, with as many contradicting opinions as there are distinct choices. Social issues, political topics, or even what to eat for dinner can generate an endless array of viewpoints and preferences, so it’s no wonder we struggle to find a sense of inner calm. Yet, despite our
An enticing rabbit hole you’ll be glad to dive into. Fresh off her successes against the dark fays, Mara should be celebrating the victory over malicious King Bazra and taking some well-deserved time to connect with her betrothed. Instead, Mara is riddled with frustration over the loss of her magical powers and the chasm growing
The perfect mix of optimism, transformation, ingenuity, and whimsy. In the summer of 1893, the widow Juna Lewis is granted the opportunity of a lifetime, a trip to the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, courtesy of her sometimes prickly, yet always practical, father-in-law. Filled with equal parts apprehension and excitement, Juna packs her bags and
If you are looking for a lively educational book for all the kids in your life, check out A Hero Answers 9-1-1 by Steve F. Schubert. It’s career day in Mr. Best’s class and the bright-eyed students meet Chris, a Sheriff’s Office dispatcher. Chris has plenty of exciting information to share with the inquisitive students
Her mother is an alcoholic with a taste for expensive things. Her father has a gambling problem and spends too much time at work. And Laura Johnson is the vulnerable teenager struggling to hold things together within this dysfunctional family. More acrimony than matrimony, the relationship between Laura’s parents is a constant source of frustration
Will bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your face. Growing up in a big city might mean different things for different people. For Olivia Dunham, her mom was the center of her privileged New York City upbringing. Coming from a wealthy family with all the best opportunities, Olivia had everything going
A highly stylized novel that is not to be missed. Unable to move past the earth-shattering events in Astoria, Charlie West exists as a prisoner of his extraordinary circumstances. Plagued with guilt, grief, pain, and unrelenting nightmares, Charlie keeps mostly to himself and lives quietly among Portland’s vulnerable homeless population. And it’s no wonder Charlie
Particularly earnest and incredibly powerful. How would you sum up the American experience? There is really no simple answer to that question, as we are all shaped by our background, upbringing, experiences, and outlook. And these criteria differ wildly from one person to the next, one location to the next, one time period to the
At seventeen, Adamo Di Cristo has reached a nominal milestone, high-school graduation. But with abandonment by his mother in the name of her faith, this Massachusetts native will have to get creative in order to survive. Subsistence on meager rations and an unethically paltry salary quickly become the norm, so Adamo enrolls in the military
A gripping and exciting read that will make you feel like you are part of the action. It is his seventeenth birthday, and everything in the life of James Coffey seems to be in order. An evening of celebratory drinking with friends lands him in the usual trouble with his parents, but it’s nothing he
An intelligent guide to keep you grounded and leave you feeling refreshed. To say that life in our fast-paced, digitally connected world is challenging would be an underestimation of modern problems. We all face obstacles in our personal lives, but the pressures mounting against the entire human race can feel suffocating at times. From environmental
Humor, drama, and fantasy in an expressive manga world. Children are born with an innate curiosity. Why is the sky blue? What is a cloud made of? Parents can usually cobble together an answer with a reasonable level of accuracy and sensibility. But sometimes the questions get trickier to answer when parents are put on
A gentle holiday-themed mystery that is as absorbing as it is enchanting. Cave Creek, Virginia, is home to hearty southern cooking, otherworldly caves, and Lucy Vaughn. Tired of the social limitations imposed by her small town life, however, Lucy uses her sweepstakes winnings to move across the country to California. In a city known for
A heartwarming and inspiring juvenile chapter book. Franklin Middle School is no place for the faint of heart. Fortunately, Silas Fitzgerald doesn’t lack courage. True, he lacks physical height due to a frustrating growth hormone deficiency, but that only makes him look smaller and younger than his nearly 12 years might indicate. On the inside,
Will touch the heart and capture the imagination. If you like comics with heart, ones that offer a fun, retro feel, this book was written for you! Throwing off subtle Star Wars vibes, Kenny Loui’s autobiographical manga journey begins where all epic journeys begin, with a sobering self-examination and a worthy goal too noble for
A fun and inspiring book that celebrates friendship, kindness, and determination. Frogathan Spots is a cheerful and energetic young amphibian who loves his life on Harmony Lane. He enjoys creating and playing games with his friends, but his dream is to win the annual community obstacle course at the upcoming neighborhood fair. However, every time
A powerfully authentic young adult novel. The idea that we have complete control over our lives is a treacherous illusion, one that offers a false sense of security. But not everything is left up to chance. There are endless choices to be made, some done without much deliberation, some so significant they can alter our
