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ANJALI CAN! Always Anjali #3 written by Sheetal Sheth, illustrated by Lucia Soto Random House Children's Books, 2025 ISBN: 978-0-593-65122-3 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Author interview arranged by Random House. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Seven-year-old Anjali is back and ready to prove there’s nothing she can’t do, in this third book in the Always Anjali series! When a beloved community center is threatened with shutting down, Anjali must quickly find a way to save the space or risk losing it. The local community center is a second home to Anjali. It's where she met her best friends; it's her favorite spot for game and movie nights; and it's where she learned to play tabla. Anjali has so many happy memories there, but now the community center is closing! Unwilling to let the center shut down for good, Anjali is determined to keep the place open. S...

  LONDON CALLING City Spies #6 by James Ponti Aladdin, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-6659-3250-9 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, book summary, author photo, and interview provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK In this sixth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies stage a rescue in Rome in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne. Cairo, the newest member of the City Spies, takes the lead when his sister disappears in Istanbul. Determined to save the family of one of their own, the team risks discovery as their search leads them to Rome. Meanwhile, there’s been intel that seems to threaten the royal wedding about to take place in Westminster, bringing the team back to the UK on an official case for MI6. With so much security all over the city, it’s harder than ever for the City Spies to go unnoticed. Will their skills ...

  I WANT TO READ ALL THE BOOKS written & illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 9781481416313 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary, author bio & interview, provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK An insatiably curious girl decides the only way to answer all her questions is to read all the books in this funny and charming picture book in the spirit of The Library Fish and Tom Chapin’s The Library Book.Hana wants to know everything about the world around her. When she starts asking questions, her mother gives her a book. She learns so much, but now she has even more questions! She also has a big she will read all the books—every single one! She reads every book in her house…and then her friends’ houses…and then the whole block. Nonfiction, fiction, romance, mysteries, and science fiction. But when her mother takes her to the downtown library, she realizes ther...

  CLOUD PUPPY Cloud Puppy #1 written & illustrated by Kelly Leigh Miller Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-6659-5582-9 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. Thanks to the publisher for arranging the interview and to Kelly Leigh Miller for answering my questions. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Kelly Leigh Miller is an illustrator and author who loves everything cute and whimsical. She is the author of I Love My Fangs!, I Love My Fur!, I Love My Magic!, and many more books. Visit her online at KellyLeighMiller.com . INTERVIEW with KELLY LEIGH MILLER What is the 'story behind the story'? The idea for Cloud Puppy came from me revisiting my old love of Tamagotchis and Sanrio characters. At the time, I had also been studying Japanese mascots, the ones that are for businesses and cities, for character design inspiration. The character of Cloud Puppy c...

SECRET IN THE STONE The Unicorn Quest #2 by Kamilla Benko Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019 ISBN: 9781681192475 Source: NetGalley from publisher Middle grade speculative (fantasy) Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Claire Martinson and her sister Sophie have decided to stay in Arden--the magical land they discovered by climbing up a chimney in their great-aunt's manor. If what they've learned is true, the sisters are the last descendants of the royal family, and only a true heir of Arden--with magic in her blood--can awaken the unicorns. Since Sophie has does not have magic, the land's last hope rests on Claire. The sisters journey to Stonehaven, a famed Gemmer school high in the mountains of Arden, so Claire can train in the magic of stone. As Claire struggles through classes, Sophie uncovers dangerous secrets about the people they thought they could trust. With Arden on the brink of crumbling, can Claire ...

THE KNOWING BOOK by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Matthew Cordell Boyds Mills Press, 2016 ISBN; 978-1-59078-926-1 Picture Book Ages 4-8 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Inspiring and wise, this story begins and ends with the sky that is always above you. In between, a young rabbit travels through the wide world, experiencing joy and sorrow and all the wonder that the world has to offer. Along the way he chooses a path, explores the unknown, and ventures along trails on and off the map. And at the end of the journey, braver and more confident, he returns home, the place he can always count on and will always know. This beautiful celebration of life is the perfect gift to mark any milestone in a child’s life from birth to graduation. REVIEW The young rabbit who is the main character of this story explores the world around him and then returns safely home to the loving parents who are waiting for him...

THE WISDOM OF MERLIN 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life by T.A. Barron Philomel Books, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-399-17325-7 Ages 8 and up Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A book of advice from Merlin, the greatest wizard of all time Based on an address he gave to students at the University of Oxford in 2013, T.A. Barron, author of the New York Times  bestselling Merlin Saga, channels the wizard Merlin and offers advice on how to live a meaningful life. Divided into sections, each revolving around a magical word, this book poetically explores the concepts of Gratitude, Courage, Knowledge, Belief, Wonder, Generosity, Hope, and Love. A gem of inspiration, this is the perfect graduation gift, sure to encourage readers of all ages to live life to the fullest. REVIEW This is a thought-provoking little book told in Merlin's voice.  Here we learn the power of gratitude, courage, knowledge, belief, wonder, ...