Way Past Shame by Hallee Adelman
The book Way Past Shame by Hallee Adelman and illustrated by Karen Wall was a book that was not on my radar at first. Recently, I have wanted to read only books that are already out or due soon (just to catch up on my backlog), but I found an early March 2025 reader’s copy of Adelman’s book. At first I didn’t want to read it. The cover was a boy who was just there. It was a bit cartoon-like, but not cartoonish, and the […]
Remember by Dac Trung Tran
Troll by Frances Stickley
Remember by Dac Trung Tran is due February 2025. I was able to locate an online reader copy. Now, I am not completely sure if I will find a finished copy early next year, but I do know I will be recommending it. And that is despite, or because of, I am not completely sure what was read! I could tell you that it is about a book who wakes up to find his mother has left for work, and she has left him a […]
Knock Knock by Daniel Beaty
I was hoping for something different when I saw the cover of Knock Knock by Daniel Beaty. I was not completely sure what I excepted, but I thought it would be about the waiting for the knock and the joy we feel after we open it for that “surprise” on the other side. Be that surprise is a new sibling, a parent coming home from work or school or was in the service. Or the joy of having a grandparent or sibling that lives far […]
Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins
First blush I had of Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins: This is completely and totally anti-establishment. DO NOT BE A MARSHMALLOW! Do not stand in straight lines! Do not be squishy! Be free! Do you own thing! Breath fire! Second blush: This story has been done before. That “Be yourself. Be whatever you want to be. Even (gasp!) breath fire!” Honestly, how many times can we do this story? While some of the things “you can do” are different: as we know marshmallows and fire […]
Sweety by Andrea Zuill
While the theme of Sweety (being yourself no matter how “odd” or “weird” you might seem to others) has been done before, this has a slightly different feeling to it. Andrea Zuill has made it slightly more modern in some ways, but also has kept a classic feeling as well. The classic aspect of the story is Sweety has a large, traditional family and how she and her family interact. The fact that Sweety asks if “being herself” while looking for friends could be seen […]
