Reviews written by Olivia Farr, Assistant Blog Manager & Staff Reviewer

WHILE YOU SLEEP is a sweet picture book that settles children to sleep with rhyming text and whimsy. The story tells of a child going to sleep and describes the things that happen while they slumber, such as the sun being polished, elderflowers being cut from lace, and rainbows brightened....

TWELVE DINGING DOORBELLS is a sweet twist on the 12 Days of Christmas carol that makes the song into one that will work for any holiday gathering. The words could be sung, and build from the first ringing doorbell of the holiday to the twelfth. As the story continues, more...

6 TIMES WE ALMOST KISSED is a story about challenging family, falling in love, and finding your own path. Penny and Tate have a complicated relationship - they are not really friends, but since their mothers are best friends, as in give-your-organ-to-the-other friends, they have lived in each other's orbits,...

BRIGHT WINTER NIGHT is a sweet, rhyming picture book read about the magic of winter and teamwork. The animals are all gathering together in winter for a special task. Each animal has their role to play as they work together to build a sleigh. They then travel on it to...

THIS BOOK IS MY BEST FRIEND is a sweet picture book about friendship. Two young children meet at a library when they try to grab the same book. In arguing, they both find out that the book is each of their best friend. One likes the robot in it, while...

NONI THE PONY COUNTS TO A MILLION is a cute, rhyming counting picture book. Noni the pony counts to ten with animals and bugs around her, then noticing hundreds, thousands, and finally millions (of stars). What I loved: This is a cute and simple...

HOW TO HELP A FRIEND is a sweet picture book about all the different ways to be a friend. The story suggests an individualized approach to friendship, listening to what friends need and all the different ways they might like to do things. For instance, some friends might like to...

BALLET KIDS is a sweet picture book about the love of ballet and embracing your own style. Thomas is a ballet kid, and the story follows him as he gets ready and attends his ballet class. With his friends, they stretch and warm up, going into some of the positions...

SWIFT THE STORM, FIERCE THE FLAME is an engaging YA fantasy. This book is a sequel to COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES, and although some of the key characters appeared in the original story, this could be read as a stand-alone. Sena and Remy have traveled to Maraas, a...

MYSTERIES OF THORN MANOR is a delightful YA fantasy novella that serves as an extended epilogue for SORCERY OF THORNS. Thorn Manor is to host the Midwinter Ball, but the manor itself is acting up. They will need to investigate the issues with the manor while getting ready to host...

MY FIRST BRAIN QUEST: 123s is an interactive board book to begin learning numbers 1-10. Each page spread features a number with a picture of the number of objects to count and other questions to dive further into the topic. The text also features a small rhyme with the number...

MY FIRST BRAIN QUEST: ABCs is an interactive alphabet book. Each page features a letter with a picture based on it as well as some basic questions to think about it further. For instance, for a it shows "amazing acrobats" and invites children to count them, consider the color of...

MY FIRST BRAIN QUEST: SHAPES is a fun board book that teaches children about basic shapes. Each page spread focuses on a specific shape, such as circle, square, star, and more. There are several questions related to the shape, inviting children to trace the shape and consider its special features....

THE BLACK QUEEN is an enthralling YA contemporary/mystery with powerful themes. The story is told from the perspectives of two teenagers, Duchess and Tinsley. Duchess is best friends with Nova, the first Black girl who might have a chance at getting Homecoming Queen, a title that for their school means...

SONG OF SILVER, FLAME LIKE NIGHT is a lush and engaging YA fantasy that sweeps the reader away to a kingdom at war. Lan is a songgirl, working at a teahouse and searching for information about her past. She has vague memories of when she was five and her life...