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

RICA BAPTISTA: A WEEK OF SHENANIGANS is a cute chapter book about family and fun. Rica and her BFF Laini are so excited to see Rica's Grampy. Every summer he comes for a week of fun, taking them to exciting places and doing lots of cool things with them. However,...

THE DARKNESS WITHIN US is an interesting enemies-to-lovers YA fantasy. The book is a sequel to THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US, with this story following Alessandra's sister, Chrysantha. Chrysantha learned early that it was a men's world, and she has hidden her true nature to appear simple and pliant in order...

NATURE SMARTS WORKBOOK is a fun, interactive activity book that encourages children to learn about and explore the outdoors. The workbook integrates puzzles, simple math, and writing skills to teach about animals, habitats, and more. What I loved: This was such a great and interactive...

ALL ABOARD! PLANES is another delightful installment in this informative picture book series. The book explains key information about planes and flying, such as how weather impacts flights, types of planes, and planes that made history. The book is fully illustrated with paragraphs to describe different elements of each topic....

TWO SIDES TO EVERY MURDER is a fast-paced YA thriller. The story follows two teens, Olivia and Reagan, who are each heading to Lost Lake, a camp which has been closed for about sixteen years, since three people were murdered in one night. The killer used a mask from the...

THE CALCULATION OF YOU AND ME is an overall cute YA contemporary romance. After her boyfriend of two years dumps her for not being romantic enough, Marlowe feels set adrift, but she knows she must put in the work to get him back. After she is paired with Ash for...

NEVER, EVER, EVER ASK A PIRATE TO A PARTY is a silly picture book with a story about party etiquette and friendship. A young girl is having a party, but as her guests arrive, her party is anything but perfect. The pirate will make you walk the plank and she'll...

THE SPACEMAN is a cute and intriguing picture book that looks at Earth from another perspective. A small Spaceman arrives on a planet, where he is collecting the usual samples. However, things go awry when his spaceship is taken by a feathered creature. As he follows after it, he notices...

HOCUS AND POCUS AND THE SPELL FOR HOME is a charming chapter book about finding a place to belong. A witch named Jinx found five puppies and realized they were slightly magical, so she brought them to the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets where they would be taken care of...

THE ADVENTURES OF PENGUIN AND PANDA: FUN AND GAMES! is a delightful early graphic novel about friendship. Penguin and Panda are the best of friends, even if it sometimes seems like they have nothing in common. In the first story, they consider what they have alike and different - which...

LOOK WHAT I FOUND ON THE FARM is an educational picture book. The book follows along with three children as they explore the farm. The book takes place in sections with the first page spread featuring a cute poem followed by a search for three sets of items/animals. The next...

THE GHOST OF US is an intriguing YA contemporary with a supernatural twist. Cara is a ghost hunter who wants to make it big and get out of her small town, where she has been notorious for being "Scarf Girl," a horrifying event that happened when she was in middle...

THE ADVENTURES OF PENGUIN AND PANDA: SURPRISE! is a delightful graphic novel about friendship. The book is divided into chapters that read like short stories as Penguin and Panda spend time together. They may be quite different, but they make the best of friends. What...

GUESS WHO? BOO TO YOU! is an adorable lift-the-flap picture book, great for Halloween. The story follows different characters as they knock on doors and reveal the next Halloweeny character. The end of the book brings all the characters to a door that reveals a mirror for some extra fun....

PAST PRESENT FUTURE is an intriguing sequel to a YA romance that follows the relationship through the turmoil of long distance. The story is told in alternating points-of-view with Rowan and Neil during their freshman year of college, in different cities. While they had a whirlwind romance, they are now...