Oh My Books!

Book Review: 1, 2, 3 off to school! By Marianne Dubuc In this playful take on school readiness by award-winning author-illustrator Marianne Dubuc, a child visits their friends’ schools and discovers how many wonderful things kindergarteners do in a day! Pom is ready for the first day of kindergarten. Not the real first day, that’s not for another year. But Pom has been hearing a lot from all the animals about each of their schools. So today Pom is visiting them all, to see what kindergarten is really like. Pom starts by watching the mouselings ride the bird bus; then the rabbits learning to read, write and count; the froglets making art; the foxes playing sports; the bear cubs sharing lunch; the sloths napping; the squirrels exploring nature; the wolf pups reading stories; the turtles doing classroom tasks; and, finally, the hedgehogs waiting to be picked up in the schoolyard. Pom is thrilled to discover there are so many fun activities to enjoy at school! Best of all, now Pom knows wh

Books to Read for Christmas: Young Adult Favorites The holiday season is the perfect time to indulge in some heartwarming and enchanting stories that capture the spirit of Christmas. For young adults, there’s a delightful selection of novels that blend romance, adventure, and festive cheer. Here are some must-read books to add to your holiday reading list that will bring joy and inspiration during this magical time of year. "Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances" by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle "My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories" edited by Stephanie Perkins "Dash & Lily's Book of Dares" by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan  ( my review here .) "The Afterlife of Holly Chase" by Cynthia Hand "A Christmas Carol" Graphic Novel Adaptation by Charles Dickens "Ex-mas" by Kate Brian "All Wrapped Up" by Holly Smale "Mistletoe" by Hailey Abbott, Melissa de la Cruz, Aimee Friedman,

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna First published August 23, 2022 Goodreads | Amazon A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life. As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of

Hooray, It's Three Kings Day!: A Picture Book for Epiphany by Annette M. Clayton Illustrator: Jone Leal 32 pages Hardcover Expected publication November 12, 2024 by Familius ISBN 9781641709576 (ISBN10: 164170957X) ASIN 164170957X  A picture book celebration of Three Kings Day, with foil details on the cover, is the perfect gift for the Epiphany season Sofia and her abuela share a special Three Kings Day Abuela brings her wooden santos all the way from Puerto Rico and tells the story of the wise men seeking Baby Jesus, drawn by a star. Surrounded by family and beautiful tradition, Sofia basks in the beauty of the holiday. Drawing upon her own experiences with her Puerto Rican abuela, author Annette Clayton explores the food, stories, and traditions that surround Three Kings Day. With rich illustrations by Venezuelan illustrator Jone Leal, Hooray, It’s Three Kings Day! includes four pages of backmatter with traditional recipes, a Spanish glossary, and details about the way this holid

Witchcraft: A Graphic History: Stories of wise women, healers and magic by Lindsay Squire 128 pages, Hardcover Published October 15, 2024 'Every witch uses her magic differently. I use mine to heal people, while others ...' 'What do the others do!? Are there many different types of witches!?' 'Oh yes! Many ...' Join Lindsay, a young and curious 19th-century lady, as she meets Biddy Early, the famous 'wise woman of County Clare', and learns all about the magickal arts—from which plants can be used to make healing poultices and potions, to how people dealt with the social and political stigma of practicing witchcraft. Biddy Early, who lived from 1798–1874 in Ireland, was by no means the first-ever witch, but she was the first to appear on the historical record. Before her, fears and superstitions surrounding practitioners of 'the nameless art' were too strong. It is said that Biddy took an apprenticeship with the 'good folk', sidhe or faeri

Review: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros The Empyrean Series #2 “The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky. Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves. Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make the