Leaf – Sandra Dieckmann

Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Distributor
Published: October 10th, 2017
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Recommended Age: 4+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Picture Books, Animals, Environment

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BLURB:

When a polar bear arrives unexpectedly in the woods, the animals fear and avoid him, suspecting him to be dangerous—and his habit of collecting leaves only adds to their distrust. Then one day, they watch as he attempts to fly over the water with wings made of colorful leaves, just trying to go home.

Maybe he needs some help?

Little Fires Everywhere – Celeste Ng

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
First Published: September 12th, 2017
Publisher: Penguin Press
Recommended Age: 14+
Pacing: Slow
Genres & Themes: Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Family Relationships

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BLURB:

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned — from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren — an enigmatic artist and single mother — who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town–and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia’s past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

Hibernation Hotel – John Kelly

Hibernation Hotel by John Kelly

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Received: Distributor
First Published: September 1st, 2017
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Recommended Age: 5+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Children’s, Picture Books, Animals, Humor, Friendship

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BLURB:

It’s time for Bear to hibernate, but he just can’t get to sleep because his cave is crowded with all of his friends. Raccoon snores, Beaver fidgets, and Skunk doesn’t exactly smell too good. So Bear gets a great idea and reserves a room at the Hibernation Hotel. “This is the life!” he exclaims, eating all the snacks he wants and bouncing up and down on the bed. But for some reason, at bedtime, he still can’t sleep. Could something be missing? 

The Gold Leaf – Kirsten Hall

The Gold Leaf by Kirsten Hall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Received: Distributor
First Published: May 16th, 2017
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Recommended Age: 5+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Children’s, Picture Books, Animals, Nature, Preservation, Sharing

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BLURB:

A gold leaf appears in the forest. As soon as the animals notice it, each wants it more than anything else in the world. But in their struggle for it, the leaf is destroyed. Heartbroken, the animals wonder: Will we ever again see such a leaf?

The Cruel Prince – Holly Black

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Publisher
First Published: January 2nd, 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Recommended Age: 13+
Pacing: Fast
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Fantasy, Faeries, Adventure, Romance, Action, Dark

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BLURB:

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Sensitive Creatures – Mandy Ord

Sensitive Creatures by Mandy Ord

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Received: Distributor
Publication Date: 2011
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Recommended Age: 14+
Pacing: Normal
Genres & Themes: Graphic Novel, Urban Life, Nonfiction

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BLURB:

Wonderfully off-beat, Mandy Ord’s stories reveal with poetic power the intimate, mundane and extraordinary moments in everyday urban life. From spammers who take over your email identity or dealing with a dead rat, to putting out flames in a train station bin or how to warm your feet in winter, the experiences and reflections of Mandy’s one-eyed girl will put you in touch with what really matters.