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Ruby’s Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott

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Ruby's Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott
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My favorite kind of picture book is one set in a classroom of both humans and anthropomorphic animals. This book is adorable as it tells the story of Ruby the fox starting a new school and trying to use her skills to make new friends. Turns out friends don’t like you just for your skills — they like you for you!

Ruby’s Tools for Making Friends by Apryl Stott, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 9781665921640, June 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Ready or Not by Andi Porretta

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Ready or Not by Andi Porretta
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This is one of those graphic novels that I think everyone can relate to! Ready or Not follows a group of high school graduates as they are trying to spend one last summer together before their next journey’s begin whether it’s together or apart. It also touches on intense anxiety about the future and the pressures that young adults face with deciding what to do after they graduate school.

Ready or Not by Andi Porretta, (List Price: $14.99, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 9781665907026, July 2024)

Reviewed by Juliana Reyes, Bookmarks in Savannah, North Carolina

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Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair by Lucy Knisley

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Woe: A Housecat's Story of Despair by Lucy Knisley
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I always loved Lucy Knisley’s cat comics — although not a cat owner myself, I did share my life with a very cat-like chihuahua for a decade, and Lucy’s Linney and my Jack had quite a lot in common. Collected for the first time in one volume, these comics are perfect to give a cat lover (or just a lover of any grumpy, particular animals we choose to pamper and adore).

Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair by Lucy Knisley, (List Price: $16.99, Random House Graphic, 9780593177631, July 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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The New Girl by Cassandra Calin

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The New Girl by Cassandra Calin
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The New Girl is a delightfully funny story about change, perseverance, and embracing those who are different than us. I absolutely fell in love with the adorable pictures and loveable characters. This was so much fun to read, and I highly recommend diving into it!

The New Girl by Cassandra Calin, (List Price: $12.99, Graphix, 9781338762457, June 2024)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed

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This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed
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An incredibly timely read! Noor Khan has moved to a new town and is dismayed to discover that many of her new school’s library books have been pulled from the shelf. As she mobilizes her new classmates to fight back, she realizes she might actually be in danger. I loved the way Samira Ahmed cites real books that have been banned over the past few years throughout the book. Perfect for teens to read alongside Fahrenheit 451!

This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316547840, May 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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I Heard by Jaha Nailah Avery

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I Heard by Jaha Nailah Avery
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So many stories. It reminds me of The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, and the rhymes and cadence of I Heard make it a wonderful pick for a read-aloud. One of our storyteller friends says some picture books are meant to be read with the people sitting right next to you, and others translate up from that to be told to a big crowd of listeners. This one, with its sonorous title, is meant to be proclaimed, and the detail in the illustrations by Walthall begs another go-through to see all the faces.

I Heard by Jaha Nailah Avery, (List Price: $17.99, Charlesbridge, 9781623543822, April 2024)

Reviewed by Lisa Yee Swope, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Built to Last by Minh Lê

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Built to Last by Minh Lê
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A delightful story about friendship and the power of imagination! I love that even after their grand plans fail again and again, the two protagonists rely on each other and trust in their friendship. This book is so beautifully illustrated, like all books Dan Santat illustrates!

Built to Last by Minh Lê, (List Price: $18.99, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 9780593569177, April 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Would You Dare Put a Diaper on a Bear? by Kinsman-Chauvet, Lillias

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Would You Dare Put a Diaper on a Bear? by Lillias Kinsman-Chauvet
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This silly sing-songy book will have your child bubbling over with laughter. The pictures are funny colorful animals outfitted in diapers and are sure to make your little one cover their mouths trying to keep from giggling. It is the perfect book to help encourage potty training.

Would You Dare Put a Diaper on a Bear? by Lillias Kinsman-Chauvet, (List Price: $18.99, Boxer Books, 9781915801654, April 2024)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

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Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
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To say I’m obsessed is an understatement. Sade arrives at a boarding school, escaping her past, when her new roommate disappears the next day. Layers of secrets and twists are uncovered as Sade tries to find her roommate. I couldn’t put this down and will immediately read anything she writes!

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, (List Price: $19.99, Feiwel & Friends, 9781250800848, March 2024)

Reviewed by Kayla Matykunas, Bookmarks in , North Carolina

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You Get What You Pay For by Morgan Parker

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You Get What You Pay For by Morgan Parker
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I have read everything Morgan Parker has written and thus knew this essay collection would be incredible, yet it still surpassed my expectations! I was immediately absorbed in her ideas and prose. I always love reading essays by poets because they don’t waste a single word. A fabulous, thoughtful, candid, collection that speaks straight from the heart. A must-read!

You Get What You Pay For by Morgan Parker, (List Price: $28, One World, 9780525511441, March 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang

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Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang
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Val believes that her family is cursed and they will always be unlucky in love. I loved the sweet and charming graphics and learning about the art of lion dancing. Val’s courage and determination to try and open her heart even if it may end in heartbreak is inspiring. I truly enjoyed this book!

Lunar New Year Love StoryLunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, (List Price: $25.99, First Second, 9781626728103, January 2024)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Love Is My Favorite Color by Nina Laden

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Love Is My Favorite Color by Nina Laden
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This might just be my favorite picture book of the year. This is a story of how to live well at any age, how to show wonder, joy, appreciation, and understanding. It’s the perfect read along, and the illustrations feel both of-this-world and deeply magical.

Love Is My Favorite Color by Nina Laden, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 9781665913096, January 2024)

Reviewed by Morgan DePerno, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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Snail by Minu Kim

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Snail by Minu Kim
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What a delightful book. I absolutely adore the illustrations, black and white drawing with minimal use of color.

Snail by Minu Kim, (List Price: $22, Pushkin Children’s Books, 9781782694069, March 2024)

Reviewed by Keeshia Jacklitch,Bookseller, Bookmarks in , North Carolina

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Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

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Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
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Samantha Irby is a writer like no other. She has the ability to draw out all the hilarious moments of everyday life with charming self-deprecation and laugh-out-loud prose. The humor in her writing often disguises her brilliance — don’t be fooled — Samantha Irby is a genius.

Quietly HostileQuietly Hostile by Samantha Irby, (List Price: $17, Vintage, 9780593315699, May 2023)

Reviewed by Jamie Southern, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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JoyFull by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty

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JoyFull by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty
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Notable for its emphasis on relatable, whole, plant-based foods, JoyFull steers clear of imitation replacements found in many vegan cookbooks. Complete with recommendations for wellness practices and daily habits, as well as thoughtful insights, JoyFull exudes sincere, earnest energy. It stands out in the cookbook landscape, offering more than just a collection of recipes–it also extends an invitation to approach cooking and meal prep with mindfulness, caring for our bodies in a loving and intentional manner. Highly recommended for readers of all diets, not just those favoring plant-based or vegan foods.

JoyFull by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, (List Price: $35, S&S/Simon Element, 9781982199722, February 2024)

Reviewed by Beth Seufer Buss, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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