Completely Full Bookshelf

Hello everyone! I'm writing this a little bit close to deadline, but I'm very excited to be reviewing the YA graphic memoir  Spinning  by Tillie Walden! By the way, this book is a young adult (YA) novel, not a middle grade (MG) novel, and it contains mature content. I do need to include a content warning  for attempted sexual assault and some other darker topics. Add it on Goodreads  or preview the illustrations! Here's the publisher's description: ********** Tillie Walden's Eisner Award winning graphic memoir Spinning captures what it’s like to come of age, come out, and come to terms with leaving behind everything you used to know. It was the same every morning. Wake up, grab the ice skates, and head to the rink while the world was still dark. Weekends were spent in glitter and tights at competitions. Perform. Smile. And do it again. She was good. She won. And she hated it. For ten years, figure skating was Tillie Walden’s life. She woke before dawn for morning l...

Hello everyone! It's great to be back to regularly blogging—my life has been a little chaotic the last few days (even without classes), so I haven't read as much as I hoped, but I thankfully read some lovely picture books last week that I'm excited to feature today! Let's dive in! What book is it?   Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle , written by Nina LaCour and illustrated by Kaylani Juanita Add it on Goodreads  or preview the illustrations! Who recommended it?   Earl Dizon at The Chronicles of a Children's Book Writer , Linda Baie at TeacherDance , and Cheriee Weichel at Library Matters ! What does the publisher say?  " For one little girl, there’s no place she’d rather be than sitting between Mama and Mommy. So when Mommy goes away on a work trip, it’s tricky to find a good place at the table. As the days go by, Mama brings her to the library, they watch movies, and all of them talk on the phone, but she still misses Mommy as deep as the ocean and as high a...

This is part 13 of Picture Book Pandemonium and I started drafting it on Friday the 13th, so let's hope we don't have any bad omens here! We certainly have one good omen, which is that I'm finally back to blogging—and I'm officially on summer break! I still have some college responsibilities to take care of, but no classes, so I should have much more time to read books and write blog posts and read everyone else's blog posts too. I can't wait! Anyway, now for the post! I checked out 7 picture books from the library, so I'm reviewing 4 today and 3 next week—let's dive in! What book is it?   The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story , written by Tina Cho and illustrated by Jess X. Snow (Here's a link to preview the illustrations.) Who recommended it?   Cheriee Weichel at Library Matters ! What does the publisher say?  " Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea--gen...

I apologize, but it will be one more week before I have a post to share! I have a couple more days of studying for my last final, and I'll also be reading for fun so I actually have something to share next Monday. I'll see you then, and thanks for your patience!

Well, here we are again—the middle of the night with no post in sight! (Hey, that rhymes!) I haven't had a chance to read this week, and I'm caught up in the chaos of finals. But I am so close  to summer, and reading all the time, and commenting on all the blogs —I cannot wait! Thank you for your patience as I get through this last chaotic smidge of the year—I'll see you soon!