A gripping nonfiction graphic novel that follows the stories of Jewish children, separated from their parents, who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust. From the Sibert Honor and YALSA Award–winning creator behind  The Unwanted, Drowned City,  and others.  In the tightening grip of Hitler’s power, towns, cities, and ghettoes were emptied of Jews. Unless they could escape, Jewish children would not be spared their deadly fate in the Holocaust, a tragedy of unfathomable depth. Only 11% of the Jewish children living in Europe before 1939 survived the Second World War. Run and Hide tells the stories of these children, forced to leave their homes and families, as they escaped certain horror. Some children flee to England by train. Others are hidden from Nazis, sometimes in plain sight. Some are secreted away in attics and farmhouses. Still others make miraculous escapes, cresting over the snow-covered Pyrenees mountains to safety. Acclaimed nonfiction storyteller Don Brown brings his expertise for journalistic reporting to the deeply felt personal narratives of Jewish children who survived against overwhelming odds

The further we get from the horrific events of the Holocaust, the more books and media like this are important. Not just for the cliché of learning from history so you don’t repeat it, which shows up pretty much every day – but because events like this need to be taught and understood. This book did give an important timeline of events with the overall war, but specifically centered on the things that had to be done in order to try to save Jewish children during World War II. People had to go to extreme lengths and risk their lives in order to save children, often children they didn’t know or have any personal connection to. In this format the information is more easily consumed and I think very accessible to anyone that wants to learn about different facets of World War II.

Happy reading.

Being a Moth Keeper is a huge responsibility and a great honor, but what happens when the new Moth Keeper decides to take a break from the moon and see the sun for the first time? A middle-grade fantasy graphic novel about passion, duty, and found family.

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn’t exactly what Anya thought it would be?

The nights are cold in the desert and the lunar moths live far from the village. Anya finds herself isolated and lonely. Despite Anya’s dedication, she wonders what it would be like to live in the sun. Her thoughts turn into an obsession, and when Anya takes a chance to stay up during the day to feel the sun’s warmth, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences.

K. O’Neill brings to life a beautifully illustrated fantasy world about responsibility to yourself and your community. The Moth Keeper is filled with magic, hope, and friendship.

At this point I will pick up pretty much anything Kay O’Neill writes as I love their whimsical art style and the worlds they create – this story was no different. I loved that this one had a different feel and color palette than previous works, which gave it more of a dreamlike feel. I did find myself wanting a little more background on some of the characters, especially Anya, but the story still felt complete without more detail.

As always I really enjoyed the representation, diversity and lessons that are woven into the story. I appreciated that when mistakes were make, even bad ones, there was support rather than outright anger or blame. It was not only a fantasy story, but commentary on responsibility and community, which I loved to see.

Happy reading!

Syv is a snowcat and the youngest in a family of princes. When his father dies, Syv and his brothers are all in line for the throne. Eager to become kings themselves and wary of how well-liked Syv has become by the citizens, Syv’s brothers send him on a dangerous quest to find the long-lost magical crown that once belonged to their royal ancestor, the Eldking. Legend says that the snowcat who finds the crown will break the curse on their land and bring great honor to the family. But failure could mark Syv with three black stripes, and he’d be banished forever.

Along his journey, Syv will face dangerous beasts, dark powers, and the ever-lurking sand foxes—sworn enemies to the snowcats. But when Syv discovers the truth about the legend of the Eldking and his magical crown, he’ll have to learn the new meaning of honor and find another way to break the curse. 

From Norwegian author Dina Norlund comes , a beautifully illustrated tale of bravery and honor. 

When I saw the cover of this graphic novel I immediately wanted to pick it up, who could resist the adorable snowcat and the vibrant color scheme? I do not regret picking it up since the story was absolutely enchanting and beautiful. In it we follow Syv, the seventh and youngest of the Snowcat princes as he goes on a journey to recover a stolen crown. He has to learn some hard truths along the way about how he perceives the world and other beings. Overall it’s a beautiful story with vibrant artwork and some dynamic characters. It was definitely an enjoyable read.

Happy reading!

Celtic folklore and modern moxie collide as an ancient pact between worlds is broken. The sinister forces of Faerie have slipped their shackles, and the Black Dog walks abroad this night…

On the rural Isle of Man, aspiring singer-songwriter Kay Farragher dreams of escaping her humdrum life. But she’s about to get more than she bargained for – and some bargains are not to be trusted…

Cold Iron is supernatural thriller from Andy Diggle (Green Arrow: Year One, The Losers, Hellblazer) and Nick Brokenshire (Star Wars, Amelia Cole, The Once And Future Queen).

I was interested in checking out this series as soon as I saw it featured Celtic mythology. While it’s only a single issue right now, the introduction to the story did lay some foundation and definitely let to some intrigue and anticipation for the continuation of the story. It’s hard when it’s a single issue to really get enough of the story to hold interest, but I felt this one gave enough to at least get me wanting to continue and see what happens.

Happy reading!