Lavender Clouds is a collection of autobiographical comics about mental health, neurodiversity and feelings!

Lavender Clouds is a collection of short comics centered on anxiety, depression, neurodivergence and more. I can honestly say it was refreshing that during a lot of this book I was feeling reassured that I’m not the only one who feels the things described in the comics, but also it was quite a shock that everything fit so well. If you deal with any of the issues listed, or anything adjacent to them then this collection will likely speak to you. The comics perfectly capture some of the struggles of anxiety and other conditions and so much of the internal dialogue or struggle. It’s great to be seen and I’m so glad to see more books coming out talking about things like anxiety and neurodivergence.

Happy reading!

Like a graphic novel version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark , this collection of original horror tales is packed with urban legends, terrifying twists, and delightfully haunted stories by one of the biggest stars in webcomics. Each story will make you scream for more!

A new take on a classic format, Bad Dreams in the Night is an updated, illustrated take on the horror anthologies the author grew up with as a kid, such as Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and In a Dark, Dark Room . These self-contained stories grew rapidly in popularity among the author’s online audience, and even inspired production of a motion picture from Buzzfeed Studios and Lionsgate Films. Filled with spine-tingling, pulse-increasing tales of mystery and supernatural occurrences, this book of never-before-seen comics will be the perfect gift for people who love  Black Mirror  and  Stranger Things  and listened to podcasts like  Welcome to Nightvale  and  Rabbits. 

I have enjoyed some of Adam Ellis’ art in the past, so I was excited to see this type of book from him. I wouldn’t necessarily call these stories spine tingling personally, if you’re looking like actual scary stories these may not be what you’re looking for. That being said, most of the stories did have a good hook or twist and were enjoyable. I liked the differing color palettes that helped to vary the styles of the stories. Also, the notation of what inspired each story at the end of them was interesting as it can be insightful to know where the inspiration came from. Overall I enjoyed it and didn’t regret reading it, but it didn’t satisfy my hope for scary stories.

Happy reading!

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.