Aloha Everything: Picture book

 

From the Publisher:

In this exciting adventure, you'll encounter mighty canoes crashing over ocean waves, regal hawks soaring high above the clouds, and brilliant lizards jumping nimbly through forest trees! Most importantly, you'll meet a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart.

Since the day that Ano was born, her heart has been connected to her home. But, this adventurous child has a lot to learn! When Ano begins to dance hula — a storytelling dance form that carries the knowledge, history, and folklore of the Hawaiian people — Ano comes to understand the true meaning of aloha.

Aloha Everything is both a captivating read and a fantastic educational resource for learning about Hawaiian history, ecology, and culture. With breathtaking hand-painted illustrations and beautiful rhyming poetry that will lull little ones into brilliant dreams of vibrant adventure, this book is sure to capture the hearts of both children and parents alike.

The beautiful poetry—weaving its way through every page—artfully blends 25 Hawaiian words into the English prose and provides a thoughtful exploration of the meaning of aloha in relation to the land, the people, and the lore. There is also a pronunciation guide and glossary providing additional information for those looking to learn more about the rich language and culture of Hawai’i.

My Thoughts:

I came across this book on an AAPI month post about books to read. This is a lush picture book/long poem about a girl, Ano and what she learns about her identity, her culture and the deep sense of aloha through her study of hula. 

The illustrations are just layered and packed with flora, fauna, and action. It is very colorful and appealing. In truth, however, I actually sat on the waiting list for the audiobook first not realizing that this was a picture book. When I finally got it from my local library, I thought it was a mistake that the book was 8 minutes long. However, once I started, the narrator, Barrie Kealoha, as well as the background music was very appealing. However, if this is how you access the book, make sure to get the book so that you do not miss out on the artwork. The best way is to have the book read for you while you read along. That way you have the background music to add to the illustrations. That is what we call "nahenahe" in Hawaiian.

Publication Information:

Author: Kaylin Melia George

Illustrator: Mae Waite

Narrator: Barrie Kealoha

Publisher: Red Comet Press (April 23, 2024)

Bad Boy: A Memoir

 

Ratings: 4 for a middle grade memoir to be used with his books/author study

My Thoughts:

I remember standing in one of those infamous NCTE lines in the exhibit hall for Walter Dean Myers back in the early 2000s. NCTE is the National Council for Teachers of English. This national organization has the most fabulous exhibit hall full of publishers who bring their YA and children's authors to sign ARCs, advanced reader's copy of books. When there is a line, someone fabulous is at the end of it. It is how I have met Laurie Halse Anderson, Matt de La Pena, Gary Paulsen, Angeline Boulley, Gene Luen Yang and Walter Dean Myers.  He was already an established author, a tall, slightly stooped gentleman. Nothing like what is in this book, buth if you have read his YA novels, Somewhere in the Darkness, Scorpions, Monster, you will relook at this memoir as a tale to English teachers about the importance of finding student gifts and overlooking bad behavior for boredom. Often the students that act out are highly intelligent and need to be challenged to find their passion. This is a boy who was too smart for school. He was too energetic for walls that feel like cages. He continued in his career to write about these boys/men on the liminal edge. I read this and listened to the audiobook narrated by actor Joe Morton. 

From the Publisher:

As a boy, Myers was quick-tempered and physically strong, always ready for a fight. He also read voraciously—he would check out books from the library and carry them home, hidden in brown paper bags in order to avoid other boys' teasing. He aspired to be a writer (and he eventually succeeded).

But as his hope for a successful future diminished, the values he had been taught at home, in school, and in his community seemed worthless, and he turned to the streets and to his books for comfort.

Publication Information:

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Publisher: Harper Collins (October 6, 2009)

Audiobook narrator: Joe Morton

Heart of the Sun Warrior, book 2

 

Rating:  4 stars for a fantasy, romance that does not play into the happy ending, "riding into the sunset" trope. 

My Thoughts:

This is the sequel to Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Xingyin is back on the moon, and after all the excitement, love triangle, and betrayal, the moon life is a bit dull and irritating for her even though her mother is no longer a prisoner. The new plot threads and battles are unexpected and very complex, so I was afraid that this would end in a lame way just to get to the end, however, Tan takes her time to unravel each plot line to the end, and the letting go of one path to love ends in a way that as a reader I was satisfied, even if she did not get her happy ending, per se. 

The only negative was that at 472 pages, this was a hefty read, and the stubborn, uncompromising voice of Xingyin is a lot to take for almost 500 pages until she starts getting to know herself more. Through these two books, she makes so many mistkes and needs to be saved by others, and yet she does not seem to learn or be able to humble herself until it is too late. I think in book one, I called her petulant, and yes, she still is. However, I still think that fantasy readers will want to get to the end and just stick it out. 

From the Publishers:

After winning her mother’s freedom from the Celestial Emperor, Xingyin thrives in the enchanting tranquility of her home. But her fragile peace is threatened by the discovery of a strange magic on the moon and the unsettling changes in the Celestial Kingdom as the emperor tightens his grip on power. While Xingyin is determined to keep clear of the rising danger, the discovery of a shocking truth spurs her into a perilous confrontation.

Forced to flee her home once more, Xingyin and her companions venture to unexplored lands of the Immortal Realm, encountering legendary creatures and shrewd monarchs, beloved friends and bitter adversaries. With alliances shifting quicker than the tides, Xingyin has to overcome past grudges and enmities to forge a new path forward, seeking aid where she never imagined she would. As an unspeakable terror sweeps across the realm, Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and claw her way through devastation—to rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and the worlds she has grown to love . . . even if doing so demands the greatest price of all.

Publication Information:

Author: Suelynn Tann

Publisher: Harper Voyager (November 15, 2022)

Print length: 472 pages

Tune in to the Midnight Heart 1: Manga

 

Rating: 3 for wholesome manga, female dominated

My Thoughts:

The premise about finding the girl with the Apollo voice seems impossible, however, Arisu has been able to buy his way into a club with four other females, one of which may be the mysterious Apollo voice. Of course he is not going to find her for sure in manga volume 1, however, he does help them grow in their own passions as he tries to figure it out. However, this is just an into to the five characters, so this is definitely not a stand alone. 

The illustrations by Masakuni Igarashi are crisp and clean. Arisu is more than just a rich kid. He truly tries to help each of them. In their own way, they all sort of sound like Apollo, but his dedication to the craft - whether his fingers are bandaged because he is practicing guitar, or he has read and reread the manga to help Nene audition for a part, he shows up for the girls which is admirable. I think I want to root for Nene. 

From the Publisher:

In this new harem rom-com manga, a lonely, rich kid's heart is stolen away by an angelic voice 
on a livestream. He only knows her as "Apollo," and he's dedicated himself to finding her... 

But his own haughty rough edges are his worst enemy! From the creator of Senryu Girl comes a 

high school farce set against the backdrop of Japanese voice acting, pop music, VTubers, 

and radio! At the end of a difficult day, the haughty but purehearted rich kid Arisu found his 

only solace in the voice of another girl his age, who hosted a livestream under the pseudonym 

"Apollo." Then, one day, the broadcasts stopped. Arisu has dedicated the years since then to

 finding Apollo's true identity, and he's narrowed it down to one particular high school. 

He transfers in as a student and figures it'll be a cinch--but then discovers it could be any of the

girls in the broadcasting club! And the real Apollo isn't talking for reasons of her own! These four 

girls have no use for Arisu's personality, but they each harbor dreams of using their voices to 

build a career, and they sure could use his money... Can the blunt and blustering Arisu 

buy his way into the club's good graces, and find the real girl attached to his dream voice?

Author/Illustrator: Masakuni Igarashi

Publisher: Kodansha Comics (May 6, 2025)

Print length: 192 pages

Author/Illustrator: Masakuni Igarashi

Publisher: Kodansha Comics (May 6, 2025)

Print length: 192 pages

Daughter of the Moon Goddess

 

Rating: 3 for soap opera type of adventure that is a little like watching a car crash. One cannot help but keep watching, or listening in this case.

My Thoughts:

Xingyin leaves her home on the moon and finds herself in the Jade Palace. This story  is about court intrigue, betrayal, finding one's powers and a big old love triangle to boot. At 15 hours for the audiobook, this is a packed book. I'm not sure if I can handle the protagonist for another 15 hours, as she is quite petulant, but it is just two books and I do want to know how the three of them can continue to work together. Who will she choose? None at the end of this. Keep reading. 

From the Publisher:

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.

Publication Information:

Author: Sue Lynn Tan

Narrator: Natalie Naudus

Listening length: 15 hours 1 minute

Publisher: HarperAudio (Jan 11, 2022)

Legendary Frybread Drive-In

 

Rating: 4 stars for time, space, community travel as well as accessible frybread made by elders

My Thoughts:

This book consists of short stories written by Native YA authors like Darcie Little Badger, Angeline Boulley and Cynthia Leitich Smith, who is also the editor. What makes this so interesting is that all of the short stories are connected by this mythical "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" that pops up in different areas, different times, different ways. Sandy June's is almost like the room of requirement. It just sort of is there, wherever Natives hangout and wherever it is needed. Run by elders, this is the place to gather for a game of DnD, a place to learn something you didn't know you needed to know, as well as a place to get some granny TLC.  I tried to figure out which one I liked, but the stories are so different. What keeps them together is the heartbreak of the Native experience, as well as the resilience that they find as they gather at the driv-in. With some of the stories, I was wondering if the authors shared their pieces as they were writing since it seems like some of the characters of one story are in the background of other stories. 

In the classroom, these stories can be used separately as model texts for different elements, like DMS as a vehicle to tell a story, or use the stories together to talk about the drive in as its own character or element that weaves throughout multiple stories. 

I need to read it multiple times, but I think this has the potential to be used in the secondary classroom. In addition, it ensures that teachers are able to bring in diverse voices to the English language arts classroom. Before  educators balk at the DEI, critical race pressures in schools to white wash our curriculum, know that the stance from the Department of Education in DC is that Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians are a protected community and that the government has a different relationship with these groups and do not plan to step in to dictate native Education.  This is our opportunity as educators to bring in more diversity through Indigenous writings.

There is a native Hawaiian poet in these short stories. It threw me off, but the Legendary Frybread Drive Inn shows up in Waimea with the Friday laulau plate special, so there is powerful magic in this book and I will write about that poem separately. 

From the Publisher:

Featuring the voices of both new and acclaimed Indigenous writers and edited by bestselling Muscogee author Cynthia Leitich Smith, this collection of interconnected stories serves up laughter, love, Native pride, and the world’s best frybread.

The road to Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In slips through every rez and alongside every urban Native hangout. The menu offers a rotating feast, including traditional eats and tasty snacks. But Sandy June's serves up more than it hosts live music, movie nights, unexpected family reunions, love long lost, and love found again.

That big green-and-gold neon sign beckons to teens of every tribal Nation, often when they need it most.

Featuring stories and poems: Kaua Mahoe Adams, Marcella Bell, Angeline Boulley, K. A. Cobell, A. J. Eversole, Jen Ferguson, Eric Gansworth, Byron Graves, Kate Hart, Christine Hartman Derr, Karina Iceberg, Cheryl Isaacs, Darcie Little Badger, David A. Robertson, Andrea L. Rogers, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Brian Young.

Publication Information:

Editor: Cynthia Leitich Smith

Publisher: Heartdrum, an imprint of Harper Collin's Childrens Books (Aug 26, 2025)

The Floating World

 

Rating: 4 for high octane fantasy and world building plus a fabulous cover.

My Thoughts:

At the end of this book, the protagonist, Ren asks her friends Yurhee and Tag, "will you join me?" One half of the adventure is over, true, but the other one is still out there. We have not reached the end, but yes I will join you -- in October. GAH! The problem with this kind of fantasy novel is that we start on the precipice and we end on the precipice. In between, though, Ren takes us on a multiple world wild ride to save Little Uncle and run away from the General, his armies and the assassins who are trying to kill her because of her light magic. In between she links up with Sunho, who was also hired to find her. 

She is masked and gives a fake name, so that by the time he realizes that she is Ren, he is already invested in saving her.  It is much more complicated than that, but take my word for it, this is a worthwhile summer read, even if the next book does not come out for four more months.

I want to talk about the ending, and the big "reveal," but I cannot, so if you read this and want more fantasy from Axie Oh, try her novel The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea. The Girl is a modern retelling of the Korean folktale, "The Tale of Shim Cheong." Her other books are more contemporary K-pop, bubblegum romance versus the action packed, world building of this series, but if that is what you want to read, you will like her other books: XOXO and ASAP.

Like the Scarlet Alchemist, the action and storyline were too hard to put down. The chapters mostly alternate between Sunho and Ren, so keeping up is crucial, but so is babysitting for me. Therefore, I both read the book and listened to the audiobook, not simultaneously, but to continue "reading." I'm not sure why some people think the audiobook means that you are not reading. If the narrator is good, it is just a way to continue reading without seeing the words. The images are still in your mind. You are still creating pictures out of text and transacting with that text. That is still reading. 

From the Publisher:

Sunho lives in the Under World, a land of perpetual darkness. An ex-soldier, he can remember little of his life from before two years ago, when he woke up alone with only his name and his sword. Now he does odd-jobs to scrape by, until he comes across the score of a lifetime—a chest of coins for any mercenary who can hunt down a girl who wields silver light.

Meanwhile, far to the east, Ren is a cheerful and spirited acrobat traveling with her adoptive family and performing at villages. But everything changes during one of their festival performances when the village is attacked by a horrific humanlike demon. In a moment of fear and rage, Ren releases a blast of silver light—a power she has kept hidden since childhood—and kills the monster. But her efforts are not in time to prevent her adoptive family from suffering a devastating loss, or to save her beloved uncle from being grievously wounded.

Determined to save him from succumbing to the poisoned wound, Ren sets off over the mountains, where the creature came from—and from where Ren herself fled ten years ago. Her path sets her on a collision course with Sunho, but he doesn't realize she's the girl that he—and a hundred other swords-for-hire—is looking for. As the two grow closer through their travels, they come to realize that their pasts—and destinies—are far more entwined than either of them could have imagined...

Publication Information:

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 29, 2025)
Author: Axie Oh
Print length: 358 pages
Narrator: Eden Jun (Dreamscape Media)

The Scarlet Alchemist

 

Rating: 4 for cool old science (alchemy) and bad ass bitches

My Thoughts:

I believe I succinctly wrote my thoughts in the rating, but here is more.  But I will write more because I devoured the book AND the audiobook. I have been doing that because I cannot read fast enough, or horrors of horrors, I have to actually sleep, or rather get up in the morning, so I have been doing both. I read when I can read, then audiobook the next part while I'm driving, working, eating, then skip ahead in the book to read on. 

This book must be eaten whole. Perhaps because I was a chemistry major in college, and now a social justice advocate, the two parts of my life, past and present, converged in this book. My favorite quote, and there were many:

I realized nothing in life is a promise, that everything good can simply stop existing one day, that the sun might not rise and the tides may lay still and the sky will go cold and dark. The world owed me nothing, and everything that I thought was mine could always be taken back. 

I think I really liked this quote because I am reading so many Asian American books by female authors that my definition of what romance is has skewed to the Asian stoicism and martydom. For Zilan, things work and do not work in equal measure. That is what makes this book so frustratingly tasty. 

Finally, shout out to the cover artist. The cover is so badass! Truly. It is like those dowager empresses in the old kung fu movies and I am here for it.

From the Publisher:

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.

When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.

The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.

Publication Information:

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Publisher: Inkyard Press (October 3, 2023)

Print length: 417 pages

Narrator: Natalie Naudus (Harlequin Audio)

Alice Chen's Reality Check

Rating: 4 for summer ridiculosity and mystery

My Thoughts:

Alice Chen does not necessarily stand out. She is a middle school teacher, mathematics whiz, devoted daughter and uber competitive A personality. In other words, she  is not a reality TV natural, but her fiancee, Daniel, has signed them up for a coupleʻs competition that could solve all of Alice's financial problems. Her mother is getting treatment for cancer, and on a middle school teacher paycheck, Alice needs to make an unnatural decision to leave her mother and secretly go to an island for this competition: Dawn Tay's Inferno.

Her fiancee is like a puppy dog. He is sort of clueless and functions on whim versus loyalty, but of course Alice Chen's high school rival is going to show up with a smoking hot partner. So predictable, but so much fun. The murder mystery just puts this summer read over the top!

I started this book just as my son 2 went on his own reality show adventure so this whodunit, rivals to lovers, romp where producers create the drama for, well drama sake, really informed the kinds of questions I would ask him (through his wife) regarding the interviews, "scripted conversations," and the competition itself. I devoured this. Unfortunately, my son is still away and still surviving in the show, so the stress level has not gone down yet. Still, this was a fun summer distraction. 

From the Publisher:

In this sizzling rom-com perfect for fans of Dial A for Aunties and One to Watch, a reality show contestant must fake date her rival . . . while solving a murder mystery on set.

Alice Chen doesn’t believe in true love, but she does believe in cold, hard cash. Buckling under the weight of student debt and her mother’s medical bills, Alice will do anything to make bank–even star on Dawn Tay’s Inferno, the hot new reality TV show designed to push couples to their breaking point.

The show is Alice’s chance to sip cocktails on the beach and win a cash prize of a million dollars. But when her fiancé cheats on her with another contestant, Alice is faced with a choice: go home in defeat or fake date the other newly single contestant—who just so happens to be her high school rival and sworn nemesis, Daniel Cho.

But all’s fair in love and reality TV, and Alice isn’t the only one who will do whatever it takes to win. When a dead body turns up, Alice and Daniel are faced with uncovering the secrets of the cast and crew to catch the killer–all while playing the loving couple on camera. As the show spirals out of control, Alice must crack the case and confront her true feelings if she wants to make it out alive.

Starring a murder mystery twist, plenty of reality show drama, and a thrilling romance, this debut by up-and-coming Asian American writer duo Kara Loo and Jennifer Young is the ultimate beach read.

Publication Information:

Authors: Kara Loo and Jennifer Young

Publisher: Quirk Books (June 3, 2025)

Print length: 387 pages
 

In Mourning

 

Rating: 3 stars for the ability to be a mirror or a sliding glass door on losing a mother

My Thoughts:

The back cover has a graphic of a phone with the words "call your mother" on it. That is really what this book is a reminder of. It is about being present for each other through the good memories as well as the not as good memories. It is about embracing each person in our life, both chosen and given to us, through  health and illness, scarcity and abundance. 

This is a story of a daughter, and although she is an adult, she is still also a daughter. She loses her mother to cancer and talks about being on a cliff with the dark abyss below her called grief. It is messy and self destructive, but for readers who need this, it will help them to feel less alone. As for me, I think I will call my mother. 

Just a side note: Paula Cheshire sounds like a very white name. I said that for the next 4 years of Trump hell, I am sticking to my mission to read only diverse, non-white authors writing diverse books. So here is a little about Paula Cheshire. This is the pen name for Spanish cartoonist and illustrator Paula Garci Vázquez. International. Not American. 

Finally, from We Need Diverse Books, here is the definition of diversity that I am using to choose my books:

We recognize all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA+, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural and religious minorities. 

From the Publisher:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE DIES?
The fact of the matter is, no one really knows. What is left behind is what we really know: a tornado of emotions and a feeling of deep, complex change: that what was once there now no longer is.

Paula Cheshire tells the story of her complex feelings and her grieving process after the loss of her mother, walking us through the process of her loss. And, while this loss hurts more than anything, the grieving process—being in mourning—leads to one goal: learning to live with this newfound pain and learning to grow from it without letting it take you over.

Publication Information:

Author: Paula Cheshire

Publisher: Maverick (August 26, 2025)

Print length: 136 pages

Senpai is an Otokonoko: My Crossdressing Classmate 1

 

Rating: 3 for manga's ability to normalize queerness

My Thoughts:

Makoto is a beautiful sophomore in high school, but when freshman Saki confesses her love for Makoto, Makoto has to let her know that he is actually a crossdresser. I don't know if Makoto is trans, but I will use the same terminology as this manga, so I am assuming that Saki is attracted to Makoto as a female, but once she finds out he is a male, she is still attracted, so I guess gender is fluid for both. I think that is what I mean by normalizing queerness. It's not a thing. For example, the reader knows that Makoto got harassed for being a crossdresser, but by his sophomore year, it seems to be accepted if not liked by all. In addition, Makoto's mom does not know that he is a crossdresser, but no one at school tells her, including the administration. 

In addition, Makoto has a childhood friend, Ryuji, that is very protective of Makoto and cautious of Saki as a weird outsider that could harm Makoto. There is definitely more than just friendship vibes, at least from Ryuji towards Makoto, but volume 1 does not really go into that. I have not seen the webtoon or the television series of this story, but I think readers will get more of the same shenanigans with Saki chasing Makoto.

From the Publisher:

First-year high school student Saki is head-over-heels for the older Makoto. After all, this senpai is tall, beautiful, and oh-so-cool... Who wouldn’t fall for a girl like her? The bright and bubbly Saki doesn't hesitate to confess her feelings. But Makoto turns her down, because Makoto isn’t a girl, but rather a cross-dressing boy!

Second-year Makoto is used to the negatives that come with his love of cross-dressing: harsh gossip from his classmates, the disapproval of his mother... Most of his classmates already know, but still, when he tells Saki, he expects her to be disgusted. Yet Saki's feelings only grow stronger, and she says she doesn’t care about Makoto's gender expression. In fact, she's determined to win him over and become his first love!

Caught between the straightforward Saki and his overly protective childhood friend Ryuji--who may have feelings for Makoto of his own--Makoto must navigate a complicated love triangle and chart his own course to happiness.

Publication Information:

Author/illustrator: Pom

Publisher: Kodansha Comics (August 19, 2025)

Print length: 176 pages

The Dallergut Dream Department Store

 

Rating: 3 for such an unusual and creative premise. It almost has to be Korean. Translated from the original Korean bestseller by Miye Lee.

My Thoughts:

This is like shopping at the Wonka store (imagine the movie with Timothy Chalamet) except it is broken up onto department stores and you are shopping for dreams. Even the trauma dreams are fascinating. Half of the clients return their trauma dreams, but if they stick it out, it really is a novel reflection on the power of all of our dreams. 

I enjoyed so much about this strange book, but especially the dream makers as legitimate artists as well as the way that dreams are paid for after the dream and not at the store. The idea that different dreams are paid in different ways was just a small bit of world making that I would not have thought of, but once it was explained, makes perfect sense.

I think the biggest recommendation I can make about this book is that it brings back the world building and social commentary that readers get from reading Roald Dahl, who by the way is also not American.

From the Publisher:

For fans of magical realism and the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series by Toshikazu Kawaguchi comes this cozy fantasy debut.

What if there was a store that sold dreams? Which would you buy? And who might you become when you wake up?

In a mysterious town hidden in our collective subconscious there's a department store that sells dreams. Day and night, visitors both human and animal shuffle in to purchase their latest adventure. Each floor specializes in a specific type of dream: childhood memories, food dreams, ice skating, dreams of stardom. Flying dreams are almost always sold out. Some seek dreams of loved ones who have died.

For Penny, an enthusiastic new hire, working at Dallergut is the opportunity of a lifetime. As she uncovers the workings of this whimsical world, she bonds with a cast of unforgettable characters, including Dallergut, the flamboyant and wise owner, Babynap Rockabye, a famous dream designer, Maxim, a nightmare producer, and the many customers who dream to heal, dream to grow, and dream to flourish.

Publication Information:

Author: Miye Lee

Translator: Sandy Joosun Lee

Publisher : Hanover Square Press (July 9, 2024)

Spacewalking with You, volume 1

 

Rating: 4 stars for normalizing male communication and divergent thinking, as well as being kind as a superpower. 

My thoughts:

I can see how this series, by debut artist Inuhiko Doronoda, is so popular in Japan. In this hostile world, this manga about two high school boys is about kindness, friendship, and mental health. It reminds me of the K-drama series with the neurodivergent lawyer on Netflix titled "The Extraordinary Attorney Woo." People are afraid of Kobayashi because he just has a mean face and scary attitude, bit he is hiding his learning difficulties by a "too cool for school" attitude. When Uno, an overly excitable, neurodivergent kid starts at the school, for reasons unbeknownst to Kobayashi, he keeps him from being bullied and they become unlikely friends.

Uno teaches Kobayashi about his coping strategies and his space metaphor about having a tether (his notebook) seems to hit Kobayashi as a powerful tool that may help him. 

It is a touching story of male platonic friendship and being ok about being different.

From the Publisher:

Kobayashi just can’t focus--not on studying, not on work--and the adults in his life think he's in danger of becoming a worthless dropout. Then, one day, a strange new presence arrives in his class: an energetic and naive kid named Uno. Kobayashi saves Uno from getting scammed, and that close encounter launches a new friendship. Uno's definitely a space cadet, but Kobayashi can't help admiring the way he floats through life, and before he knows it, he might start feeling his feet lift off the ground, too...

This hilarious and inspiring manga series from debut artist Inuhiko Doronoda was nominated for the 17th Manga Taisho Award and broke 600,000 readers in Japan!

Publication Information:

Author/Illustrator: Inuhiko Doronoda

Publisher: Kodansha Comics (May 27, 2025)

Paperback: 224 pages