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A Celebration of Black Boy Joy
What do talking lizards, jet packs, superheroes, and dinosaurs have in common? Well, normally not much, but these and much more can all be found in an incredible collection of stories, poems, and comics called Black Boy Joy, which was edited by one of my favorite authors, Kwame Mbalia. The anthology is filled with seventeen unique short works by seventeen Black male and nonbinary authors, including one by Mbalia himself. Some of the stories are literally out of this world while others are closer to home; some are filled with actual magic while others celebrate the familiar magic within our day-to-day lives. And while each piece might display a range…
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Sally and the Creature vs. the World
It’s a classic question: when is the appropriate time to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas? During the Halloween season or the Christmas season? This past year, I watched it the week before Christmas simply because I didn’t write this post when it was closer to Halloween. But to answer the question, I’d say both. And honestly it’s just a great movie to watch any time you feel like it, which is why I’m posting this in the middle of the year. (Although I had intended to finish this a lot closer to last year’s holiday season. Oops.) Anyways, now that we have that figured out, I will answer another question…
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My Favorite 2020 Nonfiction Reads
I admit nonfiction usually isn’t my go-to, hence why you won’t see quite as many books on this list than are on my previous two favorites lists (“My Favorite 2020 Fiction Reads” and “My Top 10 Favorite Reads from 2019”). Since I was a kid, I’ve leaned more towards fiction as a way to escape into fun adventures with characters who get to live lives vastly different from my own. But I’ve always loved to learn and research, too. (I find it all too easy to go down the Google hole.) And yet it’s rare that I pick up a nonfiction book for fun; however, my reading tastes seemed to…
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My Favorite 2020 Fiction Reads
2020 was…less than ideal. I highly doubt I’m the only one who is glad to be leaving it behind. But there was one constant that helped get me through it: books. Within their pages, I found comfort in extraordinary worlds and characters. In some ways, I sought familiarity. Although all of the books I read were brand new to me, many of them belonged to my usual genres of choice. Typically it’s Middle Grade and YA fantasy that appeals to me the most, especially anything from Rick Riordan’s mythological series. Sometimes I’m also drawn to historical fiction or to the classics. So you’ll probably notice a couple of these genres…
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Between the World and Me: Waking Up the Dreamers
Books hold within them a great power–and no, not just the spellbook kind. Books have the power to inspire, to motivate, to educate, to delight. And during this strange time, I could really use a little bit of all of that. I’ve come to realize that books, and similarly, TV and film, are so powerful because they force us to do the one thing a lot of us aren’t too great at in our daily lives: listen. We’re so used to the constant chatter on social media that sometimes it feels like some of us have lost the art of heartfelt conversation. But when we’re ready to settle down and actually…
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My Top 10 Favorite Reads from 2019
Okay, so I realize that 2020 has been here for over four months now, but I still thought I’d share a few of my favorite books I read last year. I hope you find this helpful if you are still looking for something new to read during this time when we could all use a bit of magic. (If you do choose to read any of these, please consider purchasing them from independent book stores. Of course, the library is always an option too.) 1. Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series by Rick Riordan I didn’t know exactly what to expect when I checked out The Sword of…
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Meet the Author
Note: The following is an imagined interview between myself and a fictionalized interviewer. You will not be able to find this interview anywhere else. This post exists to serve as an introduction of myself and this blog. I hope you enjoy! -Book Dragon Hello, and welcome! Today our guest is Sarah Morse, the creator of the new blog, Professional Book Dragon. First of all, what can you tell us about your blog? As you might be able to guess from its title, I will primarily be engaging with the wonderful world of literature. But don’t expect this to simply be a blog full of book reviews. (Although I can assure…