Lee Paige

Oct 4, 2023 | schoollibraryjournal.com | Brigid Alverson |Lee Paige

Witches and magic are perennially popular topics for all readers, young and old, and Japanese readers are no exception: There are many, many manga series that put witches front and center. Manga witches often appear to be directly lifted from American and European images. They wear pointed hats and black gowns, ride broomsticks, and often have a familiar—either a cat or another creature. Beyond that, there’s a lot of variation.

Sep 22, 2023 | slj.com | Nancy Churnin |Albert Whitman |Nancy Hawkins |Lee Paige

PreS-Gr 3–A delightfully written story based on how the Irish brought their Halloween traditions to America. Lila and her family leave Ireland in 1850 due to the potato famine, but Lila is worried about leaving behind her Halloween traditions. In Ireland, a sly spirit named Jack walked the streets on Halloween, playing pranks. So, the children carved turnips into jack-o’-lanterns and put them in their windows so he wouldn’t visit their house.

Mar 29, 2023 | slj.com | Brigid Alverson |Lee Paige

Slice-of-life manga are the comfort food of comics. If action manga are like a mighty torrent that pulls readers through the story, slice-of-life tales are a warm bath, immersive and relaxing. This genre focuses on the small dramas of everyday living, whether they occur in a classroom, a demon’s castle, or a café run by a polar bear. The characters are cute, the chapters short, and suspense is kept to a minimum. While the genre exists for all ages, many of these titles are ideal for younger readers.