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[Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev from Pexels]

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Turning Red released earlier this month on Disney+, and as Pixar fans will know, it’s been 13 years since the studio featured an Asian lead in one of their films (remember Russell from Up?) and it’s the first time an Asian lead has the spotlight as the main character. This is a major milestone for not only Pixar (who’ve historically featured white, male or nonhuman protagonists), but American animated film in general.

Young audiences are searching for characters and stories they can relate to, and for young Asian viewers, especially girls, Meilin Lee’s sweet and hilarious coming-of-age story checked that box (see Tabitha Yuen’s review for Teen Vogue).

Similarly, books have the power to make readers feel seen. For any young readers looking to explore narratives with Asian protagonists, the following list of middle grade fantasy books is an exciting place to turn to after a Turning Red watchthrough.

[Photo from BlackHistoryMonth.gov]

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Black History Month is back this February and with a little over two weeks left to celebrate, there’s no better time to revisit your TBR pile and slip in a few extra titles by Black authors. Better yet, bump them to the top of your TBR pile and dive right in.

Not sure which ones to start with? No worries! We’ve pulled select titles and paired them with readalikes to help you better judge which stories could be your cup of tea. And like we always say, whether you check the title out from your library or you purchase the book, e-book, or audiobook, every bit of support helps elevate Black creators and their individual stories, so keep on reading!

[Photo by Stephen Hardy from Pexels]

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It’s the moment critters (Critical Role fans) have been waiting for for years. The season one premier of The Legend of Vox Machina is officially available on Amazon Prime, and old and new fans alike are pumped.

Not familiar with Critical Role or the new TV series? Here’s some quick details to catch you up:

• The Legend of Vox Machina is based on the beloved Critical Role YouTube show, a D&D livestream starring eight well-known voice actors you may recognize from video games, anime, and cartoons.

• The TV series started as a 20-min special kickstarter back in 2019 and earned over $11 million, making it the highest funded movie/TV kickstarter in history.

• The show is based on the first campaign of Critical Role and has already been greenlit for season two.

• The first Critical Role campaign has over 100 episodes, each averaging 4 hours, so the sheer amount of content may be daunting to some – that’s where the condensed TV series comes in.

• Interested? Check out the show's trailer, clips (here and here), live reading from the cast, the extended cast (oof, there's some big names here), or title sequence. Be warned this show is 18+.

According to the Critical Role site, episodes will be released in batches over the course of four weeks, which means you’ll have plenty of time to fall or fall back in love with Vox Machina. While you wait for new episodes, why not pick up another high fantasy series? Scroll down and see which book we recommend based on your favorite Vox Machina member.

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Today marks the eighty-first birthday of the beloved Hayao Miyazaki, and we’re here to celebrate his critically-acclaimed films. Known mainly for his work with Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded with fellow director/screenwriter/producer Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, Miyazaki’s made a huge impact on the international animation community and animation fans alike.

His original film Spirited Away is currently the eighth highest-grossing animated film of all time, five of his films place in the top ten highest-grossing anime films, and he’s won countless global awards and nominations for (including, but in no way limited to) the Tokyo Anime Awards, The Mainichi Film Awards, the US and Japan Academy Awards, the Annie Awards, Kinema Junpo Awards, and the Golden Bear Award. He’s also a Person of Cultural Merit, an official and high honor for those who’ve contributed to the creative advancement of Japanese culture.

Whether you’ve watched all his films, starting with Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, or you have that one comfort Miyazaki film that you turn to in times of need, the themes of humanity and nature, friendship and family, and all sorts of human emotions are sure to stick with you.

Many viewers still have that itch that only Miyazaki films can scratch, and while you wait for Miyazaki’s last film, based on Yoshino Genzaburo’s novel How Do You Live?, try these middle grade and young adult books based on your favorite Miyazaki film.

[Edited from image on NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.gov]

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Quirk Books may earn a commission.

November is coming to a close, which means National Native American Heritage month is as well. Even though the month is ending, there’s no better time to pay tribute to the traditions and ancestry of American Indians, and one way to do this is by reading works by Native authors.

To help pick a good book to start with, we’ve included read-alikes of other titles you may know. Whether you check the title out from your local library or purchase the book for your physical or digital shelves, supporting Native authors helps elevate their individual stories and voices.

[Edited from image on NativeAmericanHeritageMonth.gov]

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Quirk Books may earn a commission.

November is coming to a close, which means National Native American Heritage month is as well. Even though the month is ending, there’s no better time to pay tribute to the traditions and ancestry of American Indians, and one way to do this is by reading works by Native authors.

To help pick a good book to start with, we’ve included read-alikes of other titles you may know. Whether you check the title out from your local library or purchase the book for your physical or digital shelves, supporting Native authors helps elevate their individual stories and voices.