Book Review: Harriet the Spy

Book: Harriet the Spy (Harriet the Spy book #1) by Louise Fitzhugh

Cover Illustration by Louise Fitzhugh

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Harriet M. Welsch is a spy. In her notebook, she writes down everything she knows about everyone, even her classmates and her best friends. Then Harriet loses track of her notebook, and it ends up in the wrong hands. Before she can stop them, her friends have read the always truthful, sometimes awful things she’s written about each of them. Will Harriet find a way to put her life and her friendships back together?

Book Review for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon book #4: Ways to Make Sunshine

Book: Ways to Make Sunshine (A Ryan Hart Story book #1) by Renée Watson with illustrations by Nina Mata

Cover Art by Nina Mata
Cover Design by Danielle Ceccolini

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Ryan Hart can be and do anything.

Her name means "king", that she is a leader, and she is determined to keep growing into the name her parents gave her. She is all about trying to see the best in people, to be a good daughter, sister, and friend. But Ryan has a lot on her mind.

For instance: Dad finally has a new job, but money is still tight. That means some changes, like moving into a new (old) house, and Dad working the night shift. And with the fourth-grad talent show coming up, Ryan wonders what talent she can perform on stage in front of everyone without freezing. As even more changes and challenges come her way, Ryan always finds a way forward and shows she is a girl who knows how to glow.

Book Review for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon book #2: The Phantom Tollbooth

Book: The Phantom Tollboth by Norton Juster and illustrations by Jules Feiffer

Cover Art by Jules Feiffer

Edition: Paperback

Description:

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason! Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams. . . .

Book Review: The Witches

Book: The Witches by Roald Dahl with illustrations by Quentin Blake

Cover Art by Quentin Blake

Edition: Paperback

Description:

This is not a fairy tale.

This is about real witches

Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories—but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself!

Book Review: Matilda

Book: Matilda by Roald Dahl with illustrations by Quentin Blake

Cover Art by Quentin Blake

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Matilda is a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she's just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It'll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!

Book Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket book #1) by Roald Dahl with illustrations by Quentin Blake

Edition: Paperback

Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a delightful and whimsical story. However it didn't start out that way. The story opens by introducing Charlie Bucket, his parents and both sets of grandparents who are living in extreme poverty. They live in a small rundown house at the edge of town and there was only one bedroom and bed and the elderly grandparents shared that. While Charlie and his parents slept on a mattress on the floor. Although, they barely had enough money for food and other necessities they made sure to do something special for Charlie's birthday by giving him a chocolate bar. It wasn't much but it meant the world to Charlie.

Charlie loves to listen to his Grandpa Joe tell stories about Mr. Willy Wonka and his factory especially since the factory was closed to the public. As a way to counteract against spies who had been stealing his secrets, Mr. Wonka had fired all the employees and closed the factory. But the strange thing is his factory continued to produce candy leaving the townspeople to wonder who was working there.

A big surprise soon awaited the world when Mr. Wonka announced a special contest for five kids to tour his factory and to receive a lifetime supply of candy. To win they would have to find one of the five golden tickets which were hidden in random candy bars. 

Charlie and his family didn't think he had a chance of wining since they could only afford to buy one chocolate bar a year as a birthday gift. It wasn't long before winners were being announced: Augustus Gloop, a greedy boy with a huge appetite; Veruca Salt, a spoiled girl who get everything she wants; Violet Beauregarde, a rude girl who only cares about chewing gum and Mike Teavee, a boy who is obsessed with watching TV and playing with toy guns.

Thanks to some unexpected good luck, Charlie was able to find the last golden ticket. Accompanying the other children on the tour were their parents while Grandpa Joe went with Charlie. The inside of the factory held so many surprising and fantastic things including the mysterious people who work for Mr. Wonka, the Oompa-Loompas.

The tour was an unbelievable experience with them seeing unimaginable things along the way but one by one Augustus, Violet, Veruca and Mike seemed to be enticed by something that brought out their greed, rudeness and selfishness which sidelined them from completing the tour. After each incident the Oompa-Loompas would sing a song that I found included a very relevant moral.

I can see why this is a beloved children's story, not only is it a unique and well-written story but it's fun and wacky but surprisingly has a little bit of darkness to it. Although I found Mr. Wonka to be a total genius he was also very eccentric and so were the Oompa-Loompas. I thought Charlie was a wonderful character, he was very kind, caring and grateful. The experience of taking the tour was more than enough for him which is why he was so surprised when he received an unbelievable gift from Mr. Wonka. However, the other kids who were absolutely horrible were always looking for more. Those other kids were not the only ones who were horrible, so were their parents who enabled them by fulfilling their every whim and desire.

After reading this, I would like to read the sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. I want to see how Charlie is dealing with his new life.

Book Review: Good Morning, Superman

Book: Good Morning, Superman by Michael Dahl with illustrations by Omar Lozano

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s the . . . SUN! When morning comes, a young boy must prepare for his day, faster than a speeding bullet. Follow along as he leaps tall buildings (jumps out of bed) in a single bound, dons his heroic uniform (his clothes), and faces his greatest weakness (Kryptonite-colored toothpaste). Then it’s up, up, and away to daycare!

The perfect companion to the bestselling author Michael Dahl's BEDTIME FOR BATMAN, this official DC Comics picture book will have Superman fans young and old delighting in their morning routines. Includes a morning routine checklist.

Book Review: The Christmas Dolls

Book: The Christmas Dolls by Carol Beach York with illustrations by Victoria De Larrea

Edition: Paperback

Description:

Florabelle is an old rag doll without shoes. Lily doesn't have any shoes either, and her head is on backward. A little girl, who can talk to dolls, sets out on a dark, snowy night to find a way to make them beautiful again.


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

This is a wonderfully written story that takes place two days before Christmas as everyone at The Good Day Orphanage for Girls are getting ready for the holiday. As the caretakers Miss Lavender and Miss Plum were wrapping the gifts, a donated box of dolls for each girl, they found two extra dolls that were not in the best condition. No one had any idea that the dolls could speak even though no one could hear them. One of the dolls was a rag doll named Florabelle who had seen better days and had no shoes while the other was a doll named Lily who unfortunately had her head on backwards, no shoes and was missing her hair. With how shabby the dolls were the ladies couldn't imagine giving them to any of the girls. Until they can figure out what to do with them, they put the poor little dolls on top of an out of the way bookcase.

They had no idea that one of the girls named Tatty would see the dolls and would want them despite how bad they looked. She's also the only one who could hear and speak to the dolls. However, Miss Lavender and Miss Plum didn't think they would make good gifts especially in their current state. Later going back to see the dolls, Tatty had an idea to get them both repaired.

Inspired she went out alone in the cold snowy night without telling either of the caretakers but she was determined to get the dolls fixed. She was able to find a kindly toy store owner who repaired them but on her way back home Tatty and the dolls couldn't remember how to get back. Meanwhile at the orphanage, Miss Lavender and Miss Plum were frantic with worry over Tatty being gone. Lost and wandering around in the cold Tatty, Florabelle and Lily found some unexpected help in getting back to the orphanage.

This was such a cute story because Tatty really wanted to help the dolls and I like that she wasn't doing it for selfish reasons either. This is one of those stories that I could easily see being turned into a movie. It's heartfelt and it has a bit of drama added on with Tatty being lost in the cold trying to get back home. And there's also an Ebenezer Scrooge like character in this as well.

The Christmas Dolls is a book I found at the thrift store and I only paid 50 cent for it. The story was originally published in 1967, this is the 1993 paperback edition. I can't believe it's in such good condition. Other than a little wear and tear to a few pages it's not a bad find.

Book Review: Bedtime for Batman

Book: Bedtime for Batman by Michael Dahl with illustrations by Ethen Beavers

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

When a dark night comes to the big city, one little super hero prepares for a great adventure . . . bedtime! He dons his pajama uniform, speeds upstairs, cleans up the nightly grime, and keeps watch from his towering bunk bed. Written by award-winning author Michael Dahl (Goodnight Baseball, Goodnight Football, and Goodnight Hockey) and illustrated by Ethen Beavers (DC Super Friends), this bedtime tale will have Batman fans, young and old, delighting in their nightly routines. Bedtime for Batman is the perfect way to say goodnight to your little Dark Knight.


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Ah, how sweet, this is an adorable little story that I think little kids will love and hopefully make it easier on parents in getting kids ready for bedtime.

Bedtime for Batman is a children's picture book that simultaneously shows Bruce Wayne going out as Batman protecting Gotham city fighting crime and helping those in need. While it also shows a little boy as he prepares for bedtime from doing all things he needs to get ready from brushing his teeth to taking care of his goldfish.

The words and the story are exciting yet simple and easy to read with a slightly mellow tone making this perfect for evening story time and for kids who might be interested in wanting to read it for themselves.

I love the artwork, all the colors are rich with beautiful shading. And all the Batman elements are drawn similar to the animation from Batman: The Animated Series.

I do hope in the future there will be a Bedtime for Batgirl book. Because little girls love superheroes just as much as boys and creating that book would be a great opportunity to reach that target audience.

Book Review: The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead

Book: The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead (Blue Ocean Bob book #3) by Brooks Olbrys with illustrations by Kevin Keele

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Dive Deep with Blue Ocean Bob as He Takes the Lead Protecting All Life in the Sea of Kerchoo

An earthquake has set off an oil spill on the ocean floor, and Blue Ocean Bob faces his toughest challenge yet. After seeking advice from the local sage, Doc the turtle, Bob musters the courage to dive down and repair the damage alongside his mentor, Mary Marine. Upon their return, Wallace the walrus alerts Bob that a great white shark has been beached. Calling on his island friends, Bob devises a creative plan to set the shark free.

But when Mary is called away to a distant island, Bob has to put his fears (and those of his hummingbird guardian, Xena) aside and step into his mentor's shoes. Some unlikely allies help Bob in his new role, but he soon realizes that he needs even more help. Thanks to a tip from his trusted friend, Earl the clam, Bob finds the perfect candidate in a young girl he meets on the shore.

The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead is the third installment in this colorful and inspiring early chapter book series that provides young readers with an introduction to timeless principles of achievement.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Right off the bat, the artwork is beautiful. Below is an image from the book, isn't it amazing.

The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob: Into the Lead is a cute and adventurous five chapter book that follows Bob, a courageous boy solving ocean related problems around his home town, the Island of Roses. He gets help from some of his animal friends: Xena, a pink hummingbird and a dutiful friend; Doc, a wise old turtle; Earl, a knowledgeable clam; Wallace, an optimistic walrus; Tom, a peaceful and helpful whale and Al, a dolphin who is a natural leader. Bob also has two human friends who help him, Mary Marine (seen above) a marine biologist who Bob works for and her niece Molly.

This book is written in an easy to follow rhyming verse with a really interesting plot.


Chapter #1: A Day's Work

In this first chapter, an earthquake caused a crack to open up on the ocean floor. That wouldn't be a problem except an oil leak has sprung up. It's up to Bob to try to fix it, however he's very nervous. Thankfully, Doc the turtle gave him some encouraging words.

While underwater, Bob along with Mary and Tom the whale, came up with a creative way to solve the problem.


Chapter #2: A Novel Approach

Chapter two finds Bob walking on the beach enjoying his accomplishments of fixing the oil leak when Wallace the walrus told him that the quake had created another problem. Turns out Andy the Great White shark was stranded on the beach. A wave had washed him ashore. Bob needed to find a way to help Andy back to the water. After some time, he came up with a quick plan that included the help from a lot of his animal friends.


Chapter #3: A Strange Secret

In chapter three, some days later, Mary received word from Great Lizard Island. The lizards were fighting and since Mary is an expert, they needed her help to figure out what was going on with them.

To make sure everything would be taken care of while she was gone, Mary recommended Bob to the Council (which consisted of Mary, Doc, Wallace, Al, Earl and Eve the octopus) as a temporary replacement. Bob was a little reluctant to take on the job. But some wise words from Doc soon had him believing in himself and that he could take on the task.


Chapter #4: Faithful Friends

In this fourth chapter, Bob was taking on the responsibilities now that Mary was away. When a frantic Al tells him that dolphins were trapped in nets (from the earthquake) leaving Bob trying to figure out how to save them. He got a little encouragement from Wallace before he set off to save the dolphins.

Under water, Bob got some much needed and unexpected help from Andy the shark and some of his shark friends resulting in outstanding rescue.


Chapter #5: A Journey Begins

In this last chapter, Bob was starting to feel overwhelmed with all his duties with Mary still away. He went to the Council for help in trying to get Mary back but they came up with another idea. They thought Bob should get an assistant to help him with his job. Earl suggest he asked a girl he had seen recently helping on the beach. The next day, Bob and Xena went to go meet the girl who was named Molly and offered her a job. It turned out she is Mary's niece. To see if Molly has what it takes for the job, Bob gave her a test to track Belle, a humpback whale. Surprisingly, Xena accompanied Molly on her task and after she succeeded, Molly was now Bob new assistant.


I like this book because it's a wonderful way for children to learn problem solving and creative thinking while reading a fun and colorful action and adventure story. It teaches children to never give up even if you're afraid. And also that you can work with others to get a problem taken care of. I like all the characters, Bob sometimes is a little anxious or nervous about handling a problem but no matter what, he does everything he can to help. Even if he does need a little bit of encouragement from time to time. His friends both human and animal are always looking out for Bob because they know that he take on any task that comes his way.

The author and illustrator did a amazing job with this story and I think this series would make a great read for children. I hope there will be more The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob books in the future.

Book Review: Caillou, Lights Out!

Book: Caillou, Lights Out! story adapted from an episode of the Caillou animated series by Anne Paradise with illustrations adapted by Eric Sevigny

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

A winter storm knocks the power out at Caillou's house. Caillou is confused when the lights don’t work. But soon the evening turns into an indoor camping adventure, complete with marshmallows roasted in the fireplace. Caillou is especially delighted when he gets to sleep by the hearth in his sleeping bag.

Caillou, Lights Out! includes glow-in-the-dark stickers.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Winter weather can sometimes bring bad storms which Caillou found out in this cute little picture book. This story follows Caillou and his family as they deal with the power going out during a snow storm. His parents try to make the entire experience a fun adventure by lighting a fire in the fireplace and roasting marshmallows to help Caillou not feel afraid. They also plan another fun activity, camping out in the living room.

Having the power go out can even be scary for adults, and this book could possibly help kids not feels so scared during a power outage. The illustrations were bright and colorful and makes you feel as if you are watching the animated series. I thought the author did a great job capturing the heart, warmth and humor of the show.

This is a quick read and the words are easy enough that a child could read the story for themselves if they wanted to.

Book Review: The Dirty Trick

Book: The Dirty Trick (The Ghost and Max Monroe book #3) by L.M. Falcone

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

Max is thrilled when his favorite writer, Rhonda Remington, calls up the detective agency. But Rhonda is less than thrilled: someone has warned her to beware on the night of a big storytelling competition. Max is on the case, but his unusual partner -- the ghost of his great-uncle Larry -- is his usual bumbling self. Will they solve the mystery or lose the plot? It's the spookiest case yet in the Ghost and Max Monroe series!


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

The Dirty Trick is a charming children's mystery book. In this third book in the series, 10 years old Max Monroe was hired by mystery writer Rhonda Remington to find out who was planning a trick on her during a storytelling competition. The winner of the competition will be nominated into the Mystery Hall of Fame. Assisting Max is his Uncle Larry, who by the way is a ghost.

At the competition, Max immediately starts to investigate and found three suspects: Delia Davis: Rhonda's assistant, Nella Norman: Rhonda's competitor and Lew Jacobs: Nella's agent. Will Max be able to find out who is behind everything? Can his Uncle Larry stay focused enough to help?

Despite being a children's book, the mystery was very engaging and fun to read. I enjoyed following the clues and piecing them together to find out who was planning the trick. Since this is for kids, the story is easy to follow.

As a huge mystery fan, this was a delightfully well-written story that has a good blend of humor and kid appropriate drama and suspense as the mystery unfolds.

For parents looking for mystery books for their children, I would recommend The Ghost and Max Monroe series.

Book Review: Kid Athletes

Book: Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends by David Stabler with illustrations by Doogie Horner and color by Mario Zucca

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

The author and illustrator of Kid Presidents have reteamed to share 20 true tales from the childhoods of famous athletes. From Babe Ruth (so incorrigible that his parents put him in reform school at age 7) to Muhammad Ali (who learned to fight at age 12 after a thief stole his bicycle), Kid Athletes is packed with inspirational stories from the world of sports. Billie Jean King rose from modest circumstances to win 39 Grand Slam championships; race car champion Danica Patrick fended of bullies who told her "girls can't drive"; and martial arts legend Bruce Lee credited his success, in part, to childhood dance lessons. Every goal, touchdown, and championship comes to life in these kid-friendly and relatable stories, all with Doogie Horner’s whimsical full-color illustrations. Kid Athletes is a slam dunk for young sports fans everywhere.


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

What makes an athlete great? Well, that's what Kid Athletes explores in this children's biography. This book takes a look at how sixteen athletes became world class athletes by showing how as kids all the hard work that went into pursuing their sport of interest. There were also quite a few who had to overcome things that could have hindered them such as racism, behavioral problems, bullying, sexism and more. While others just needed the confidence to believe in themselves and overcome their fears.

I learned a lot of interesting things from this book as well as learned about athletes I've never heard of. The writing will keep children entertained because it's fast-paced and easy-to-read. Throughout the book are colorful illustrations that add a bit of humor and fun to the biographies.

Below are the athletes that were focused:

Babe Ruth: Baseball
Jackie Robinson: Baseball
Billie Jean King: Tennis
Peyton Manning: Football
Danica Patrick: Race Car Driver
Bobby Orr: Hockey
Michael Jordan: Basketball
Tiger Woods: Golf
Yao Ming: Basketball
Gabrielle "Gabby" Douglas: Gymnastics
Babe Didrikson Zaharias: All-Around Athlete
Bruce Lee: Martial Arts
Muhammad Ali: Boxing
Jesse Kuhaulua: Sumo Wrestler
Julie Krone: Horse Jockey
Lionel Messi: Soccer

I hope there will be a second volume of Kid Athletes because I can think of even more athletes that could be featured. I think books like this inspire kids and not just with sports. It could inspire them to go out there and give anything they're interested in a try.

Book Review: Ghostly Thief of Time

Book: Ghostly Thief of Time (EMU Club Adventure book #2) by Ruben Bolling

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

My name is Stuart Tennemeier, and I'm the President of the EMU Club (Exploration-Mystery-Unbelievable Club). This is my report of our second mission.

Once you've solved one great mystery involving alien cats and a robotic dog, how do you find a second one that is just as awesome to solve? Not huge crimes or weird stuff, but everyday mysteries that happen to everyone, like why does time seem to pass more slowly right before school ends? And at other times, like when you're watching your favorite TV show it seems to pass really quickly?

There are tons of little mysteries all around us. Sometimes if you look really, really, closely at them, you find out some amazing, incredible things. And you just might save the world.


Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Review:

Nearing the end of summer, 11 years old Stuart Tennemeier and his best Brian Hrznicz and Stuart's 8 years old sister Violet were trying to find another mystery to solve. So far they found nothing. It wasn't until Stuart's horrible first day of school during his last class that he may have stumbled upon a mystery. Why does it seem like time slows down right before school ends?

Since Brian is homeschooled he doesn't have to deal with boring classes and time slowing down. He also doesn't have to deal with being bullied by Bradley Ketchum.

One Saturday under the guise of attending the school book fair, the trio decided to investigate Stuart's classroom to see if they can find out why time moves so slowly there. By accident their investigation lead them to the new custodian Mr. Hartoonian and the maintenance closet.

While sitting in his Social Studies class, Stuart found something strange in his text book that had the trio believing Mr. Hartoonian just might be a ghost. However, it wasn't until the school's Halloween party that the trio were about to find out another clue. It pointed them to something big that may happen on the first Tuesday in November which is also Election Day. Whatever was going to happen on that day, the trio were going to stop Mr. Hartoonian from doing it.

Since Election Day meant a day off from school, the kids needed a plan to go to school so they could thwart Mr. Hartoonian. They're plan worked but it turns out they may have ruined the future. The truth was that Mr. Hartoonian was not a ghost but a time traveler sent to prevent a war.

With some fast thinking and a little help from Stuart's dog the group had one chance to fix their mistake.

This was one kooky little sci-fi book, that included not only an robot alien dog but also time traveling. Ghostly Thief of Time has an interesting mystery that quickly turns into something else with the time traveling aspects. I think this was a fun little book that kids would enjoy, it's funny and fast paced and keeps you wondering what's going to happen next.

Book Review: Don't Feed the Geckos!

Book: Don't Feed The Geckos! (The Carver Chronicles book #3) by Karen English with illustrations by Laura Freeman

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: December 1, 2015

Description:

Carlos isn't sure how he feels about the news that his cousin Bernardo will be joining his class at Carver Elementary. But when Bernardo comes to live with him temporarily, taking over Carlos's top bunk, his spot on the school soccer team, and even his Papi's attention, Carlos knows he isn't happy. Worse, Bernardo starts messing with Carlos's pet geckos! Carlos tries to see past his cousin's annoying ways, but Bernardo sure doesn't make it easy. Will Carlos—and his geckos—survive Bernardo's visit? Can he keep the peace for his family's sake? Emerging and newly independent readers are sure to recognize themselves in this humorous school and family story.


Rating: 4 stars

Review:

Don't Feed the Geckos! is a cute and funny story that follows third grader Carlos who is not too happy about his cousin Bernardo who will be staying with Carlos' family temporarily until his mother arrives from Texas.

Carlos also wasn't too thrilled about Bernardo staying in his room not only because his mother gave his cousin the top bunk (which was Carlos' favorite) but mainly because he didn't want Bernardo to touch his geckos or ant farm. He also doesn't want his little sister Issy touching them either (she's not quite old enough to care for them properly).

Sharing a room with Bernardo was terrible because his cousin was messy and he snores very loudly. Being at school with him wasn't any better because most of the time he doesn't pay attention in class or he showboats during recess showing off how great he is at sports. To make matters worse, Bernardo is also on his soccer team. He just can't escape from him.

Frustration was building for Carlos because Bernardo was getting on his nerves, he couldn't wait until his cousin would leave. But after a misunderstanding about the geckos feeding caused Carlos to say a few things he wished he could take back it made it possible for the cousins to start to become friends.

Carlos' experience with his cousin allowed him to see that family can be annoying at times but he learns the importance of family.

Although this was a cute story, the ending felt rushed to me. I couldn't help feeling a little sorry for Carlos because I feel like his parents put a lot of pressure on him.

His mother had him reading one of her favorite books from when she was a kid and although he doesn't really like the book he still keeps reads it. What I don't like is that he just can't read a book to read it, his mother had him summarizing chapters of it. I also didn't like that she called him a doofus when he asked a question about why his cousin didn't take a plane since his cousin traveled by bus with a family friend from Texas. Maybe it was supposed to be a joke but it certainly didn't read like one.

Meanwhile, his father only seems to care about sports and I got the sense that is the only reason Carlos is playing soccer because he wants his father's attention. Despite Carlos making really good grades, it's his poor soccer skills that only seem to matter in his father's eyes. I really wish the author had wrote something in that showed that Carlos' dad cared about him no matter what instead of as I read it only being about sports. And once Bernardo showed up and excelled at sports Carlos' father only seem to be offering his attention and support for him.

Parents aren't perfect and I guess the author showed that because although his parents do love Carlos they sometimes make parenting mistakes. I don't know maybe my adult brain just picked up on those things but kids reading this will probably just gloss over it.

What I like is that Carlos is smart and a self-starter. After Carlos over heard his teacher Ms. Shelby-Ortiz talk about having a few knuckleheads in her class he decided for himself that he no longer wanted to be one. He worked really hard in class and his grades started to improve. Carlos has an interest in animals and insects and would one day like to pursue a career as a Zoologist or an Entomologist.

This was a fun book, the author did a great job with creating all the characters they seem like real people. I just wish the ending wasn't so rushed and the story had time to fix those two issues I had with it. 

Book Review: Charlie Bumpers vs. The Perfect Little Turkey

Book: Charlie Bumpers vs. The Perfect Little Turkey by Bill Harley with illustrations by Adam Gustavson

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication Date: Available now

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

In this very funny story, Charlie Bumpers learned a thing or two about the importance of family during Thanksgiving break.

Sometimes family can be a pain which Charlie knows first hand from his older brother Matt and younger sister Mabel constantly teasing him. But that's nothing compared to his little cousin Chip. Chip will be visiting for Thanksgiving but causes many problems for Charlie by following him around, pestering him and getting him in trouble for things he didn't do. For some reason, none of the adults see how awful Chip is they think he's a perfect little angel so it's safe to assume that Charlie is not looking forward to Chip's visit.

Thanksgiving will be a busy one for Charlie and his family because there will be 10 additional guests which includes family: Grandma and Grandpa (Charlie's mother's parents), Aunt Sarah (his mom's sister) her husband Brandon and their children Chip and Tilly and last is Uncle Ron (his dad's brother). Also attending will be their grumpy neighbors the Gritzbachs and nice Mrs. Walcott (one of his mom's patients).

During the break Charlie has to work on an assignment his 4th grade teacher Mrs. Burke assigned about family. But if his family is driving him crazy how can he truly see the importance of them.

I like this story, it has a National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation feel to it especially with so many things happening or going wrong in this story. What I really like about this story is that Charlie learned that family can surprise you and before you realize it, you come to appreciate them even if you still think they're a total pain.

This is the second Charlie Bumpers book that I've read and I think the author does a good job of conveying Charlie's feelings and experiences. This is a very well written book and I love the illustrations that are seen throughout. I'm sure readers of all ages will be able to relate to Charlie and his family's hectic holiday.

Book Review: The Adventures of Miss Petitfour

Book: The Adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels with illustrations by Emma Block

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: November 3, 2015

Description:

Miss Petitfour enjoys having adventures that are "just the right size - fitting into a single, magical day."

She is an expert at baking and eating fancy iced cakes, and her favorite mode of travel par avion. On windy days, she takes her sixteen cats out for an airing: Minky, Misty, Taffy, Purrsia, Pirate, Mustard, Moutarde, Hemdela, Earring, Grigorovitch, Clasby, Captain Captain, Captain Catkin, Captain Cothespin, Your Shyness and Sizzles.

With the aid of her favorite tea party tablecloth as a makeshift balloon, Miss Petitfour and her charges fly over her village, having many little adventures along the way. Join Miss Petitfour and her equally eccentric felines on five magical outings -- a search for marmalade, to a spring jumble sale, on a quest for "birthday cheddar", the retrieval of a lost rare stamp and as they compete in the village's annual Festooning Festival. A whimsical, beautifully illustrated collection of tales that celebrates language, storytelling and small pleasures, especially the edible kind!


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

There were five stories in this delightful children's book that follows the everyday yet extraordinary adventures of Miss Petitfour and her sixteen cats. Miss Petitfour and her cats get around town by flying. She uses a tablecloth to help her soar through the air but sometimes things don't always work out as plan, the wind does frequently change course.

I also found an educational aspect to this book because the author had an interesting way of introducing words and their meanings.

As fun and whimsical as the stories were I also adore the artwork by Emma Block, it's an absolutely perfect fit to the stories.

Although this is written for children I couldn't help enjoying it. Miss Petitfour has a way of enjoying life including making boring everyday chores fun. These are very imaginative and creative stories that I do hope children will enjoy as much as I did.

Artwork: Miss Petitfour by Emma Block



First Story:

Miss Petitfour and the Rattling Spoon

This first story introduces the reader to Miss Petitfour and her 16 cats: Minky, Misty, Taffy, Purrsia, Pirate, Mustard, Moutarde, Hemdela, Earring, Grigorovitch, Clasby, Captain Captain, Captain Catkins (Captain's son), Captain Clothespin (Captain's daughter), Your Shyness and Sizzles.

Also introduced were a few of Miss Petitfour's friends who are also the owners of some of the local businesses in town.

In this story, Miss Petitfour was getting ready for tea, when she noticed that the only thing inside the jar of her favorite orange marmalade was a spoon. With the jar empty, Miss Petitfour knew there could be no teatime without her orange marmalade. With plans to head into town to go to the grocery store to pick up a jar, she grabbed a tablecloth. She and her cats soon took flight but unfortunately the wind was heading in the wrong direction.

They would have kept on going if not for Sizzles who used his tail to latch onto the town hall building. Suspended in the blustery air, there was nothing that Miss Petitfour and her cats could do. But good luck had Mrs. Carruthers the owner of the grocery store spotting Miss Petitfour. She quickly went into her store and picked up a jar of marmalade and headed to town hall.

Miss Petitfour now had her jar but in retrieving it, Sizzles had to unwind his tail from the building, which caused them to yet again fly in the wrong direction. As they flew through the air, Sizzles made another daring attempt to stop their flight by latching his tail to the steering wheel of Mr. Coneybeare's car.

Mr. Coneybeare just so happens to be rather fond of Miss Petitfour. However, he's a little too shy to tell her but he was happy that he could help her and her cats get back home safely even if they were still floating in the air.

This adventure ended with a charming tea party that included Mr. Coneybeare.



Second Story:

Miss Petitfour and the Jumble

Thinking it's time for a good spring cleaning, Miss Petitfour decides to clean out her closet. Inside she knows it filled with a large number of things she has no use for. Helping her out is Pleasant Patel, the daughter of the local bakery owner. While Miss Petitfour gets ready to clean, her cats are outside enjoying the day playing games.

Meanwhile, back in town the residents are getting reading for the Great Spring Jumble Sale which is held every five years. Cleaning out her closet caused Miss Petitfour to remember the sale and as her and Pleasant cleaned and sorted, they made a surprising discovery of a tangled ball of wired coat hangers.

Taking the ball outside caught the eye of the cats but a windy breeze took the ball in the air. Miss Petitfour had tied a string to the ball before it flew off and soon, her, Pleasant and the cats were flying through the air. The wind ended up taking them out to the sale but them landing in the middle of it caused utter chaos.

But from all the commotion transformed into a very fun and enjoyable day.



Third Story:

Miss Petitfour and the Penny Black

This story finds Miss Petitfour and her cats trying to stop her treasured runaway stamp the Penny Black. The adventure started because one of her cats, Pirate accidentally got the Penny Black stuck on her paw. Before Miss Petitfour tried to get the stamp back, it got caught on a breeze of air and flew out of the window.

To get back her stamp, Miss Petitfour grab a tablecloth and soon her and her cats took flight to follow her stamp. The wind blew the stamp here and there with Miss Petitfour narrowly catching it. Finally it landed but Miss Petitfour was unable to get it. However, something wonderful happened, it brought out a good number of townspeople who came to help get the stamp down.



Fourth Story:

Miss Petitfour and the Birthday Cheddar

In this story, it's Minky the cat's birthday and Miss Petitfour plans on having a special celebration for her. Minky loves cheese, she even has a calendar that features a different type of cheese for each month. There is only one thing that Minky wants for her birthday and that's a huge wheel of cheddar cheese.

But the groups flight into town to pick up everything for the party takes an abrupt turn as the wind moves them off course. Miss Petitfour and her cats were now heading for the river and were at the point of dropping into the water. It's a lucky thing Mr. Coneybeare was out in his sailboat, cloud watching because it gave Miss Petitfour and her cats a chance to safely land.

That little adventure didn't stop them from celebrating Minky's birthday, after finally heading into town they (along with Mr. Coneybeare)were back at her house enjoying a lovely party.



Fifth Story:

Miss Petitfour and the "Oom"

In this last story, Miss Petitfour and her cats were enjoying a fall day before they flew off for the town's Great Annual Festival of Festooning which is a huge decorating contest. Prior to leaving, she had heard a mysterious sound but it was nothing that she could place.

The festival was full of excitement as everyone including Miss Petitfour's cats were decorating meanwhile Padme Patel (Pleasant's grandmother) walked around inspecting the entries. Some time later, Miss Petitfour heard that sound again. She along with her cats flew off in the direction of the sound. They ended up finding something rather interesting happening at Mr. Coneybeare's confetti factory.

What happened at the factory resulted in something unexpectedly worked out at the festival. I love the way this story closes out with the town slowly quieting down as Miss Petitfour, her cats and Mr. Coneybeare flew through the night.

Artwork: Cats on a Chair by Emma Block

Book Review: Gargoyle Hall

Book: Gargoyle Hall (An Araminta Spookie Adventure book #6) by Angie Sage with illustrations by John Kelly

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

Description:

When Araminta throws cold water over her best friend, Wanda, to disperse a crowd of panicked bats, it's decided Araminta has been helpful one too many times, and she is packed off to boarding school. On arrival, Araminta is surprised to discover that Gargoyle Hall makes her home, Spook House, seems positively cosy. Strange moans and clanks echo down the corridors and the two head girls are equally creepy. Most of the other pupils have been scared away, but Araminta senses that something or someone is behind the menace. With the help of best friend Wanda and Uncle Drac's prize bat, she is going to do something about it!"



Rating: 3 stars

Review:

This was a slightly weird yet cute little story that follows would be detective Araminta Spookie as she and her best friend and sidekick Wanda Wizzard try to solve mysteries around her house and at the boarding school they both wind up at.

Araminta's aunt Tabby and uncle Drac seem to be keeping secrets from her and it has something to do with her uncle's bats. But just as she was going to start investigating, her great-aunt Emilene showed up with devastating news. Araminta will be going off to boarding school. But why? It's not her fault uncle Drac's bats got tangled up in Wanda's hair and she had to pour a bucket of water on her. She was only trying to help. But with even more less than stellar behavior happening around Spookie House it was safe to say that Araminta will find herself off to boarding school.

She was not happy about going away nor arriving at her new school Gargoyle Hall. After meeting the headmistress Mrs. Gargoyle and Violetta and Philomena, two mean students who were sisters, she went to her new room. Things perked up once she found Wanda who had stowed away in Araminta's trunk along with one of her uncle Drac's bat.

The happy reunion didn't last long because soon a loud and creepy noise was heard throughout the night. The following day brought nothing good, the headmistress was missing and her and Wanda were being bossed around by Violetta and Philomena. While Araminta and Wanda were locked in the cellar by the mean sisters, she had a suspicion where the headmistress may be but unless they could get out of the cellar they may never be able to help her.

That was not it, according to the mean sisters, there was a monster at the school. This was another mystery she had to solve. Help came unexpectedly when Araminta's cousin Mathilda showed up to rescue them but that was just the beginning of their weird time trying to solve the mysteries at the school.

Gargoyle Hall feels like it exist in the world of the Addams Family with Araminta always on the lookout for mysteries and this story has plenty of them to solve. There are also several ghosts (but they're her friends) and bats. This is a fun story for children who want a mystery book that's a little spooky (but not too spooky). Also, I love the cover art and the illustrations throughout the story they were really cute.

Book Review: Mister Doctor

Book: Mister Doctor: Janusz Korczak & the Orphans of the Warsaw Ghetto by Irène Cohen-Janca, translated by Paula Ayer with illustrations by Maurizio A.C. Quarello

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: Annick Press Ltd.

Description:

Nothing—not even the chance to live—makes Dr. Korczak abandon the children of the Warsaw Ghetto.

November 1940. One hundred and sixty Jewish orphans, forced by the Nazis to leave their orphanage, walk through the streets of Warsaw towards the ghetto. Led by their beloved director, Doctor Korczak, the children are defiantly joyful. In the ghetto, people everywhere are dying of disease and starvation, but the children’s spirits are sustained by the devotion of “Mister” Doctor.

These children will never grow up: in August 1942, they board the train that will carry them to the death camps. Offered his freedom, Doctor Korczak refuses to abandon the children and proudly joins them on their last journey.

This profoundly moving illustrated book, based on a true story, allows young readers to meet the remarkable man whose humanity and bravery still stand as a glimmer of light in one of history's darkest periods.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

This is a hauntingly moving story that focused on the children of an orphanage and the doctor who cared for them as they struggle to survive in the forced confinements of the Warsaw Ghetto. Mister Doctor was told from one of the children's point of view as they relocated from their orphanage once the Nazis took over thus forcing them to move.

Despite the subject matter, this book is filled with heart as the children come to terms with their new way of living. The doctor was always trying to make everyday joyful for them even if the world seemed to become even more bleaker as the days went on.

There is amazing artwork that complements this compelling story. I only have one minor issue with the book is that the ending does not give the reader a clear understanding as to what happened to those who ended up boarding the train. But that maybe for the best since this book is for children and they may not be ready to handle the horrible details of what went on at the concentration camps.

Mister Doctor was inspired by Dr. Janusz Korczak, who was also an author and started working at an orphanage. Dr. Korczak later lost his life in the concentration camp alongside the children he cared for.

Book Review: Ivy in Bloom

Book: Ivy in Bloom: The Poetry of Spring from Great Poets and writers of the Past by Vanita Oelschlager with illustrations by Kristin Blackwood

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Publisher: VanitaBooks, LLC

Description:

Ivy in Bloom captures the weariness of a young girl tired of a long winter. "I stare out the window," she says on the first spread of brown and gray, "looking for birds or flowers / or even warm showers / but I don't see any such thing." But then Spring comes when "March is out of breath snow melting to flowery waters and watery flowers spring rose from its wintry rest." And Ivy's "heart dances with daffodils." As these words also dance across each spread, Ivy's world erupts into a riot of color.

Ivy in Bloom introduces the poetry of Dickinson, Longfellow, Browning, Wordsworth, Frost and others. Excerpts from their writings, as seen through Ivy's eyes, will open up poetry as a way for children to express their own feelings about the changing of seasons. This book includes longer excerpts and brief bios of each author.



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

A beautifully written book with equally beautiful artwork.

This is a very cute story that was told through poem verses, it's about Ivy Van Allsberg, a young girl who can't wait for spring to finally show up. She's tired of the dark and dreary winter, she just wants the return of the beautiful and vibrant spring. I love how the artwork reflects Ivy's feelings, the color for the artwork goes from grayish to rich and bold as spring approaches.

I like that what words that author didn't write she credited them in the bibliography and she not only included the names of the authors but also what poems the words were from.

This is a book I would have loved when I was a kid because who doesn't enjoy it when winter is finally gone and spring appears. It shows Ivy trying her best to enjoy the remainder of winter but once spring is here she can't wait to enjoy it including walking in the rain.

I would recommend this not only to read but it would be great as a cute little spring time gift.