Book of Interest: The Worst Witch

It's so nice when you find a new fandom. I've quickly become a fan of The Worst Witch. When I posted my Hiatus Watch for the 2017 show, I mistakenly wrote that there were three adaptation but apparently there are five: 1) The Worst Witch movie (1986), 2) The Worst Witch TV series (1998), 3) Weirdsister College TV series (2001), 4) The New Worst Witch TV series (2005) and 5) The Worst Witch TV series (2017). The two I didn't know about were the Weirdsister College and The New Worst Witch. I didn't realize there were so many adaptations.

I recently finished watching the 2017 adaptation and will be starting on the 1998 one. After watching the show, now I want to read the book series by Jill Murphy. It will be interesting to read the stories as well as see what was included from the books in the TV shows and movie (which I plan to watch as well).

Book: The Worst Witch (The Worst Witch book #1) by Jill Murphy

Description:

Mildred Hubble is starting her first year at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches — and making a mess of it! She can’t ride her broomstick without crashing, she’s always getting her spells mixed up, and worst of all, the teacher’s pet, Ethel, has just become her sworn enemy.

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?

Currently Reading: Harriet the Spy

Happy Saturday!

For my next read, I picked a classic, Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. I've always wanted to read this book but I just never got around to it. A little while back, I found an old copy at the thrift store. The version I have is not that old, it was published in 2001 and it also doesn't include the sneak peek sample pages for Harriet Spies Again.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to reading this because Harriet is a nosey, intuitive and inquisitive character. And it looks like her lost notebook is going to get her in trouble with her friends. I wonder who has notebook? I guess I'll find out once I start reading it.

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

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.

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

Happy Sunday!

I haven't abandoned my TBR Read-a-Thon but that Nancy Drew: The Haunted Showboat book definitely had me not wanting to pick up a book. However, I am still going to finish it as well as start reading Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson. It seems like it's going to be a fun and cute little book. I also really like the cover art by Nina Mata, it's just so cute.

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

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 Girl Thoughts: Thoughts on Spring

It's really starting to feel like Spring. I love it when the weather clears, the temperature starts to warm up. Everything starts to bloom and the world starts to feel alive. Earlier, when I went for a walk, I noticed all the wonderful little signs of Spring: the grass growing, little buds on trees, the start of flowers growing, etc. It really is a perfect day to be outside enjoying nature.

Happy first day that finally feels like Spring.

Artwork: art by Stephanie Graegin from The Friendship Book by Mary Lyn Ray

Currently Reading for Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon book #2: The Phantom Tollbooth

For this Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon, I went through my bookcases and picked ten books that were mostly old or classic that I haven't read. Although, I do have one pick that was published three years ago as well as three slightly fairly recent comic books.

With that said, the second book I'm reading for the read-a-thon is the children's classic The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I have never read this but I always wanted to. I bought this book from a library book sale several years ago and I'm finally getting around to reading it.

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

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. . . .

Storytime: Cynthia Erivo reading "Remember to Dream, Ebere"

Happy Sunday!

How's everyone's day going? Are you in need of a good story? Well, here is a video of actress and writer Cynthia Erivo reading her children's book Remember to Dream, Ebere with illustrations by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow. It's a really cute story about dreaming big and as with each Storytime video I post, the book and description are below.

Storytime: Connie Britton reading "The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister"

It's been quite a while since I've posted a Storytime video especially since there are so many online. Well, here is a very recent one with actress Connie Britton reading the children's book The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister by Linda Ravin Lodding with illustrations by Suzanne Beaky. I also posted the book and the description below.

Book of Interest: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place

I love a good mystery and I'm always on the look out for new stories. And The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry seems like delightful little mystery with the headmistress and her brother being poisoned. I do wonder if one of the girls did it or if it someone else outside the school. This seems like it'll be an interesting read.

Book: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Gardner Berry

Description:

There's a murderer on the loose--but that doesn't stop the girls of St. Etheldreda's from attempting to hide the death of their headmistress in this rollicking farce.

The students of St. Etheldreda's School for Girls face a bothersome dilemma. Their irascible headmistress, Mrs. Plackett, and her surly brother, Mr. Godding, have been most inconveniently poisoned at Sunday dinner. Now the school will almost certainly be closed and the girls sent home--unless these seven very proper young ladies can hide the murders and convince their neighbors that nothing is wrong.

Julie Berry's The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place is a smart, hilarious Victorian romp, full of outrageous plot twists, mistaken identities, and mysterious happenings.

Video: Natalie Portman talking about her book "Natalie Portman's Fables"

I love that Natalie Portman, a fellow bookworm, rewrote three of the classic fables which are wonderfully illustrated by Janna Mattia. This is an interesting video and I love when she she was talking about how when she was younger, she loved the books, The Babysitter's Club by Anne M. Martin and really wanted to talk to the author about adding a new character to the series.

If that's not a total bookworm move right there, I don't know what is. After you've watched the video, I posted the description for the book below.

Book of Interest: Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome

Sarai wants to raise enough money to buy back her family's house, will she succeed? I guess'll I have to pick this up and find out. I need to review more children's books because how cool is this story. I love the cover, the art was made by Christine Almeda who also did the illustrations in the book.

Book: Sarai and the Meaning of Awesome (Sarai book #1) by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown and illustrations by Christine Almeda

Description:

Sarai Gonzalez is AWESOME.

Fourth grader Sarai Gonzalez can do anything. She can bake, dance, and run her own cupcake business. But when Sarai's grandparents are forced to move, even Sarai's not sure what to do. So she hatches a super-awesome plan with her younger sisters and cousin to buy back the house. But houses are more expensive than she ever thought, her sisters won't listen, and she's running out of time. Will Sarai find a way to save the day?

Inspired by the life of viral video sensation and social activist Sarai Gonzalez with the help of award-winning children's book author Monica Brown.

Storytime: Anthony Daniels reading "Star Wars: Galactic Adventures"

I wanted to end May the 4th with a storytime video of Anthony Daniels. For anyone who doesn't know, he stars as C-3PO in the Star Wars movies and voices the character in animated series and movies. Anthony Daniels also wrote the book, I Am C-3PO - The Inside Story that was released last year.

For this storytime, he's reading a story from Star Wars: Galactic Adventures about about R2-D2 going on a mission to save his friend C-3PO who somehow got captured by the Empire. I would love to know how that happened. I hope you'll enjoy this story for Star Wars Day!

Storytime: Brenda Song reading "5 Minute Princess Stories"

Fellow bookworm and actress Brenda Song starred as one of my favorite characters airhead heiress London Tipton on the Disney shows The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and The Suite Life on Deck. In this storytime video, she's reading an interesting story about Belle and her father Maurice from Beauty and the Beast.

Belle being a bookworm is just so cool and her love of books and reading may have made her an outcast in her small village but she didn't let it stop her from enjoying a good book.

Storytime: Michelle Obama reading "The Gruffalo"

Happy Lazy Sunday!

I did nothing today except relax and watch a little TV. This is the first time today I've gone online and that's so I can post this storytime video of former First Lady Michelle Obama reading the children's book The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler. I think it's so cool that the First Lady will be reading books live for storytime every Monday at noon EST for the next four weeks from April 20th to May 11th on the PBS KIDS and Penguin Random House social media pages. Afterwards the video will be available and here is the first one from last Monday.

I know I read a lot of books when I was little but surprisingly I've never read this book. And if I did, I certainly don't remember it. Maybe I'll order a copy and give it a read.

Storytime: Milo Manheim reading "5 Minute Marvel Stories"

Milo Manheim, is a young actor best known for starring in the Disney movies Z-O-M-B-I-E-S and Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 2 as Zed the zombie. And for this storytime video, he's reading a Guardians of the Galaxy story from 5 Minute Marvel Stories.

I think these storytime videos are a pretty cool resource and I wonder how many parents are using them for storytime with their kids?

Storytime: Joonas Suotamo reading "Star Wars: Chewie and the Porgs"

Hey bookworms here's another storytime video that has actor Joonas Suotamo reading the children's book Star Wars: Chewie and the Porgs by Kevin Shinick with illustrations by Fiona Hsieh. For non-Star Wars fans, Joonas Suotamo took over the iconic role of Chewbacca from the late actor Peter Mayhew.

I hope everyone will enjoy this good read especially since Joonas Suotamo also provides fun sound effects throughout the reading.

Storytime: Auli'i Cravalho reading "Moana and the Ocean"

I absolutely love Moana, it's an amazing movie and actress Auli'i Cravalho (who voiced Moana in the movie) is continuing the magic of story by reading the children's book Moana and the Ocean. With beautiful illustrations and an easy-to-read story, what's not to love? I think young readers will love either listening to this story or reading it for themselves.

Storytime: Elizabeth Olsen reading "Disney 5-Minute Easter Stories"

This storytime video features actress Elizabeth Olsen reading Disney 5-Minute Easter Stories and I think these videos are wonderful because it's a good way to promote the love of reading to young readers. While at the same time, promoting new and old books.

Happy Easter!