Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Open This Little Book



Open This Little Book  
Author: Jesse Klausmeier
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Denise

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Summary: Open this picture book to find different animals reading different color books that keep getting smaller and smaller.

Review: This is a fun, unique picture book that kids will love! The book looks big on the outside, but once you open the cover, you quickly discover the cute pattern that incorporates animals and the colors they represent, as well as how the “books” keep getting smaller. Kids will enjoy seeing how the pages go from big to small and it’s a great way to teach them about animals, colors, and sizes while encouraging them to read just like the animals do in the story.

Friday, October 11, 2013

The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There



The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There

Author: Catherynne M. Valente, Ana Juan (Illustrator)
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Todd



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Summary: September has longed to return to Fairyland after her first adventure there. And when she finally does, she learns that its inhabitants have been losing their shadows—and their magic—to the world of Fairyland Below. This underworld has a new ruler: Halloween, the Hollow Queen, who is September’s shadow. And Halloween does not want to give Fairyland’s shadows back…

Review: A wonderful read and a delightful sequel with as much appeal and sparkle as a jeweled star under an earthen ceiling sky. Our omniscient narrator is still as engaging and playful as she leads us through September’s long journey; and wishes she could spare September the pain her story and new vulnerable heart will bring her. And September’s story will have pain, for she will have to travel into the wild and untamed shadow of Fairyland. The subtle joy of this story is that for a young reader it can be an introduction to the archetype of what a Shadow is; the wild and dreaming side of you. That while at the core your shadow is still you, it is the part that would be buried away and thus is their antithesis. September learns that lesson well as she encounters the shadows of her dearest friends and a cruel foe, but it is only with all her knowledge painfully won that she can find the answer to save everyone. I must implore that this book be read and suggested to anyone with even the barest bud of a love for fantasy.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Divergent

Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Aleece
 
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Summary: In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

Review: This is a must read for readers that really enjoy dystopian genre books.  I absolutely loved reading about Tris as her character developed and struggled to find where she belongs.  She makes a hard choice by leaving the selfless life of the Abnegation that she has always known for a new life in the Dauntless faction, a life where everything is the complete opposite.  Here she is tested on a daily basis and has to overcome obstacles and make choices that may affect the future.  For those of you that enjoyed the Hunger Games and other similar books, this is a definite must-read which will surpass all of your expectations.

Friday, October 4, 2013

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making



The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

By: Catherynne M. Valente; Illustrated by Ana Juan
Rating: 5/5
Reviewer: Todd


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Summary: Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn't . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.



Review: Read this book. I can’t stress that enough; because this book tore through every expectation I had and took its place as what a model fantasy novel could be. Valentine uses touches of folklore from around the world to give her Fairyland a universal feel. Her narrator is playful and engages the reader as September is swept into the world of Fairyland. Through September’s journey we are enticed to pass through landscapes that run on narrative and are metaphor made manifest; lands where the seasons stay still and repeat on, a literal patchwork city, and even the beaches made of faerie riches. And that enticement is needed because we suffer with September as she begins to grow a caring heart she’s doomed to lose, as doubt of what she can do on her quests, and perhaps most and yet seemingly least important the pain of blood.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Mom and Me Cookbook

Mom and Me Cookbook
Author: Annabel Karmel
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Helen

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Summary: This book has cooking techniques and simple first recipes that are tasty and nutritious.

Review: There are many pictures and step-by-step instructions for each recipe. It does not have a great number of recipes, but if your purpose is to get your child involved in cooking while you have fun together, this is the perfect place to begin. The recipes are easy and the pictures are great, especially for a young child starting out in the kitchen. This book is geared towards preschool through second grade learners.