Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Author: Roald Dahl

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Reviewer: Leslie 

 

Summary: Three farmers, each one meaner than the other, try all-out warfare to get rid of the fox and his family.

Review: I loved Roald Dahl as a child so I knew I would enjoy this quick read. It is a very cute story about persistence and the will to survive and provide for one’s family. It is a funny book and a good lesson for kids to never give up and think outside the box.

Bear Is Not Tired

Bear Is Not Tired

Author: Ciara Gavin

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Reviewer: Sue

 

Summary: Bear is supposed to sleep through the winter, but he is afraid that he will miss out on the Duck family’s fun.  He tries to fight off the sleepy feeling he has, but Mother Duck finally says that bears are supposed to sleep through the winter.  He cannot fight who he is.  She even promised him that he wouldn’t miss anything.  When Bear wakes up refreshed and ready to go in the spring he sees that Mother Duck has kept her promise.  She gives him a photo album of  what they did during the winter.  The end page of the book has “photos” of how Bear was included in the family all winter long. 

Review: This is a very cute book.  It’s a nice story of how much Bear and the Duck family love each other.  But Bear still needs to do what is right for him, and the Duck family included Bear in their winter activities whenever they can.  The illustrations are cute and expressive.  A sweet book to share with a child.

Took: A Ghost Story

Took: A Ghost Story

Author: Mary Downing Hahn 

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Reviewer: Christi

 

Summary: A witch called Old Auntie is lurking near Dan's family's new home. He doesn't believe in her at first, but is forced to accept that she is real and take action when his little sister, Erica, is 'took' to become Auntie's slave for the next fifty years"--

Review: A scary tale that has a slight Hansel and Gretel vibe. When Dan and his family move into a new home nothing is right about it- the woods, the house, the creepiness. His younger sister, Erica, is even more afraid of her new home. When the kids at school tell them the stories about girl that disappeared and the witch who lives on the hill with her evil pet, Erica is petrified. She starts to only talk to her doll and as everyone else in the house starts to act different Dan starts to wonder what’s happening. One day he catches his sister in the woods and as he sees something coming towards her he pulls her away and leaves her doll there. His sister is so upset that when the witch catches her alone and tells her to go with her she goes. As everyone starts to look for the sister the horrifying real tale of the house starts to sound familiar. You might want to leave the lights on at night after reading this story. Not for the faint of heart.

Shoe Dog

Shoe Dog
Author: Megan McDonald/Katherine Tillotson
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Leslie    
 

 

Summary: In order to stay in the warm and cozy home he has longed for, Shoe Dog must learn to stop chewing shoes.

Review: This was a great book and the illustrations are wonderful. The dog in this story is adopted from a shelter and is given the name “Shoe Dog” when his new owner is trying to shoo him away from chewing on her shoes. His obsession with chewing on shoes keeps him from sleeping on the bed and it’s such a cute story because it shows us the perspective of a dog. Shoe dog did not want to go back to the shelter so he decided he would stop chewing shoes. I think this was an adorable story that people of all ages would enjoy, especially if they have a “Shoe Dog” of their own.