Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Leslie



Summary: Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches.

Review: I know I am in the minority since I haven’t read this series earlier but I finally decided it was time to begin. I surprisingly enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I’m already reading the second book. I thought it was very interesting to just imagine a world (Hogwarts) where this magic is “normal” and also enjoyed the twist at the end of this book. To anyone who hasn’t read this book yet, I would recommend it most definitely. I look forward to sharing these books with my own kids when they are older.

Katie Woo: Keep Dancing Katie

Katie Woo: Keep Dancing Katie
Author: Fran Manushkin
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Tana

Summary: A new friend joins Katie's dance class and she is a better dancer than Katie. When it is time for the big show, Mattie's shoes are lost. Find out what Katie does to help the new girl in her dance class.

Review: Katie and her friend JoJo have been going to dance class together. Katie likes class because she is a good dancer and JoJo just likes to have fun. When the new girl arrives in class and she is a better dancer, what will Katie do? Katie decides to help her new friend by making a good choice. All the girls dance together and are happy in the show.

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole
Author: Mac Barnett
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Aleece

 

Summary: Sam and Dave are digging a hole, and they will not stop until they find something spectacular.

 

Review: This is a very cute story about Sam and Dave digging a hole. Sam and Dave dig and dig with the plan to find something spectacular.  However, they haven't found anything spectacular no matter how much they dig and no matter which direction they dig in. Their dog seems to know what is going on but cannot convince Sam or Dave that something is there. 

The illustrations are nice with a warm texture to make this book fun while playing in the dirt searching for adventure.  Overall, this is a great book for all ages.

 



 

A Monster Calls

A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness
Rating: 3/5 stars
Reviewer: Denise Z.

Summary: Thirteen-year-old Conor awakens one night to find a monster outside his bedroom window, but not the one from the recurring nightmare that began when his mother became ill- an ancient, wild creature that wants him to face truth and loss.

Review: After seeing a number of booklists recommend Patrick Ness’ work, I wanted to give this book a try. A Monster Calls was inspired by an idea from author Siobhan Dowd, who died of cancer. This is a thought-provoking read for mature pre-teens and teens and addresses such difficult subjects as illness, death, bullying and the emotions that follow. I enjoyed the mysterious elements involving the monster and appreciated the descriptive words. The black and white illustrations by Jim Kay add to the story. Conor is a character that needs to exist for all those young readers who may have lost a parent or are going through a difficult time. The three separate stories within the book make this a worth-while read.

Different Like Coco

Different Like Coco
Author: Elizabeth Matthews
Rating: 5/5 stars
Reviewer: Denise Z.

Summary: The rags-to-riches story of Coco Chanel plays out in a picture book biography.

Review: This is a very interesting picture book biography that girls in grades 2-6 will appreciate. The life of Coco Chanel is told in a fun, relatable way that uses real-life examples of how Coco was unique and different and how being different made her a fashion legend. The illustrations and language used is elegant and stylish, complimenting Coco’s life. Both young and old will enjoy reading about this fashion mogul. This would be a perfect biography to pick for a homework assignment or just a nice book to read together as mother and daughter to show how being different is okay and can be an advantage.  

Waiting is Not Easy

Waiting is Not Easy
Author: Mo Willems
Rating: 5/5 stars
Reviewer: Aleece

Summary: Piggie tells Gerald she has a surprise for him, but it is not there yet so Gerald must be patient.

Review: Gerald cannot wait for his surprise.  Literally, he does NOT want to wait for the surprise.  He tries to wait patiently but it is so hard to wait.  While waiting isn't easy the results are always worth it.  This is a great story about teaching kids to be patient and the reward/surprise will be that much better after you are patient.  This is a great beginning reader for kids as well as a great addition to Mo Willem's Elephant and Piggie series.

I Hate Picture Books

I Hate Picture Books
Author: Timothy Young
Rating: 5/5 stars
Reviewer: Aleece

 

Summary: Max hates his picture books and he's throwing them all away. But he soon learns just how invaluable imagination is and has a change of heart. Find out why in this outrageous book that both pokes fun at and celebrates many of the classics of children's literature. Join writer and illustrator Timothy Young for this irreverent and humorous story.

Review: Absolutely wonderful book on how a child tells you all the things that he doesn't like about books but then when he tells you about a book that made him cry he realizes that it is his favorite book and has to find it and by digging through the picture books that he once thought he hated he comes to the realization that he loves all of his books and that he changed his mind.

This book is great for all kids because it shows that they change their minds all the time. It also showed illustrations from all of the different books and put Max into each book like he was a character himself. All the books that he talks about are recognizable and will resonate with readers.