Every Thing On It

Every Thing On It
by Shel Silverstein
5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Sue

Although Shel Silverstein died in 1999, he left over 1,500 unpublished poems.  His family got together once a month for over a year to read aloud his poems and they put together this book of 145 poems.  Filled with his original artwork and wonderful poems, this book is a treasure. If you liked Shel Silverstein’s A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends, you will definitely like Every Thing On It. 

Aleph

Aleph

Author: Paulo Coelho

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Lydia

            Paulo Coelho is arguably one of the twenty-first century’s most renowned authors. Writer of the critically acclaimed book, The Alchemist, Coelho’s most recent work is a departure from his normal style. This book is a memoir, making his writing as personal as if you were reading out of his diary.

            The book details Coelho’s crisis of faith, and his subsequent journey to find what he has lost. On a spur of the moment he decides to take a journey on the Trans-Siberian railway. While on this journey he meets the mysterious, aggressive, and very persistent Hilal, a beautiful woman who claims to have known Coelho in a past life. The book then describes the rest of their journey and what they learn about one another. My favorite character was Hilal, who at times fascinates and infuriates both the reader and Coelho.

            I have read many of Coelho’s books, and this was my favorite by far. I feel that Coelho went above and beyond his normally very simple writing. Most of all, I was surprised that this book was a memoir; proof that sometimes life’s events are more unreal than any found in a book. 

The Princess and the Pig

The Princess and the Pig
by Jonathan Emmett
5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Dawn

Summary:

An unfortunate (or fortunate?) accident has caused the new baby princess, Priscilla, to switch places with a farmer’s baby piglet. The farmer believes that a good fairy has helped him by turning the pig into a baby, so he names her Pigmella and brings her home to his wife. The King and Queen believe that a bad fairy has cursed them, so they raise the pig as their daughter, Priscilla. Pigmella has a wonderful childhood being raised on a farm. She is poor, but happy. Priscilla on the other hand turns out to be a bit of a handful. One day, the farmer’s wife hears a story about how the princess was turned into a pig and she realizes they must be talking about Pigmella. Being good, honest people, the family goes to the King and Queen to return Pigmella to her rightful home. But the King and Queen don’t believe them and Pigmella gets to return home with her family and lives happily ever after.

Review:

This book is one of the best fractured fairytales I have read. The story is humorous and I really like how some of the characters have a happy ending and others do not. The book also has literary references throughout, which makes it fun to read as an adult. The kids may not get it, but the adults will definitely be in on the joke. Not only is this a great story, the illustrations are very well done. They are full of bright colors and really compliment the tale. This book would make a great read aloud for all ages. It would also be great for one-on-one reading, when there is time to pour over the illustrations.