The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame: Book Review

3.5 Stars. I’ve never read this before and found it pretty charming if a bit outdated. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it in elementary school. I remember bits and pieces of the Disney cartoon but I’m honestly not sure if I’ve ever watched the whole thing. The illustrations by David Roberts in this edition […]

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The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson: Book Review

3 Stars. I can see the reason that this book is rated so highly on GoodReads. I understand why the author included some events, but my own history of grief led me to interpret them in a different way than intended. To explain further would give away some major plot points so I’ll have to leave it there. Part of me admires […]

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Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston: Book Review

4.5 Stars. Oh my goodness. This was so much fun! But it also had a lot of depth. And just look at that gorgeous cover!I loved Amari. She’s a fighter. Life is hard and unfair for her, largely because of things completely outside her control, but she keeps hanging in there. Cruel adults or mean girls, she meets each challenge the […]

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Around the World by Matt Phelan: Book Review

Around the World by Matt Phelan Book Cover

This book is a taste of these three journeys and made me eager to learn more about the featured explorers. The artwork is beautifully done in a style that I (most definitely not an artist) can only describe as a cross between line drawings and watercolors. The predominant colors of each section reflect (or set?) the mood. Warm […]

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Melissa (Formerly Published as George) by Alex Gino: Book Review

Melissa (Formerly Published as George) by Alex Gino Book Cover

Oh my goodness. I inhaled this book in just a few hours and it left me with so much joy for George, I was almost in tears. George is afraid to tell anyone that she’s really a girl. What will they think? But as she slowly starts to share her secret, she finds so much love and acceptance. The road isn’t perfectly smooth—that would […]

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Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary: Book Review

Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary Book Cover

I’m 42 as I write this so it’s been 30 – 35 years since I read any of Beverly Cleary’s books. I always enjoyed them as a child, and can clearly picture exactly where they were on my local library’s shelves. I called it a good library day when I found a new one. Who am I kidding? Every library visit was a good library day, but…

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Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan: Book Review

5 Stars. First of all, I loved listening to this audiobook. Each part has a different narrator and they each do a fabulous job. What I really loved were the musical numbers by Corky Siegel. If Mike was playing “America the Beautiful” in the text, a harmonica would play the song softly in the background, for example. That kind of thing is […]

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Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton: Book Review

Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton Book Cover

Julian, Dick, and Anne are disappointed when their parents announce plans to vacation alone in Scotland. The children quickly change their tune when they learn that they will be spending the summer at their aunt and uncle’s house on the coast with their cousin George (Don’t ever call her Georgina) and her dog, Timmy. What follows…

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The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer: Book Review

The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer Book Cover

Eh. What was most interesting about this book is the setup for future stories. I don’t want to give away spoilers, so I won’t say much about that, but I will say that I like Minerva and hope that she becomes a recurring character. The other twists could lead to some very interesting developments. I missed most of the oddball…

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The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer: Book Review

The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer Book Cover

I think I enjoyed this one even more than the first. These books are just a lot of fun, even to a 30-year-old woman. They would have been some of my favorites if they’d been around when I was a kid. I have to admit to giggling aloud even now. But aside from the wackiness of the story, I like seeing Artemis grow and learn about…

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