Mini Reviews

Today's selection of mini reviews is a motley crew (when are they ever not?), and presented in order of "age" ... from middle grades to women's fiction. It's an interesting ride.

Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle
Christopher Healy
Walden Pond, 2013

I am a little in love with this series. Or maybe it's the Princes Charming. Or the fact that Healy is taking such well-known fairy tales and turning them on their head in ways so topsy-turvy (and perhaps a little insane) you can't help but laugh to yourself. I'm still a fan of Liam. I think he's such a wonderful fairy tale hero, even in this mishmash version, and he grows as a character. After all the ups and downs and twists and turns and absolutely ridiculous things that have happened to the League, I maintain a secret hope that future installments will find the correct Prince-Princess pairings ... because there are definitely better pairings than the original tales dictate, among this posse anyway.

Book provided by my local library.

Sweetest Spell
Suzanne Selfors
Walker, 2012

Emmeline is a dirt-scratcher who escapes death. Twice. Some would consider that a blessing, but the people in Emmeline's village have always viewed her as a curse of sorts: with her deformed foot and the strange way cows follow her around. After a flood ravages her home and sends Emmeline downriver, she finds refuge in the home of a local dairyman's family. The Oaks take Emmeline in, despite her dirt-scratcher heritage, and with surprising compassion help her blossom and grow. And discover the sweetest of all surprises: Emmeline can make the mythical chocolate that once made Anglund famous. With the uncovering of this gift comes a journey that will tax every ounce of Emmeline's new-found strength and courage, rooted in the surprising foundation of Owen Oak's love.

A twisting, turning, surprising story that blends magic and love and chocolate and subterfuge and history and legend in such a complex tapestry. Emmeline is a worthy heroine, and Owen grows to become a true hero in his own right. And that cover, you've got to appreciate that cover.

Book provided by my local library.

Fangirl
Rainbow Rowell
St Martin's Griffin, 2013

As a late-twenties professional, I am coming to terms with the fact that I am a fangirl. Geek I've been okay with for more than a decade. Fangirl has taken some getting used to. Which is one reason I enjoyed this read so very much. Because Rainbow has presented the whole enchilada of fangirling: the good, the tough, the iffy, the mesmerizing. Cath is a college freshman -- and twin to Wren, who is the pretty, spunky, popular, outgoing one. As if one of those labels wasn't hard enough, compound the two; then add a dose of fangirl social anxiety, and Cath is a character you immediately want to give a mug of cocoa and tell her everything will be okay. She grows a lot, in what I think is not only a pretty good tale about life as a fangirl, but also a true take on the freshman experience. It's a hard year, where a lot of growing happens. Or it was for me anyway, and definitely was for Cath.

And then there's Levi! Oh, Levi. I want to pick him up and tuck him in my pocket for keeps, precious. We wants him.

Book provided by my local library.

Moonrise
Cassandra King
Maiden Lane Press, 2013

Ever since I met her at a scholarship luncheon, I'm always eager to pick up Cassandra's latest novel. Of course, there's usually a wait between reads, but that's okay. Writing about Southern women, in the heart of The South, her novels are normally ones that make me think. They're not fluffy, and Moonrise was actually a little intense. It has its dark shadows, its mysteries, its very real real-world-issues. The intricacies of long-standing relationships muddled and marred when one member dies and another marries in -- further complicated by the secluded realm of the Southern Elite. It was a little bit of an odd read for me, in that the characters were so much older than myself, but it's set in Highlands! Highlands!! I love that area, and I've always enjoyed reading about the people who Summer in mountain retreats I can only dream of. Not my favorite King novel, but not a complete disaster either.

Book provided by my local library.

Mini Reviews

Yup, I'm back with more mini reviews. I like this for when I start to feel a "backlog" -- or want to say something about a book, without really doing a "whole" review. And since the purpose of this blog is to have fun and share my thoughts on what I'm reading, I get to do whatever it takes to stay fun. Plus you get a handful of very different titles in one day!

The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail
Richard Peck
Dial, 2013

This book is almost ridiculously cute. A little nameless mouse ("Nameless is blameless," he hears it all the time), with a question mark of a tail. A scrappy mouse, a mysterious mouse. A mouse on a mission: to see the Queen. Yes, the human Queen Victoria. But along the way, there are some misadventures and unfortunate encounters. Like bats, and a swim in strawberry punch. And discovering that everything he thought about the world is just one big front for a huge, life changing discovery. Literally. Because it turns out, this little mouse isn't so nameless after all.

An incredibly cute, fun read for upper elementary/early middle grades. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and remembered all the reasons I used to love reading Peck when I was younger. (I think I'm old enough to return to him now, to paraphrase CS Lewis wholly out of context). And the illustrations! Such wonderful additions to an already fun story. I especially liked the full-color pages.

Book provided by my local library.

Gorgeous
Paul Rudnick
Scholastic, 2013

I heard about this book during a School Library Journal web conference over the summer, and was intrigued - even though I wasn't entirely sure what I'd be reading. The book is weird. In a mostly good way, but still weird. It feels like a lot of shifting smoke and mirrors, with a little firework-flash thrown in for good measure. Nobody is quite who they seem. There are twists and turns and fairly insane developments. But it works. Which is perhaps the weirdest bit of all: just how well it all works together.

Becky was always a plain girl, the one trying to sink into the background and escape notice. When her mother dies, she finds herself inexplicably journeying to New York to meet with Tom Kelly - designer extraordinaire and standard of all things beautiful. He makes Becky a deal: he will turn her into the most beautiful woman in the world, if she'll wear three dresses. The catch? She's got to fall in love and be married within a short window of time. And he really does mean fall in love, not just snag some guy who wants to marry the most beautiful woman in the world. Rebecca gets right to the threshold of making everything come true, after a lot of misadventures and growth, and watches everything fall to ashes. Tom was teaching her more about Life than she realized, and there's more to both Tom and her life than Becky ever guessed. This is a crazy read, nowhere near realistic, but also darkly fun to read.

Book provided by my local library.

Lola and the Boy Next Door
Stephanie Perkins
Dutton, 2011

I thoroughly enjoyed Perkins's debut Anna and the French Kiss, and was very excited to finally get my hands on Lola. I was not disappointed: Lola is an endearingly chaotic 'heroine', in only good ways. She's a super creative girl, and has all the impetuous enthusiasm of seventeen. She makes mistakes, she misunderstands, she crashes. But she doesn't stay down. Especially with the help of her best friend Lindsey, and the surprising pick-back-up of childhood friend Cricket Bell. (Anna and St Clair also make a reappearance, and are voices of experience in Lola's ear. Plus St Clair is just fun!). How do I explain Cricket? He's awesome. Amazing. If not for the skinny pants, I'd be in love with him myself. He's not perfect, but his imperfections make him even more a long-legged puppy you can't help but adore. That's actually a pretty good summary of the book: On the surface, it seems just "too much" -- Lola never repeats an outfit/always dresses in costume; she's dating a much older, bad boy musician; etc. But it works. Because Lola is real, and all the characters could literally be walking down the street. It's life, in a book.

Book provided by my local library.

Mini Reviews: AugBooks Edition

After participating in Nancy's AugBooks Readathon, I'm grouping some of my reviews together as a mini review post (others, like The Silmarillion, are getting stand-alone reviews). While I didn't complete my reading list, I did get roughly half read (if we count finishing Gorgeous once the official AugBooks deadline passed), and there was only one I bailed one! Yahoo!

Beautiful Day
Elin Hilderbrand
Reagan Arthur, 2013

One of those perfect summer reads: a wedding weekend, a beautiful island/beachy setting (normally I read Southern beaches, so the Nantucket setting was new-but-still-familiar-feeling), and more family drama than a reunion in the Deep South. I loved the multiple perspectives, giving a multi-faceted inside look at everything taking place surrounding this One Beautiful Wedding. The backstory was woven in beautifully, and I just really enjoyed the whole reading experience.

Book provided by my local library.

Frogged
Vivian Vande Velde
HMH, 2013

A supercute, quick late elem/MG read about what happens when the princess kissing the frog, gets frogged. Imogene is a likeable princess, and her time as a frog leads her on many misadventures with colorful people. It's also a time that teaches Imogene what it means to be a princess (something her mother's best efforts struggled with). And, of course, there's a Prince.

Book provided by my local library.

Jane Austen Marriage Manual
Kim Izzo
St Martin's Griffin, 2012

"What if a modern woman took Jane Austen's "marriage advice" to the letter, and applied it to her own life?" That's the basic premise of this novel, although with a slightly more cynical/materialistic bent than Jane herself suggested (although Mrs. Bennett would certainly agree with Kate's theories!). It's a fun, quick read. I figured out where it was going reeeeeally fast, but that didn't take away from the reading. The story itself fades into the background for me though, because what I really enjoyed were the characters. Kate's one crazy conflicted woman, and watching her struggle to justify things is both exasperating and entertaining. There's a whole cast of colorful and interesting characters, my favorites being Fawn and Griff. (Also fun: so many of Kate's intimate circle feature Austen character names: Marianne, Brandon, Emma, etc. So fun!) A good summer reading choice.

Book provided by my local library.

Invisibility
Andrea Cremer & David Levithan
Philomel, 2013

I loved the idea of this book, and I've enjoyed other books Levithan has co-written (especially loved Dash & Lilly's Book of Dares!), but once I started reading ... I just couldn't get into it. After several chapters from each viewpoint (alternating between Stephen and Elizabeth), I started skimming. And even skimming things were moving sooooo slowly. And it's kinda weird. I mean, I knew it'd be weird -- the guy is INVISIBLE -- but it's like, weird-weird. Thus, I'm leaving it unfinished. Hopefully other readers will enjoy it more.

Book provided by my local library.

Sidenote: I really enjoyed making myself a list of things to read in a set amount of time, and focusing on doing just that. I may employ a similar method for catching up on some of my reading the rest of the year ... Or, I may have a big "end of year readathon" ... Hmm ... Must think on this ...

Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom

Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
Christopher Healy & Todd Harris (illustrator)
Walden Pond Press, 2012

We're all familiar with the "standard" fairy tales - Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Rapunzel: they're stories we can recite without pause. But what do we know about the Princes, really? They don't even have names! Just "Prince Charming," and you know it can't be the same Prince Charming in all of the stories (otherwise it wouldn't be True Love's Kiss!). In this first book of a new middle grades series, Christopher Healy introduces us to the Princes Charming (who all have real names, by the way). Don't let the "middle grades" label dissuade you: this is a book that all ages can appreciate!

How to explain this story ... Essentially, what Healy has done is take the oh-so-familiar fairy tales and turned them on their head. What we end up with is a band of mismatched Princes running around trying to make a name for themselves - literally. They're tired of being called "Prince Charming" and having everyone only remember the chick. This band of Princes are ready for adventure, ready to be heroes. And they're searching for Cinderella, who is apparently being held captive by the witch who entrapped Rapunzel. What the guys don't know is that Cinderella has some major spunk of her own, and is a force to be reckoned with. (And if you think you know 'Sleeping Beauty,' well, you're in for a surprise on that one! That girl be crazy.)

I loved this mashed up story, laughing out loud at parts, and falling in love with the idea of all these fairy tale characters jumbled into one wild mess. Prince Liam (Sleeping Beauty) stole my heart. For real. He's amazing (and the only "true" hero among the lot). Prince Duncan (Snow White) cracked me up, and there's just something endearing about Gustav (Rapunzel) and his brash style. Frederic (Cinderella) is the Prince I connected least with, but he has his good points, and is a key thread in the storyline. And don't get me started on the Bandit King.

Seriously, this is an excellent - and hilarious - first book, and I have very high hopes for the rest of the series.

Book provided by my local library.

Blog Tour: The Universe of Fair

Hello, hello! I'm happy to be a stop along the way of Peachtree Publishing's blog tour for the entirely-too-fun middle grades novel The Universe of Fair! Today I'll be featuring my review, and on Friday, swing back by to catch a guest post by Leslie Bulion. And you never know, there just may be a giveaway too. Also, for more blog tour fun, make sure you visit the main page over on Peachtree's blog. Emily has done a wonderful job lining up great bloggers and posts, and you don't want to miss any of the adventures.

The Universe of Fair
Leslie Bulion & Frank Dormer (illustrator)
Peachtree, 2012

Miller Sanford is eleven-and-a-half, and has been waiting on this day for a long, long time. What day? Why, Fair Friday of course! The day all schools and businesses close, and everyone in his little town of Holmsbury flock to the fairgrounds and enjoy a day "alone" before all the neighboring towns come. This year, Miller is striving to prove he is reliable and responsible enough to be on his own at the fair -- even going so far as to be nice to his little sister Penelope and her friends Andrew and Lou Ann. (And that should tell you something, ha!) Funny thing about being eleven-and-a-half though, things don't always work out the way you plan. Soon, Miller's fair plans are one big, huge, giant, tangled mess. Who knew that so much could go wrong in one day? Miller definitely gets a chance to show off his new, older, more responsible side.

Miller's day of misadventures is told in an easy, humorous, and oh-so-very realistic style. Miller's a bit of a science nut (physics, to be exact), and he spends a lot of time breaking down his surroundings and decisions into scientific parts. (It's actually eerily like the way my brother would look at life from a more naturalistic/biological perspective, so Bulion got the science-boy aspect spot-on!) And the loose black and white illustrations are perfect accents to the story. There's a little mystery, a lot of dramatic build-up, and some wonderful miscommunications. I loved the little kids too, and Miller's best friend Lewish -- who is glued to his video camera. All in all, The Universe of Fair definitely made me want to go spend a day at the Fair ... only, without quite so many mishaps -- even though everything worked out, I'd rather read the (admittedly comic) drama than live it.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities
Shannon Messenger
Aladdin, 2012

Oh. My. Goodness. I loved this book! I cannot thank Melissa Buell enough for sending her extra ARC my way -- I've passed it along to another blogger, sharing the love, because I quickly realized I must have a finished copy of this in my library. It's really that awesome, you guys.

Sophie always knew she was different. Aside from being a genius (or possibly even smarter than a genius), she hears voices. Actually, not "voices" so much as thoughts. Sophie can read people's minds. Everyone's mind. There is no off-switch. She has told nobody about it, but when she stumbles into a mysterious - and handsome - boy on a field trip, she discovers that he can read minds also. And that's only the start of an incredible journey of discovery. See, Sophie - and this new dude, Fitz - are elves. Yup. Elves. (Be still my beating heart!) Fitz takes Sophie home, to this semi-alternate world, which is comprised greatly of "mythic cities" in human history (there's a wonderful history to all this, but I won't paraphrase - you need to experience this yourself) - and so begins Sophie's strange and wonderful transition from weird human to extremely talented elf.

There are so many awesome elements to this story. Between refraining from complete fangirling and not wanting to totally spoil the reading experience, this review is tricky to write, ha. Let's talk about characters. Sophie is a trooper. She keeps getting thrown curveball after curveball, and keeps finding ways to rise above the obstacles. She's crazy smart too, and adjusts to being an elf in an elven world beautifully. For the most part. She also meets some amazing people, making a surprising circle of friends. Like Dex - goofy, clutzy, somewhat untalented Dex. He's adorable, very much like a long-legged puppy trying to adjust to growing up. And Keefe - the resident Bad Boy of the Academy. He's such a smart alecky charmer too - I can definitely understand why "Team Keefe" has a huge following. I was tempted myself, but had to be true to my heart's first instinct: Fitz. Oh, Fitz. The honorable, trustworthy, also-crazy-smart-and-talented Fitz. He not only finds Sophie, but he plays a huge role in helping Sophie survive. He's swoony.

All the characters are well-rounded and intriguing. There's a lot of backstory that you know is going to come into the open sooner or later, affecting character dynamics and explaining the mysteries surrounding Sophie's very existence. There's history and depth and believability to Keeper of the Lost Cities - something sort of hard to achieve in fantasy, but Shannon manages. I could almost fancy myself meeting a handsome elf who could whisk me away on a beam of light to a wonderful world of tasty desserts and fantastic animals... but I digress. For all the fun, quirky details in Keepers, there's a darker thread too - a bit of a mystery, a taste of danger, an element of the Unknown. It keeps the story moving, it helps grow the characters - especially Sophie - and it makes this book kick butt. I inhaled the ARC, staying up way too late, and cannot WAIT for the next installment! Read it people, just read it. You won't regret it! ((Oh, and just because it's technically "middle grade" - don't let that throw you. It's a story anyone can read and enjoy, regardless of how long ago middle school was.))

ARC provided by my personal library.

Chomp

Chomp
Carl Hiaasen
Knopf, 2012

Wahoo Cray (yup, that's his real name) has an interesting life. His father is a wildlife wrangler, specializing in Florida's wildest: reptiles. And most of the animals live in the Crays' backyard. We're talking alligators, snakes, even raccoons and other "iffy" mammals. Critters, y'all. But things have been a little tough since a frozen iguana fell on his dad's head, and with his mom working a job in China for the extra income, Wahoo decides that it's worth the gamble when reality t.v. survivalist Derek Badger needs to use the Crays' animals for an Everglades episode. What he doesn't count on is Badger's crazy idea to go all natural. In the Everglades. With wild animals.

As mishap after mishap occurs during the filming attempts, some of them at the hand of Mr Cray's frustration for the stupidity to the so-called survivalist, Wahoo realizes this is a bigger adventure than he counted on. Plus, he's got a new shadow - and friend - in Tuna, the girl from school who has run away from her drunken, mildly abusive father. Badger is convinced that he really can survive on his own in the Everglades, and keeps pushing the crew to change their normally uber-scripted ways. Things really go off-script when he's bit by a bat, and vanishes into the night. What happens next is a swamp-wide manhunt, complicated by the arrival of Tuna's gun-toting father. It's a time that tests the stamina and merit of all involved, and produces one heck of a send-off for Badger's show Expedition: Survival!

Highly entertaining and more than a little ridiculous, Chomp is a fun, fast read. The characters are colorful, and the antics are ... well, totally worthy of a "behind the scenes" look at reality t.v. The Everglades details ring true, and having spent a lot of time in rural Florida, I enjoyed the atmosphere.

ARC provided by publisher for review.

Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle
Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury, 2011

I love Jessica Day George's ability to create characters that I can't get enough of. Princess Celie, her sister Lilah and brother Rolf (Bran also has potential, but we don't really get to know him), and the dashing Pogue (the blacksmith's son) are characters I fell in love with. Celie & Co. live in Castle Glower: a mysterious castle that is 'alive', always building on and making renovations to itself. Particularly on Tuesdays. Castle Glower is opinionated, and will always make its feelings known - a fact which Celie's family understands and embraces, but that others, from outside the Castle, tend to think of as a fairy tale. But we all know there's truth in fairy tales, and when the King and Queen suddenly vanish during a routine trip, the Castle starts to share its deepest secrets with Princess Celie - its favorite person.

As Celie learns more and more about - and from - Castle Glower, she quickly realizes that there are a lot of things 'not right' about the whole situation. For one thing, the Castle has not changed her parents' room, convincing Celie and her siblings that perhaps the King and Queen really are alive. With much sneakiness and an amazing sense of humor, Celie, Lilah, Rolf, Pogue and the Castle wage a quiet war to retain their kingdom and their Castle. With twists and turns and unexpected allies, Celie & Co. fight until it appears all hope is lost. And then, in one last, stunning moment of courage, the Castle surprises everyone, and everything falls into place. It's a quick-reading story, with colorful characters and a plot that keeps you guessing. The ending was all I wanted it to be - except...it came too soon! I can't help but hope there's more adventures in store for Celie and the rest of the crew at Castle Glower.

Book provided by my local library.

Wonderstruck

Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick
Scholastic, 2011

Oh. Man. I read Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret for a graduate school assignment, and was fascinated by the illustrations. So I knew what I was getting when I picked up Wonderstruck from the library, but I didn't realize just how beautifully the story would be presented.

As with Hugo Cabret, Selznick uses simple black-and-white graphite drawings paired with his written text to create an elaborate and rich story. The drawings are beautifully detailed (favorite 'hidden' detail from Wonderstruck: the Star Wars movie poster in the subway!), and Selznick has a tendency to either start with a close focus and 'zoom out' in subsequent drawings/pages, giving you a broader context and visual, or starting wide and 'zooming in' as he guides your eye to the significant feature(s). Whereas Hugo Cabret used this technique to supplement and enrich the written text, in Wonderstruck the illustrations tell their own separate story.

The text story follows Ben, a partially-deaf boy who feels a bit lost following the death of his mom. After a freak accident leaves him totally deaf, Ben decides to take a chance and follow the few clues he has regarding his mysterious, unknown father. The journey takes him to New York, and a 'conclusion' he never dreamed of.

The illustrated story is set decades before Ben's story, and is about Rose - a deaf girl struggling to find her place in the world, looking for love and acceptance.

The stories intertwine and as the stories become a story, illustrations and text start overlapping and intermingling. The effect is simply beautiful. A surprising, moving story that's a feast for the eyes as well as an enjoyable journey for the mind.

Book provided by my local library.

Blog Tour: The Cheshire Cheese Cat

The Cheshire Cheese Cat
Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright; Barry Moser, Illustrator
Peachtree Publishers, 2011

Oh. My. Goodness. I knew from the cover and blurb that this was going to be a fun read, but I had no idea it'd be so fun - nor so adorable. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to join the Cheshire Cheese Cat blog tour and am super excited to get to share my thoughts with you, as well as offer a copy to one lucky reader and I get to give you a sneak peek at the illustrations awaiting you! Oh yes. This is a great Monday indeed!

Skilley

Skilley is a cat with a secret. A secret that turns into a secret mission of sorts, when he joins the establishment of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Inn as resident mouser. You see, Skilley doesn't like mice. He's not really fond of meat at all. Skilley is a cheese-eating cat - and the Cheshire Cheese is notorious for its cheese (of course). So what's a cat to do when he's "hired" as a mouser, but doesn't like mice? Simple: Make a deal with the mice.

Enter Pip, the go-between mouse with a secret (or two?) of his own, and this adventure just got a lot more entertaining. Don't forget to toss into the mix the fact the Cheshire Cheese is a favorite haunt of writers - including Charles Dickens who is struggling to find an opening line for his next work. Oh, and things get even more interesting when Skilley discovers the source of the 'ghosty' noises in the garret and his alley cat nemesis Pinch shows up as a second mouser. This is a tale-of-many-tails that takes several twists and turns before everything comes to light and gets settled.

Pip

I'm particular about middle grades novels, but this one is wonderful. The story is engaging on multiple levels, the characters are colorful and memorable, the illustrations are pitch-perfect (not to mention adorable - you can't look at the three I've included in this post and tell me they're not cute!), and the overall design of the book matches the fun, whimsical tone of the text. I love the creative use of typography and design - adds a nice dimension to the story. There's a trace of history that appeals to my inner history geek and gives a sense of authenticity.

Book provided by publisher for review.

For More Fun:
Check out today's other blog tour stop:
From the Mixed Up Files of Jennifer Bertman
And...the totally amazing and interactive Cheshire Cheese Cat site!

Giveaway details:

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Rafflecopter will show your whole name you put in, so pick a nickname or etc.  
Giveaway ends at 12:01 EST on October 12th, and winner will be announced that day. Giveaway is only open to US addresses. I'm keeping it simple - but since I'm still learning Rafflecopter, let me know if it won't accept your entries, and I'll still include you in the giveaway! Good luck!

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
Jeanne Birdsall
Alfred A. Knopf: 2011

This is the third installment of the Penderwick adventures, and it's just as fun and cute and quirky as the previous two. It is summer again for the Penderwick girls, but this time, they're being separated! Rosalind is vacationing with a friend, leaving Skye "in charge" as OAP (Oldest Available Penderwick) while she, Jane and Batty go with Aunt Claire to Maine for a few weeks. Needless to say: Adventures ensue.

Joining the Penderwick girls (and Hound, the faithful dog) is old friend Jeffrey, and the posse quickly makes new friends - young and old. There are misunderstandings and misadventures galore, surprises and discoveries, first kisses and bonfires. It's a very eventful few weeks, and I loved reading every moment of it. The characters are very well-written, and remind me of my cousins and other people I actually know. I feel like I could pick the Penderwick girls and Jeffrey out of a crowd. And I do hope the series continues - I have enjoyed watching them grow and develop over the last three volumes, and hope to see the story go further. I have a particular weakness for wanting to see how Skye and Jeffrey continue their friendship.

Even though this is the third Penderwick novel, you can read it as a stand-alone. It is fun however, to read them in order, just to get a better sense of the characters. They're a lot of fun, and their adventures are hilarious. Definitely fun reads that middle grade readers would enjoy, and this older reader appreciates.

Also, purely random observation: The covers! I love the covers of all three - and, truthfully, the cover of The Penderwicks is what got me to read it, and subsequently fall in love with the story. Delightfully old-fashioned, and very fitting with the story.

Book provided by my local library.

Eleanor's Story

Eleanor's Story: An American Girl in Hitler's Germany
Eleanor Ramrath Garner
Peachtree Publishers, 1999

This is a striking, intriguing, and moving read. Eleanor is the American daughter of German parents. Her extended family still lives in Germany, and right before WWII breaks out her father decides to take advantage of a prosperous job opportunity and move the family from New Jersey to Berlin. War breaks out during their ocean crossing, and they find themselves stuck in Germany. At first, things aren't too bad and War seems like a bit of an adventure to Eleanor, her older brother Frank, and their new friends. But anyone familiar with the history of WWII knows that things get serious, and the story Eleanor tells is a unique perspective of the chaos and destruction.

Maybe it's just me, but I can't think of many accounts of WWII from a child's perspective - Diary of Anne Frank comes to mind, obviously, but other than that the titles I think of are historical fiction written after the fact by an unattached author. Eleanor's Story is different - it's the remembered experiences of a real-life American girl who found herself essentially trapped in Germany for the horror and aftermath of WWII. For me, this was a new reading experience - but a very 'enlightening' one. Eleanor's naivety and childish interpretations of what global War means ring true, and as she grows up - and the War is still going strong - her growth in understanding is also believable. Some of the stories -- I just can't even imagine. Most of the WWII books I've read have tended to focus on either the Holocaust aspect or the lives (and loves) of American forces...Eleanor let me see a different side: that of the German civilian and, in her case, the added danger of being an American - and thus a potential threat. At times it's a rough read, but it's a rough time in human history too, and I would be less inclined to give a "roses-and-puppies"-account of WWII Germany credit.

Eleanor's Story extends beyond the official end of WWII, which also offered a neat perspective, and includes two sections of pictures of Eleanor and family. All in all, it's an eye-opening read that offers a different look at things for someone who has some background knowledge/experience of WWII, but also is a really neat introduction for students. I think seeing the story of someone they are close to in age can help explain some of the trickier aspects of WWII, whether it's in a classroom setting or some other form of reading.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Blog Tour: Under a Fairy Moon

Under a Fairy Moon
TM Wallace
Brownridge, 2011

Many thanks to Pump Up Your Book! for letting me join the blog tour for this new novel! Not only is the cover beautiful, but the story is engrossing and unpredictable. Under a Fairy Moon is a YA fantasy that doesn't quite go where you think it will, but the adventure is all the better for the unexpectedness.

It all starts because Addy has one very active imagination, and she uses it to escape the uncertainty and awkwardness of her 'real world.' Her stand-offish neighbor has a mysterious, and fairly secretive, garden that Addy has claimed as her own wonderland. But it's not just any garden, there's a darker mystery to it - but not wholly dark. Together with Connor - the boy she follows into the garden one morning, trying to keep him from 'stealing' her territory - Addy discovers that there is far more to the garden than even her imagination conjured. The two find themselves embroiled in a game of 'Fairy Chess' - an elaborate and grueling "game" that tests their weaknesses and strengths, forcing them to look deep inside and come to terms with who they really are, in their heart of hearts. Along the way, they meet countless mythic and otherworldly creatures, making friends and enemies, and learning that this is no ordinary game. The stakes are high - for both the Summerland and their world.

Under a Fairy Moon is a complex story that can be read at a surface-level as an enjoyable and attention-keeping fantasy adventure. You could also look at as a story with a deeper meaning as well - as much as I dislike the whole "what is not being said while really being said" aspect of reading and literature, I couldn't help but find myself making parallels while reading: this could very easily be used as an example of the ongoing and ever-present good-versus-evil battle. My brain was getting annoyingly in the way whispering about how things could be interpreted, how this character or that idea could translate into a bigger picture/point than initial reading. I try really hard not to indulge in those trains of thought (unless the author has clearly indicated some such, and then I view it as a treasure-hunting challenge!), but it was a strong sensation, so I mention it. Overall, the story was fast-paced and very, very involving. Lots of twists and turns, and I never knew what was going to happen next.

Make sure you visit the main page (click the banner) to see the other stops along the blogtour!

Book provided by publicist for review.

The Tree That Owns Itself

The Tree That Owns Itself
Gail Langer Karwoski & Loretta Johnson Hammer
Peachtree Publishers,1996

This is a collection of short stories for late elementary and middle grades, focusing on Georgia's history. Instead of trying to present a comprehensive overview of the history of Georgia as a state, the authors picked 12 interesting stories from different eras in Georgian history to use as representative examples. The stories range from the present to colonial days, with the most 'recent' stories first - so the tales get older as you keep reading. I have always been fascinated by Georgia, but have never really learned a lot of it's history aside from St. Simon's Island/Savannah (which I've learned through compulsive historical fiction reading, begun by Eugenia Price's books). So this was a doubly-fun endeavor for me: not only was I getting to read some fun stories, but I was learning a little about Georgia. Definitely a win.

The stories are easy to read, without feeling dummied down or "babyish" - perfect for upper-elementary grades on up through middle school (though even high schoolers could find this useful, I think). At the end of each story, there's a quick note explaining what's true or not, and why that particular story has a special place in Georgian lore. My favorite story is "Max, the Paratrooping Dog," but they're all entertaining and enjoyable. I can already think of ways to implement this in a classroom or school library setting, as well as see it being a good book for "storytime" in a home.

Book provided by publisher for review.

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom

Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom
Susan Nielsen
Tundra Books, 2010

As promised in a previous post, a review of Dear George Clooney: Please Marry My Mom! I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into when I started to read -- I haven't read about middleschoolers in years -- but the premise was just too good to pass up. How could I resist a story about a girl trying to set her mom up with George Clooney?! You just can't do that. Resist, I mean. Although chances are it'd be a bit difficult to set up someone with Clooney. But I digress ... Back to the review: The characters are younger than what I've read in a while, but that did not detract from either the story nor the characters themselves. Violet is not too growny, and while once or twice I felt like she was acting a little 'beyond her age', within the context of the story it made sense and worked. Then too, I stopped to think about my little cousin and her friends - all 13-14 - and how they behave ... Violet was very convincing as a character, and I enjoyed her escapades.

For all the fun and humor of the title, there is some serious real-life stuff going on in Violet's life. Nothing is over-dramatized or played up for emotional shock value, everything is presented as "this is reality". I think there are probably a lot of readers who can relate to Violet and her experiences and emotions. It's a real book, that will make you think about real things, but in a super cute and very enjoyable, fun read. Definitely glad I gave it a go - thanks, Amanda, for making it possible!

Book provided by my personal library.