Month: October 2019
Book Review: Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary
Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary (Doctor Dolittle, #11)
by Hugh Lofting
by Hugh Lofting
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Doctor Dolittle hears the full story of a green canary’s life, from the time she was born in a cage to her tragic separation from her owner, the window washer. After their success in the Canary Opera, Pippinella and Doctor Dolittle set out to find the missing window washer, and restore Pippinella to her favorite owner.
I enjoyed this book so much! The characters are hilarious, and I loved Pippinella’s varied life experiences and all the weird circumstances that made her change owners so frequently. She lives with a coal miner, a marchioness, a troop of soldiers, an innkeeper, and a tramp. She also lives in the wild for a short time before being captured, stolen from her rightful owner, and sold in a pet shop to John Dolittle. Continue reading
Non-Fiction Book Review: Adventures on Earth
Adventures on Earth
by Simon Tyler
by Simon Tyler
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
This book tells about explorers who discovered the highest, deepest, coldest, hottest, and most dangerous areas of our planet. Featuring sections about the polar regions, mountains, volcanoes, oceans, deserts, rivers, jungles, caves, and forests, this book gives a wonderful overview of the history of exploration, and the men and women who broke the boundaries.
I loved the gorgeous artwork in this book! The illustrations are eye-catching, showing the beauty of the nature and the overwhelming glory of mountain peaks and glaciers. Each page is attractive and lures the reader in to read more about incredible natural phenomena. Continue reading
Classic Book Review: Moorland Cottage
The Moorland Cottage
by Elizabeth Gaskell
by Elizabeth Gaskell
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Maggie endures with patience the selfishness of her mother and brother, and finds friendship with the invalid wife of their rich neighbor, Mr. Buxton. The two families’ destinies become dangerously linked when Maggie’s brother goes astray, and Mr. Buxton demands a high price for saving him.
I loved Maggie’s strong character! She has a quiet and meek personality, but wonderfully fierce in her defense of the truth. I really loved her character development as she strives to make good decisions for her family.
Maggie’s mother is weak and foolish, and spoils the son, Edward, with too much attention. I was so annoyed with the stupid mother for not seeing how she ruined her child by encouraging his selfish behavior. I really hated Edward, Maggie’s brother. He is so rude to his sister, always expecting her to do everything for him and get him out of trouble.
It’s excellent writing that made me so annoyed with the bad characters, and so in love with the good characters! Continue reading
Book Review: Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages
The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages
by Trenton Lee Stewart
by Trenton Lee Stewart
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
The whole gang is back for another adventure! Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are a little older now, contemplating their next move into adulthood, and worried that the Society will lose their special connection as they grow up. They band together one last time to stop the evil Mr. Curtain from escaping from his high-security prison.
I love everything about this book! The character development is excellent, and the friendships within the Society are just perfection. The plot kept me guessing right up to the end, and I was surprised at every turn. I love the witty writing style, and all the puzzles and codes and conundrums that are solved as the team work together to save the day!
All My Narnia Books
Picture Book Reviews: Disney Stories for 2 and 3 Year Olds
Disney Stories for 2-Year-Olds
by Editors of Studio Fun International
by Editors of Studio Fun International
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
With 14 stories about Mickey Mouse and his friends, this picture book is the perfect treasury of Disney stories for young toddlers. Each chapter is a simple story about Mickey and his friends as they go on a picnic, ride a fire truck in a parade, visit a pet shop, and work on a dairy farm. Donald Duck, Goofy, Daisy, and Minnie are along for the ride too, ready for each adventure!
I love this adorable collection of short stories about Mickey! The stories are simple and easy to read with colorful pictures that make it perfect for little readers. I especially enjoyed that each story has a little lesson about being true to yourself, sharing with your friends, working as a team, or being brave in difficult circumstances. The writing makes this easy to read out loud, and the colorful illustrations are designed to capture a child’s attention. Continue reading
Picture Book Review: Frankie’s Scared of Everything
Frankie’s Scared of Everything
by Mathew Franklin
by Mathew Franklin
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Frankie is afraid of every noise that he hears in the dark, imagining that there are monsters after him. But his mother assures him that there is nothing to fear from nightly noises, and his imagination can be his greatest tool in fighting off his fears, instead of letting his imagination run wild.
I really enjoyed the story, especially how Frankie’s mother encourages him to harness his imagination and control his fears. The writing is excellent, and I appreciated all the alliterative noises the monsters make, like “crashing, creeeaking” and “scraping, scratching”. Those details make it fun to read, and paint a vivid picture.
Continue reading
Book Review: Juniper Berry
Juniper Berry
by M.P. Kozlowsky (Author), Erwin Madrid
by M.P. Kozlowsky (Author), Erwin Madrid
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Juniper Berry is the daughter of famous movie stars. As their fame grows, they become more and more distant from their daughter until she begins to suspect that something else is going on. Juniper befriends a scrawny neighbor boy whose parents are also acting strange. They follow their parents deep into the woods where they meet with a mystic creature who promises to make dreams a reality.
I loved this book! The plot is creepy without being too scary for me. I didn’t have nightmares after reading it, but I was deliciously chilled and freaked out while reading it. It has just the right amount of scary as Juniper uncovers the dark secret of her parents’ success. I especially enjoyed the mystic magic that the villain uses and the imaginative world-building. Continue reading
30 Books in 30 Days Wrap Up
Oh no, I forgot to include one of the books I read in September! It’s actually 35 books!!! I also read “The Monster’s Ring” by Bruce Coville. Here is the GoodReads review….
Luminous Libro 