book review

Picture Book Review: Delightfully Different Fairy Tales

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David Roberts' Delightfully Different Fairy Tales by David Roberts

David Roberts’ Delightfully Different Fairy Tales
by David Roberts (Illustrations), Lynn Roberts-Maloney (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This book includes the newly-reimagined fairy tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty. They are set in different times periods and the stories are retold in a fresh way. Cinderella is the belle of the ball in the 1920s. Rapunzel grows up in a tower block apartment building in the 1970s. Sleeping Beauty lives in the 1950s and is cursed to fall asleep for a thousand years.

Each of these stories is funny and clever! Some elements of the stories stay true to the familiar story we already know, and some details are changed. Sleeping Beauty pricks her finger on a record player needle. Cinderella is driven to the ball by a chauffer with a white town car. Rapunzel falls in love with a boy from a rock band.

The best thing about this book is the beautiful illustrations!

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Picture Book Review: The Three Wishes

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The Three Wishes by Alan Snow

The Three Wishes
by Alan Snow
5 out of 5 stars

A young man living in the far North stumbles into a hidden land of summer where time stands still. He is only allowed to return to visit his family in the dead of winter each year, and he leaves gifts for them so that they know he is alive and well. He is given a magic feather that allows his deer to fly.

I loved this myth of the origins of Santa Claus told in an old-fashioned style. The story is so imaginative and charming! The plot is sort of strange, until you start to realize that all the components of the plot are adding up to the red suit and the flying reindeer and the gifts. Then it all begins to make sense, and it’s like a wonderful discovery.

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Game Review: Build a Skyscraper

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Archicards by Paul Farrell

Archicards: Build a Skyscraper
by Paul Farrell
5 out of 5 stars


This game has 64 cards that are designed with the towers, windows, roofs, and decorative doorways of a city skyscraper. Each card has cut-out slots so that you can connect them with each other to build a 3D puzzle of a skyscraper in any shape you want! The cards are sturdy cardboard, and printed with bright colors and a simple design.

I can’t stop playing this game! Every day for the last several days, I sit down and construct something new.

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Non Fiction Review: Weird But True: Halloween

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Weird But True by Julie Beer

Weird But True: Halloween 300 Spooky Facts to Scare You Silly
by Julie Beer
5 out of 5 stars

This Halloween book combines colorful illustrations and photos with tid-bits of weird information about spiders, vampires, pumpkins, candy, ghosts, and a million other subjects!

I read through the entire book in just a half hour, fascinated with every wacky statement and attracted to each page by the stunning photos. I learned so many freaky things, like the loudest scream ever recorded, the largest jack-o’-lantern, and the craziest costumes!

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln is the most commonly sighted ghost in the White House? Or that you can make edible pumpkin play-dough? haha! There is even an asteroid that is shaped like a skull. Weird and random and hilarious!

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Book Review: Ogre Enchanted

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Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Ogre Enchanted (Ella Enchanted, #0.5)
by Gail Carson Levine (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

Evie is a teenage healer, always concocting potions for her best friend, Wormy. When he proposes, she says no, and the fairy Lucinda curses her to be an ogre until she accepts a marriage proposal. Any marriage proposal from anyone. Evie travels to the Fens, hoping to learn the art of persuasion from the ogres who live there. Life as an ogre is more difficult than she imagined, but Evie becomes known as the healer ogre. She searches for someone who will awaken her ability to love, and hopes that someone will propose to her. But she isn’t even sure what love is supposed to feel like.

I was disappointed in this book.
The story was oddly disjointed, and there were several things that seemed exceedingly far-fetched, even for a fairytale world. The ending was rushed, and the relationships felt forced. The characters are okay, but I wasn’t amazed with their personalities or the bland character development.

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Book Review: Skunk and Badger

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Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake

Skunk and Badger (Skunk and Badger #1)
by Amy Timberlake, Jon Klassen (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Badger has a simple and quiet life studying rocks and doing Important Rock Work. One day Skunk shows up on Badger’s doorstep as his new roommate, and Badger’s quiet life is thrown into chaos. Skunk cooks delicious meals, but dirties up the kitchen. Skunk moves furniture around and recycles all the cardboard boxes that Badger was saving. Skunk invites guests over for a story-time popcorn party until the house is overrun with chickens! Badger is torn between enjoying all the excitement and being angry with Skunk for his wild behavior. How will these two roommates ever find a way to live together in harmony?

I loved this book so much! It reminds me of one of my favorite animal books, “Wind in the Willows”. There is a quiet character and an adventurous character, and they learn to be friends.

The character development is fantastic! Badger goes through a whole internal journey as his world begins to open up and he realizes just how isolated he has become. He is initially dismayed at Skunk’s antics, but also enjoys the good food and companionship that comes into his house. Skunk makes him think differently about his life and see things from a new perspective. I love the warmth of their friendship and how they laugh together.

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Book Review: How to Get Away with Myrtle

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How to Get Away with Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce

How to Get Away with Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 2)
by Elizabeth C. Bunce 
5 out of 5 stars

Myrtle is traveling by train for a holiday at the seaside, when a priceless tiara is stolen and one of the train passengers is murdered. The local police are incompetent, and only Myrtle and her irrepressible governess, Miss Judson, can solve the case and bring justice to the murderer. But how is a Proper Young Lady supposed to adhere to the Rules of Etiquette AND have the freedom to run around the beach solving crimes? Especially with mean Aunt Helena criticizing her every move.

I cannot describe how much I loved this second book in the Myrtle series!
One of the things that made me fall in love with this book is the incredible character development. I love how the main characters change their minds, discover new information, grow in their personalities and abilities, and suddenly realize that their relationships with other characters can be different.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Called to Be Creative

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Called to Be Creative by Mary Potter Kenyon

Called to Be Creative: A Guide to Reigniting Your Creativity
by Mary Potter Kenyon (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

This book explores what it means to be creative, and how to unleash your own creative energies. There are tips for exploring different arts or hobbies, and advice on gaining confidence and taking risks. I love how this book encourages the reader to try new things, learn from failure, and embrace anything and everything creative!

The authors spends a lot of time talking about her mother and how creative she was, including excerpts from her mother’s journals and photos of her mother’s artwork. I was not expecting this book to be quite so autobiographical, and I got bored with the long stories about the author’s family.

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Picture Book Review: Claris, Holiday Heist

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Claris by Megan Hess

Claris: Holiday Heist: The Chicest Mouse in Paris
by Megan Hess
4 out of 5 stars

Claris and her best friend, Monsieur Cat, are visiting New York for the holidays. They are Christmas shopping at Cartier when they witness a burglary, and set off across New York to catch the thief!

I loved the beautiful illustrations in this book! The colors are bright, and the lines are delicate. I love all the Christmasy decorations!

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Picture Book Review: Claris, Bonjour Riviera

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Claris by Megan Hess

Claris: Bonjour Riviera
by Megan Hess
4 out of 5 stars

Claris the Paris mouse is on her way to the French Riviera for a holiday with her best friend, Monsieur Cat. They pack their bags with chic ensembles by Dior, Gucci, Prada, and Pucci. They travel with style in a Louis Vuitton bag to a glamorous hotel where they see movie stars. But Claris meets a beautiful songbird who is in trouble, and the two are tossed into a wild adventure aboard a fancy yacht.

I loved the beautiful illustrations in this book! The colors are bright, and the lines are delicate. Each scene is designed to give the story more depth. I did feel like some of the artwork is just cut and pasted from one page to the other with only a wardrobe change to make it different. I would have appreciated separate art for each page, instead of copies of the same facial expressions.

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