book review

Christmas Books from Floris Books

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The Story of the Snow Children by Sibylle von Olfers

The Story of the Snow Children
by Sibylle von Olfers

5 out of 5 stars

In this classic fairytale with original illustrations from the author, we explore the kingdom of snow. Poppy looks out her window to see dozens of snow children dancing through the air as falling snow. They invite her to visit the snow kingdom and meet the Snow Queen and her little Princess. Poppy plays all day with Princess. They have a birthday tea, visit the frozen flower garden, and dance with the other snow children. The Princess begs Poppy to stay forever, but the wise Snow Queen knows that Poppy must return home to the world of humans. A sleigh drawn by snow bears takes her home where she tells all her adventures to her mother.

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Christmas Books from Nosy Crow

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We're Going on a Present Hunt by Goldie Hawk

We’re Going on a Present Hunt
by Goldie Hawk, Angie Rozelaar  (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Written in the style of “Going on a Bear Hunt”, these children set off to find a present for the baby. They have to go through a forest of Christmas trees, a herd of hungry reindeer, a crowd of carol singers, and a glittering toy store. In the end, the children find the perfect present and have to go back through all their adventures to reach home and put the present under the tree.

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Book Review: The Snow Child: A Winter Miracle

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The Snow Child by Hannah Rivers

The Snow Child: A Winter Miracle
by Hannah Rivers (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

Two children make a boy of snow to be their playmate during the winter. They are worried about their father who is gone to fight in the war. They pour all their emotions into this magical snow child, who becomes like a part of their family. But what will they do when spring comes and the snow begins to melt?

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Christmas Books from Candlewick Press

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Christmas and Winter-Themed Books from Candlewick Press

Merry Christmas, Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke

Merry Christmas, Anna Hibiscus!
by Atinuke, Lauren Tobia (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Anna Hibiscus has always wished to see snow, and now she is going to Canada to visit her grandmother! But Anna worries that she will miss her family too much. She worries that she will have to eat strange food. She worries that there might be a mangy dog in the house who will bite her. When Anna arrives in Canada, her Granny welcomes her with open arms and a whole new outfit of warm clothing to stay warm in the snow. Anna meets a dog and makes some new friends. She tries to ice skate and goes sledding in the snow. She makes snow angels and learns about her Canadian family.

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Book Review: Murder in Mesopotamia

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Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie

Murder in Mesopotamia (Hercule Poirot, #14)
by Agatha Christie

5 out of 5 stars

A nurse is called in to assist Mrs. Leidner, a lady with a case of nerves. Mrs. Leidner imagines that she sees a face at the window, tapping on the walls, and seems to be afraid of strangers. When a murder seems to confirm Mrs. Leidner’s fears, Poirot is called in to investigate. It is difficult to find definite proof, but Poirot trusts his little gray cells to unravel the mystery of the personalities involved. If he can only understand the personality of each person who was present at the time of the murder, their little jealousies and rivalries will point to the killer. Poirot relies on the eye-witness testimony of the nurse as the only unbiased person there.

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Book Review: Woodwalkers: Holly’s Secret

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Holly's Secret (3) by Katja Brandis

Holly’s Secret (3) (The Woodwalkers)
by Katja Brandis, Rachel Ward  (Translation), Claudia Carls (Illustrations)

4 out of 5 stars

Carag and his shape-shifting friends begin to investigate a strange burglary at the local bank. They wonder if a woodwalker could be involved, but Carag worries that Holly might be up to her old thieving tricks again. She is known for being a petty pickpocket, but she wouldn’t do something as risky as rob a bank, would she?

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Non Fiction Book Review: Bandersnatch

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Bandersnatch by Diana Pavlac Glyer

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings
by Diana Pavlac Glyer (Goodreads Author), James A. Owen  (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This book analyzes the inner workings of the writing group, The Inklings, showing specific examples of how they encouraged and influenced each other’s writing. We learn about Lewis’ and Tolkien’s individual writing styles, and how their group read aloud portions of their writing. The process of writing, revising, and editing was intimately connected with the influence of the Inklings, despite Lewis famously saying that it was impossible to influence Tolkien: “…you might as well try to influence a bandersnatch.” This book proves Lewis wrong, giving specific examples of times when Tolkien took criticism from the Inklings very seriously and altered major sections of his writing accordingly.

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Classic Review: Tale of Two Cities

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A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens

5 out of 5 stars

Dr. Manette is released from the Bastille after years of unlawful incarceration. He is restored to health by his daughter, Lucie, and they live happily in England. Lucie is courted by a young man calling himself Charles Darnay to hide to his noble family name. When the French Revolution takes hold of Paris, Charles Darnay returns to help an old servant who is in trouble, and he is embroiled in the violence of the revolution. Lucie and Dr. Manette travel from London to Paris, but the tides of the revolution are stronger than they imagine.

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Non Fiction Review: Gazing at the Night Sky

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Gazing at the Night Sky by Bruce Wilson Jr.

Gazing at the Night Sky: 5,000 Year of Humanity’s Quest to Find Our Place in the Universe
by Bruce Wilson Jr.

4 out of 5 stars

People have been staring at the stars for millennia, marveling at the beauties of the night sky. This book explores how ancient peoples attached meaning to the stars, developed superstitions around horoscopes to gain a sense of control in their world, and studied science and mathematics to understand how the solar system works. The stars have influenced artists and photographers. Today we have a vast amount of information from space probes that tell us about our solar system. From Aristotle to Armstrong, the stars inspire us to keep looking up.

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Non Fiction Review: The Ocean Blue

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The Ocean Blue by Bruce Wilson Jr.

The Ocean Blue: A History of Maritime Trade, Naval Warfare, and Exploration
by Bruce Wilson Jr.

4 out of 5 stars

The oceans of the globe both connect and separate the world. Seafaring cultures have shaped the landscape of history. Battles at sea have defined warfare for millennia. The ocean influences art, music, literature, and architecture. This book explores all the ways that the ocean has shaped our history from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians to the modern day.

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