Poetry Review: Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell

Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell by Charlotte Brontë

Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell
by Charlotte BrontëEmily BrontëAnne Brontë
4 out of 5 stars

I got 64% of the way into the book and decided to DNF it for now. About 90% of the poems are about death. They are very gloomy, all about suffering and despair and darkness. It was making me depressed, so I decided to DNF it.

The poetry is good. Some are almost genius. There were several poems that really touched my heart. The Brontës certainly have a way with words. So many of the phrases are beautifully crafted.

These poems are very emotional and wild and raging like a storm. But they can also embrace a little detail, a look, or word, or the simple comfort of a hearth.

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Book Review: Matched

Matched by Ally Condie

Matched (Matched, #1)
by Ally Condie (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars

Cassia follows the rules. She is excited for the benevolent government officials to choose her Match for her, the man she will one day marry. She is matched with her childhood friend, but briefly sees another boy in her match information. She is told that it was only a mistake, but she’s curious about the other match, and begins to bend the rules and then break them.

I really loved the dystopian setup in this book! The seemingly benevolent government who watches your every move, and makes all your life decisions for you based on data and predictions and genetic compatibility. It was such a cool and interesting setting!

I really loved Cassia’s character development. I loved her internal struggle, and how she begins to question her world. She is torn between two boys, two lives, and two selves. Does she choose to play it safe and have a good life with her match? Or does she choose to rebel and live free, but risk losing everything? I was fascinated by the intricate details of her emotions and thoughts.

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Classic Children’s Book Review: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
by Kate Douglas Wiggin
4 out of 5 stars
Rebecca leaves her home at Sunnybrook Farm to move in with her two aunts, Miranda and Jane. With many little brothers and sisters at home with her mother, Rebecca hopes to get a good education and be able to support the family someday. But Aunt Miranda is terribly strict, and Rebecca must find consolation with her more compassionate Aunt Jane.

I have always loved this sweet story about a smart girl growing up in the middle of nowhere. Rebecca has imagination and cleverness far beyond anyone else in her little country town. But she learns to appreciate the kindness and neighborliness of the people around her.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Marvelous Machines

Marvelous Machines by Jane Wilsher

Marvelous Machines: A Magic Lens Book
by Jane Wilsher
5 out of 5 stars

Have you ever wondered what makes machines work? How do they function and move? How do cell phones work? How do submarines dive and rise again? What happens when you start a car engine? This book explores common machines that we take for granted, and explains the basics of how they work using weight, friction, gravity, electricity, fuel, and magnetism. There are bicycle gears, microwaves, planes, telescopes, elevators, and even robots!

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Non Fiction Book Review: Science and Me

Science and Me by Ali Winter

Science and Me: Inspired by the Discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine
by Ali WinterMickael El Fathi (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

This book gives short biographies of 13 Nobel Prize winners in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine. From Marie Curie to Einstein, each page lists their discoveries, their challenges and setbacks, and their determination to succeed.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Sounds of the Sky

Sounds of the Sky by Moira Butterfield

Sounds of the Sky
by Moira Butterfield ( Author), Jonathan Woodward (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

You can explore bird habitats around the world, and learn all about the amazing creatures that live there. This book has 9 sounds of birds that live in forests, mountains, jungles, and even deserts.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Sounds of the Wild

Sounds of the Wild by Moira Butterfield

Sounds of the Wild
by Moira Butterfield (Author), Stephanie Fizer Coleman  (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

You can explore island habitats around the world, and learn all about the amazing creatures that live there. This book has 9 sounds of animals, birds, and even whales that live on (or near) the islands of Sumatra, the Galapagos, the Azores, and other islands.

Each page has a jungle, beach, or ocean scene with several interesting animals and a paragraph giving information about each one. They hunt and fish. They fight for territory, and hide their young. They are noted for their extreme size, fast speed, or clever skills. I love that the book features many endangered animals, raising awareness about preserving these precious and rare creatures.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Ultimate Earth Oceans and Seas

Ultimate Earth by Miranda   Baker

Ultimate Earth: Oceans and Seas
by Miranda BakerGareth Lucas (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

You can explore the fantastic creatures in the ocean! This book has sections about dangerous predators in the sea, the fastest and the biggest swimmers, and creatures that can disguise themselves in strange ways. There are lift-the-flap features and extra facts on every page!

I loved the cool illustrations in this book! The lift-the-flap additions are really cleverly placed on the page in different ways that hide and reveal information as you read. You can first see a shark swimming along, and then leaping up to hunt. It’s such a smart way to bring action into the book!

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Non Fiction Book Review: Amazing Treasures

Amazing Treasures by David Long

Amazing Treasures: 100+ Objects and Places That Will Boggle Your Mind (Our Amazing World)
by David LongMuti (Illustrator)
5 out of 5 stars

Famous gems, ancient manuscripts, and beautiful monuments; there are all kinds of different treasures in the world. This book explores natural wonders, old ruins, royalty with massive wealth, and legends of lost treasures. There are sunken treasures, architectural marvels, and fossils from ancient times.

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Picture Book Review: Spin a Scarf of Sunshine

Spin a Scarf of Sunshine by Dawn Casey

Spin a Scarf of Sunshine
by Dawn CaseyStila Lim (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

Nari has a little sheep, and uses the wool to make a scarf. She washes the wool, brushes it, and spins it into yarn. She dyes the yarn with natural marigold dye. When the scarf gets old and tattered, she puts in the on the compost heap, and uses the compost to grow new plants for her little sheep to eat.

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