book review

Manga Review: Silver Spoon, Vol. 3

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Gin No Saji, Vol. 3 by Hiromu Arakawa
Gin No Saji, Vol. 3 (Gin No Saji, #3)
by Hiromu Arakawa

4 out of 5 stars


Hachiken attends an agricultural high school even though he has no interest in pursuing an agricultural career. In this 3rd volume, Hachiken is conflicted about his favorite pig, Pork Bowl, being sent to the slaughterhouse. He has to work through his feelings about raising animals for slaughter, and it brings up a lot of debate among his classmates. He works hard to earn the respect of his teachers and classmates, and his thoughtfulness and kindness draws people to him.

This manga is hilarious! The characters are fun and some of them are really silly. After their summer break, they all come back to school with renewed energy and more of a sense of class unity. I really love the character dynamics and their friendships. Continue reading →

Manga Review: Silver Spoon, Vol. 2

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銀の匙 Silver Spoon 2 [Gin no Saji Silver Spoon 2] by Hiromu Arakawa
銀の匙 Silver Spoon 2 [Gin no Saji Silver Spoon 2]
by Hiromu Arakawa, 荒川 弘

4 out of 5 stars


Hachiken attends an agricultural high school even though he has no interest in pursuing an agricultural career. In this second volume, he discovers an old brick oven, and his classmates beg him to make homemade pizza for them. Hachiken has to find all the right ingredients, and even bribe the teachers to get cheese for a huge pizza party. If he can pull it off, he’ll be the most popular guy in school.

This manga is hilarious! The characters are fun and some of them are really silly.

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Picture Book Series Review: Timo’s Garden, Timo’s Party, Timo Goes Camping

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Timo's Garden by Victoria AllenbyTimo's Party by Victoria AllenbyTimo Goes Camping by Victoria Allenby
5 out of 5 stars
These children’s books are completely adorable! I loved every single one, and was very impressed with the lovely writing. The artwork is beautiful, and the stories are really special and sweet.
These books would be perfect for young readers who are just starting to read short chapter books on their own. Each “chapter” is 4-7 pages long.
Keep reading to read my review of each book!

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Book Review: The First Crystal

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The First Crystal by J.M. Bergen
The First Crystal
by J.M. Bergen 

3 out of 5 stars

This short story follows the villains of the Elandrian series, Arius and Arriana, as they search for a mysterious crystal and have to survive the booby traps of an ancient cave to retrieve it.

There wasn’t much to the story other than getting past the booby traps, and showing how heartless and power-hungry Arius and Arriana can be. I would have liked a longer story with more meat on it. For instance, how did they know which was the right cave to search? The story begins just outside the cave, and we never get to see the actual search. Continue reading →

Baby Book: Al Galope!

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AL Galope! by Rufus Butler Seder
Al Galope!
by Rufus Butler Seder

5 out of 5 stars

The animals gallop, strut, run, jump, fly, swing, flutter, and swim across the pages. Each animal is brought to life as the illusion moves when you move the page. The butterfly is my favorite, because its wings look so delicate.

Los animales galopan, pavonean, corren, saltan, vuelan, balancean, revolotean y nadan a través de las páginas. Cada animal es llevado a la vida cuando la ilusión se mueve cuando mueve la página. La mariposa es mi favorita, porque sus alas parecen tan delicadas.

This book is so clever! I’m very impressed with the illusions and how clean the design is. So simple and yet so entertaining.

¡Este libro es genial! Estoy muy impresionada con las ilusiones y lo limpio que es el diseño. Tan simple y a la vez tan entretenido. Continue reading →

Baby Books: Te Amo, Bebe; Hola, Granja; Bebe, Vamos a Comer

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Indestructibles by Stephan Lomp
Indestructibles: Te amo, bebé / Love You, Baby
by Stephan Lomp (Illustrations), Amy Pixton (Creator)
5 out of 5 stars
All of these baby books are so cute! I love the sweet illustrations and simple designs.
¡Todos estos libros de bebés son tan lindos! Me encantan las ilustraciones dulces y diseños sencillos.
They are all available in both Spanish and English. These editions are bilingual, with the Spanish and English text side by side.

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Board Book Review: Danza Del Corral, El Libro del Ombligo, Cachorro Carinoso

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¡Danza del corral! / Barnyard Dance! Spanish Edition by Sandra Boynton
Cachorro cariñoso / Snuggle Puppy! Spanish Edition by Sandra Boynton¡El libro del ombligo! / The Belly Button Book! Spanish Edition by Sandra Boynton
These sweet board books by Sandra Boynton are in Spanish, but are also available in English. Or vice versa.
I can’t stop laughing! These books are so hilarious! I love the cute illustrations and the bright colors in the art.
¡No puedo dejar de reír! ¡Estos libros son tan graciosos! Amo las ilustraciones adorables y los colores brillantes en el arte.

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Book Review: Anne of Windy Poplars

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Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Windy Poplars (Anne of Green Gables, #4)
by L.M. Montgomery

5 out of 5 stars

While Gilbert finishes medical school, Anne teaches at a high school on P.E.I. The snobby Pringle clan makes her life difficult, and her Pringle students all misbehave in class, until Anne finds the secret to winning them over.

I never get tired of reading these wholesome books. Even without the love interest hanging in the balance for Anne and Gilbert, this book is so full of fun and heartache both, and it never gets boring! Each character is lively and unique! Continue reading →

NonFiction Review: English Grammar Workbook for Adults

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The English Grammar Workbook for Adults by Michael DiGiacomo
The English Grammar Workbook for Adults: A Self-Study Guide to Improve Functional Writing
by Michael DiGiacomo

4 out of 5 stars


This book is designed to help non-native English speakers to perfect their English grammar and navigate the many exceptions to the rules while speaking and writing English. The instruction goes way beyond “i before e except after c” type of rules, and addresses common pitfalls and mistakes that people make when learning English.

The reality is that many people who are native English speakers could read this book and learn a lot about their own language. Americans are especially known for having a poor understanding of the most basic rules of grammar and syntax, and could really benefit from a refresher in this book. Continue reading →