book reviews
Book Review: Larklight
Larklight (Larklight, #1)
by Philip Reeve (Author), David Wyatt
by Philip Reeve (Author), David Wyatt
5 out of 5 stars
Arthur and his sister Myrtle live in a space home in an outer orbit of the Moon, and they find it very boring. Nothing ever happens in such a remote area of space, and they long to travel to Earth, or see the colonies on Mars, or visit the exciting moons of Jupiter. One day their home is visited by a mysterious stranger named Mr. Webster, and they are thrown into an adventure that takes them across the solar system with pirates, ancient civilizations, and alien spies.
I loved everything about this book! The plot, the characters, the hilarious writing, the world-building, the mystery, the adventure, and every single dramatic chapter all kept me reading for hours on end. This is one of those books where there isn’t a good place to stop reading. You just have to keep going through the next chapter and the next. Continue reading
Graphic Novel Review: The Daughters of Ys
The Daughters of Ys
by M.T. Anderson, Jo Rioux
by M.T. Anderson, Jo Rioux
1 out of 5 stars
When their mother dies, two princesses handle their grief differently. One sister finds solace in the beauties of nature, and the other learns everything she can about her mother’s magic in the palace. Ys is a city built with dark magic. As the sisters grow up, the evil of their kingdom can no longer be contained.
I did not enjoy this graphic novel. There are very graphic violent scenes with a lot of blood and gore. And there are sexual scenes, and that ruined it for me. I wish the story could have been told in a more classy way. Continue reading
Classics About Trust
Book Review: The Star Dunes
The Star Dunes (Explorer Academy #4)
by Trudi Trueit (Goodreads Author)
by Trudi Trueit (Goodreads Author)
5 out of 5 stars
Cruz is in Africa searching for the missing clues his mother left behind for him to find after her death. The explorers help a family of mountain gorillas in Uganda, and then follow the clues to a desert region of Africa. The evil Nebula organization is breathing down their necks, and Cruz is devastated when one of his friends is targeted.
I loved this plot! There is plenty of action and suspense. I never knew what was going to happen next! I really loved that Lani is finally part of the team! She is such an interesting character.
The exotic locations are amazing, and I loved learning about different conservation efforts in Uganda and Namibia and all the national parks.
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Board Book Review: Harris Finds His Feet
Harris Finds His Feet
by Catherine Rayner
by Catherine Rayner
4 out of 5 stars
Harris is a young hare who is self-conscious about his very large feet. His grandfather helps him understand how useful large feet are for a hare. He learns to jump high, run fast, and even to dig holes in the ground.
I loved the sweet illustrations in this board book! The art is lovely in a watercolor and ink style, and done with earthy colors. Harris and his grandfather are so cute! You can really feel the energy in the illustrations when the hares run and jump.
This story has such a great message of acceptance and love!
Series Review: Sherlock Academy
4 out of 5 stars
Rollie and his best friend, Cecily, have just been accepted into the prestigious Sherlock Academy. They have to solve clues to figure out their class schedule, learn the art of disguise, decode secret messages to find out their assignments, and analyze fingerprints in the class roster. But there is a deeper mystery hidden in the library of Sherlock Academy! Throughout each book, Rollie and his detective friends work to stop the evil mastermind, Herr Zilch, who leads Moriarty’s old underground ring of criminals.
I loved everything about these books! The characters, the plot, the mystery, the action, the school, the writing style… everything is wonderful!
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March Reading Wrap Up
Picture Book Review: 1,2,3, Animals!
1,2,3, Animals! A First Counting Book for Toddlers
by Bethany Lake
by Bethany Lake
4 out of 5 stars
The circus animals are getting ready to perform in the big top! The lion is the ringmaster. The dogs are clowns. Elephants play the drums while the toucans play trumpets. Kangaroos sell snacks and treats. The bears dance ballet. Eight tigers balance on unicycles.
This book has such cute illustrations! The animals are colorful and fun! I liked the crazy costumes and the energy on every page. The text has nice pacing and some good rhymes that fit the story.
I really like that the book counts from 1 to 10 as the animals prepare for the show, and then while they are performing in the show we count backwards from 10 back to 1. This is a wonderful technique of teaching children to count both ways! Continue reading
Luminous Libro 