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Book Review: Penguin and Panda Winterfest

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The Adventures of Penguin and Panda by Brenda Maier

The Adventures of Penguin and Panda: Winterfest: Graphic Novel (3)
by Brenda Maier (Goodreads Author), Fanni Mézes (illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

Penguin is very nervous about trying any new winter sports, because she thinks she will get injured. But Panda helps her to find the fun in winter sports! They go to buy a Christmas tree together, but the best tree is really expensive, so they take on some extra jobs to make some more money. Penguin has a very long list of holiday activities to do, but Panda helps her to relax and let go of the busy holiday schedule.

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Book Review: One Wise Sheep

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One Wise Sheep by Ulrich Hub

One Wise Sheep: An Untraditional Christmas Story
by  Ulrich Hub, Jörg Mühle (illustrator)

When the shepherds go to see the Baby Jesus, their sheep are left alone in the pasture wondering what is going on. The sheep hear rumors that a Baby has been born, and they decide to go see for themselves, but they are a little confused. They heard that the Baby is a girl! The sheep get into all kinds of silly situations on their way to Bethlehem, but no matter what happens they always stick together.

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Book Review: Mystery at the Biltmore

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Mystery at the Biltmore by Colleen Nelson

Mystery at the Biltmore: The Vanderhoff Heist (Mystery at the Biltmore, 1)
by  Colleen Nelson (Goodreads Author), Peggy Collins (illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

Elodie decides to start a detective business, and she gets her first big case when some valuable earrings are stolen. She is joined by her dog, Carnegie, and her new neighbor, Oscar, who loves tumbling and acrobatics. Most adults don’t take a child detective seriously, but Elodie is determined to prove herself. She follows the clues and regards everyone as a suspect, but all the neighbors are so nice. None of them would steal the jewels… would they?

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Book Review: Ghostly Echoes

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Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter

Ghostly Echoes (Jackaby, #3)
by William Ritter 

4 out of 5 stars

Abigail Rook and Mr. Jackaby are trying to solve a murder from ten years ago – the murder of their dearly departed friend Jenny, the resident ghost in Jackaby’s house. Whenever Jenny tries to remember her death, she is overwhelmed by an “echo” and dissolves into darkness. It might take her hours to recover a visible form again after an episode like that. When a new string of murders seems to mirror the same circumstances as Jenny’s murder, Abigail will do anything to uncover the clues, but Jackaby warns that they should be cautious when dealing with ghostly echoes. He is afraid of pushing Jenny too far in exploring her memories. Once again, Miss Rook and Mr. Jackaby are dealing with the supernatural as a greater evil becomes apparent. They have hidden in the shadows for years, but now Jackaby will bring their dastardly plans into the light.

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Book Review: Midnight Magic

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Midnight Magic (Midnight Magic, #2)
by Avi

4 out of 5 stars

Fabrizio is a servant to the magician Mangus, who is called to the king’s castle to consult on a grave matter. The princess has been seeing apparitions of a ghost that she claims must be her murdered brother. The king believes in ghosts, but Mangus insists that there is no such thing. The king begs Mangus to use his magic to banish the ghost, but Mangus explains that his magic is only illusions and tricks. The evil Count Scarazoni has his own political reasons for wishing that the ghost be banished or proven to be a hoax. Mangus must investigate the apparitions, and he relies on his loyal servant Fabrizio to help him. Fabrizio can go anywhere in the castle, talk to servants, and sneak around secret passageways to find out if the ghost is real or not.

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Book Review: Why Not?

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Why Not? by Margaret Widdemer

Why Not?
by Margaret Widdemer

4.5 out of 5 stars

Rosamund is finally out from under her strict family’s guardianship, and her uncle has left her a little money in his will. She decides to follow all her own dreams and not stop for anything. She buys a house by the lake, and decides to set up a fortune-telling booth to make her living. But her new neighbor Mr. Squire is a very traditional person who seems to disapprove of everything she does. Rosamund tells herself that she doesn’t care about his approval, but in her secret heart she wants him to think well of her. Can they manage to be neighborly or will Rosamund’s wild ways tear them apart?

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Book Review: The Morning Gift

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The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson

The Morning Gift
by Eva Ibbotson

2 out of 5 stars

Ruth is desperate to get out of Vienna when the Nazis march into Austria. A friend of her father’s offers to use his British passport to get her out of the country, but they have to be married to put her on his passport. Quinton and Ruth agree to a marriage of convenience and plan to get an annulment once they are safely in Britain. However, the legalities take longer than they realized. While waiting for the lawyers to sort things out, they keep their marriage a secret and Ruth makes plans to continue her college education, at the same college where Quinton is a professor of paleontology! Quinton knows that Ruth is planning to marry her beloved childhood friend, a pianist with a brilliant career ahead of him, but still Quinton can’t help but be attracted by her vibrant personality and gorgeous flowing hair. And Ruth is faithful to her pianist boyfriend, but her heart is wayward and wild when she gets close to Quinton.

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Book Review: Around the World in 100 Days

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Around the World in 100 Days by Gary L. Blackwood

Around the World in 100 Days
by Gary L. Blackwood (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

Harry, the son of Phileas Fogg, wants to prove to his father that motorcars are the future of travel. He takes on a bet that he can drive his new motorcar around the world in only 100 days. Johnny, the mechanic who designed and built the car, is along for the ride, and Charles is coming to make sure the rules are followed for the entire journey. However, they didn’t expect a plucky woman reporter to be joining them, eager for exclusive reports at every stage of the trip.

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Book Review: Heart of Midlothian

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The Heart of Midlothian by Walter Scott

The Heart of Midlothian
by Walter Scott

4 out of 5 stars

Jeanie Deans is horrified to learn that her sister, Effie, has been arrested on a charge of child-murder. Effie insists that she is innocent and that her baby was taken from her immediately after his birth. Effie refuses to tell anyone who the father is. The lawyers assure Jeanie that there is a loophole in the law and that if Jeanie will only testify that her sister told her about the pregnancy before the child was born, then Effie cannot be prosecuted under the law. But Jeanie is from a staunchly religious family and she feels that she cannot tell a lie under oath. Effie is condemned to death, and Jeanie undertakes a long and dangerous journey to London to seek a pardon directly from the king.

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Book Review: The Bookshop Book

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The Bookshop by Evan Friss

The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore
by Evan Friss (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

Throughout American history, the books we read have shaped our culture, politics, and collective imagination. This book gives a broad overview of the history of bookstores in the USA, as well as anecdotes and close looks at the rise and fall of different types of bookstores. We meet the individual booksellers, and learn what inspired them to start their book business. We get a snapshot of the interior of a bookshop and the general mood and ambience of the place. We learn what purpose each bookstore has, whether focused on revenue, politics, personal expression, or community values. And we follow the dramatic stories of bookstores struggling to stay afloat, fighting against bureaucracy and unfair laws, and serving as meeting places for people of many varied creeds. Every bookstore has a place in history and maybe… in our hearts.

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