Book Review: Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat

The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat by Laura Lee Hope

The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat (Bobbsey Twins, #6)
by Laura Lee Hope

3 out of 5 stars

Mr. Bobbsey has bought a houseboat for the summer vacation, and the Bobbsey twins travel up the river on their way to visit Lake Romano and the beautiful waterfall there. Along the way, they meet a young boy who is beaten by his employer, and Mr. Bobbsey tries to stop the man from mistreating the boy. However, the man exacts his revenge by fencing off his portion of the river so that the Bobbsey houseboat can’t pass through his land on the way to the lake! The Bobbsey twins will have to figure out some way to help the boy and get their houseboat past this obstacle.

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Book Review: Birds Everywhere

There Are Birds Everywhere by Britta Teckentrup

Birds Everywhere
by Britta Teckentrup (Goodreads Author)

4 out of 5 stars

This book talks about different types of birds around the world and the habitats they live in. We get to learn about how the birds migrate, how they behave when attracting a mate, and what type of nests they build.

It really gets on my nerves when science books talk about scientific theories as if they were fact, and they don’t tell the reader that it’s just a theory. It’s so unethical, and it’s misleading. It makes me not trust anything else they say, because who knows what else they could be lying to the reader about. If you don’t have the evidence to prove something, then you shouldn’t be pretending like it’s a fact. That’s dishonest. It would be so easy to clear up these misunderstandings if they would just admit that it’s a theory!

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Book Review: Doomwyte

Doomwyte by Brian Jacques

Doomwyte (Redwall, #20)
by Brian Jacques

3 out of 5 stars

The good creatures of Redwall discover a riddle that could lead to the lost treasure of Gonff, the Prince of Mousethieves. Hundreds of generations ago, Gonff stole four beautiful jewels from the Doomwyte caves, and hid them somewhere in Redwall Abbey. Now a new generation of young creatures are following the clues to find the priceless jewels.

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Book Review: The Watcher

The Watcher by Melinda Metz

The Watcher (Roswell High, #4)
by Melinda Metz (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

In this fourth book of the series, Max is worried that he might be dying from a strange alien condition. His only chance is for them to find the alien ship that crashed decades before. Liz will do anything to save him. The group of friends spend their days scouring the desert, looking for a clue to the whereabouts of the crashed ship. Maria admits her true feelings for Michael, and Alex stands up to his father. Isabel feels a special connection to Max and Michael as they explore what it means to be human or alien. Each character is growing in different directions, but they all unite around Max when he needs their help.

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Book Review: The Magic Faraway Tree

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton

The Magic Faraway Tree (The Faraway Tree, #2)
by Enid Blyton

4 out of 5 stars

Three siblings and their cousin, Richard, visit the wood behind their cottage, and at the center of the forest is the Faraway Tree. It is the largest tree in the world; so large that the top reaches the clouds, and at the very top the Faraway Tree connects to a magical land.

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Classic Book Review: Mr. Standfast

Mr. Standfast by John Buchan

Mr. Standfast (Richard Hannay, #3)
by John Buchan

4 out of 5 stars

Richard Hannay is serving as a general in WWI, when he is called away from the warfront to engage in some counter-espionage back in England. A dangerous group of radicals in a small county village might be hiding an evil mastermind who is the center of a ring of German spies, hiding in plain sight on British soil. Richard meets some old friends who return to be part of the team, and he is introduced to the beautiful Mary, a voice of wisdom in all their plans.

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Non Fiction Book Review: Planet Narnia

Planet Narnia by Michael  Ward

Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis
by Michael Ward (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

There is an underlying theme that connects all of the books of the Chronicles of Narnia, influencing the tone of each story, the imaginative elements of the plot, and the roles the characters play. This thread woven through the entire series is the medieval mythology of the cosmos, a subject which fascinated C.S. Lewis.

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Picture Book Review: The Amazing World of Video Game Development

The Amazing World of Video Game Development by Denis Galanin

The Amazing World of Video Game Development
by Denis Galanin

5 out of 5 stars

This picture book gives a concise explanation of the basics of video games and how they are created. Each page has two or three paragraphs explaining the different components of a game, and the roles of different people who design the concept, music, sounds, art, and coding of the game.

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Picture Book Review: Marcel’s Mouse Museum

Marcel's Mouse Museum by Hannah Abbo

Marcel’s Mouse Museum
by Hannah Abbo

4 out of 5 stars

An adorable mouse guides us through a tiny modern art museum where we learn about famous artists like “Parmesan Picasso” and “Gouda Kahlo”. We get a short biography of the famous mice, their art style, their heritage and influences, and their favorite cheese. There is a special section of the museum featuring “Furrealist” art. As we learn about the different art styles, there are activities for creating your own art and imitating the great masters.

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Picture Book Review: Hear Them Roar!

Hear Them Roar by Becky Thorns

Hear Them Roar: 14 Endangered Animals from Around the World
by Becky Thorns (Illustrator), June Smalls ( Author)

4 out of 5 stars

This book has buttons that play audio of the roars, chirps, and calls of fourteen endangered animals. Each page gives information about the animal, their habitat, why they are endangered, and what humans are doing to conserve the species. There is even a little world map that shows where their natural habitat is.

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