books

Book Review: Unicornia Cupcake Contest

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Unicornia by Ana Punset

Unicornia: The Cupcake Contest
by Ana Punset, Diana Vicedo (illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

When Claudia signs up for the cupcake contest, she tries out new magical recipes and everything ends in disaster. The magical ingredients are more temperamental than regular baking ingredients, and Claudia is discouraged. But she knows that a boy in her school, Sasha, is an excellent baker, and she asks him to join her as a team. Together they try out several magical recipes until they find just the right cupcake recipe to bake for the judges.

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Book Review: Solo

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Solo by Gráinne O'Brien

Solo
by Gráinne O’Brien

1 out of 5 stars

I hated this book so much.
I hated the main character.
I hated all the nasty profanity.
I hated the sexual content in a book for teens.
Why? Why is there sexual content in a book for under-age minors? And why does the cover look like it’s being marketed for young children? I picked up this book thinking it was Middle Grade, because of the cartoony style of the cover.

To see all the objectionable content in this book, you can check it out on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/solo-2592942

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Book Review: Habibi

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Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye

Habibi
by Naomi Shihab Nye

2 out of 5 stars

Liyana’s father moves their family from America back to his home in Jerusalem. Tensions are high between the Arab and Jewish peoples, but Liyana befriends a Jewish boy. Her family don’t know how to react. They believe in peace, but can they accept someone so different from themselves after all the years of hatred that surround them?

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Book Review: On the Shoulders of Hobbits

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On the Shoulders of Hobbits by Louis A. Markos

On the Shoulders of Hobbits: The Road to Virtue with Tolkien and Lewis
by  Louis A. Markos, Peter Kreeft (Foreword)

5 out of 5 stars

This book explores the classical virtues and vices through the lens of Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. Although they may be fantasy, these stories guide us to live a life of virtue. As the characters in fiction represent virtues such as courage and faith, we can be inspired to follow in their footsteps in our own life stories. They teach us to fight for justice, to cling to hope, and live with temperance.

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Book Review: Wizards at War

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Wizards at War by Diane Duane

Wizards at War (Young Wizards, #8)
by Diane Duane (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

Kit and Nita return home from vacation to discover that the very fabric of wizardry is unraveling. As dark matter expands in the universe, reality begins to bend and the older wizards start to lose their wizardry. It’s up to the younger wizards to find a way to combat the growing darkness. Kit and Nita find some clues which suggest that the evil Lone One is creating the dark matter in order to distract them from something it wants to keep secret – a special weapon that could win the war.

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Poetry Review: The Adventures of Tom Bombadil

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The Adventures Of Tom Bombadil by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Adventures Of Tom Bombadil
by J.R.R. Tolkien, Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This collection of poems set in the world of Middle Earth is a perfect companion to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien wrote these poems as if they had been written by Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam and included in the Red Book along with all the stories of their adventures. It’s really interesting to see how each poem is written in a slightly different style depending on who is supposed to have written it.

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Book Review: The Weight of Glory

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The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses by C.S. Lewis

The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses
by  C.S. Lewis

This collection of essays from C.S. Lewis includes “The Weight of Glory”, which explores humanity’s innate desire for God. The essay says that the ultimate reward for a Christian is, not just to know God, but to be known by God. To be acknowledged and to receive approval from the Creator is the very essence of “glory”. Lewis talks from his own experience about how one of the most awful human experiences is to be ignored as if you did not matter, but to be noticed and invited in and welcomed as one who belongs is the highest happiness. We are not only to delight in our own glorious fellowship with God, but to also delight in the glory of our fellow human souls. Appreciating God and enjoying His Presence is the ultimate goal and design for every soul.

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Book Review: Everything You Know About Bugs Is Wrong

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Everything You Know About Bugs (and Other Tiny Creatures) is ... by Dr. Nick Crumpton

Everything You Know About Bugs (and Other Tiny Creatures) is Wrong! (Everything You Know About… Is Wrong, 2)
by Dr. Nick Crumpton, Gavin Scott (illustrator)

2 out of 5 stars

You probably have some misconceptions about bugs. Did you know that spiders aren’t actually insects? Centipedes don’t actually have a hundred legs. Not all bees die when they sting you, only some species and only the females. We learn about beautiful butterflies right alongside the lowly dung beetle.

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Book Review: The Greatest Stuff on Earth

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The Greatest Stuff on Earth by Steve Tomecek

The Greatest Stuff on Earth: The Amazing Science of Sunlight, Smartphones, Microphones, Mushrooms & Everything In-Between
by  Steve Tomecek, John Devolle (Illustrator)

2 out of 5 stars

Starting with atoms, molecules, and energy, this book explains where all the “stuff” in the universe comes from and then takes us through various common objects and tells how they are made and what materials they are made of. We learn about paper, food, DNA, magnets, light waves, dirt, ovens, fabrics, and building materials like concrete.

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Book Review: How Do Fires Protect Nature?

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How Do Fires Protect Nature? by Dinyar Minocher

How Do Fires Protect Nature?: A Book About Fire Ecology
by  Dinyar Minocher, Srimalie Bassani (illustrator)

Fires can be dangerous, but they can also be helpful. A controlled burn can revive an old forest and provide a new habitat for animals where new plants can grow. In this book we learn all about how ecosystems can bounce back after a fire and emerge better than ever!

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