books.
Book Review: Queste
Queste (Septimus Heap, #4)
by Angie Sage
by Angie Sage
4 out of 5 stars
A disgruntled old ghost has rigged the Questing Stone draw, sending Septimus on a suicide mission against the rules of Magyck Apprenticeship. No matter what Septimus does, he cannot escape the deadly Queste, and he ends up dragging Jemma and Beetle along with him through dangerous forests, and across deadly cliffs, to face the dreaded Foryx monsters and find the secrets of Time.
The world-building gets more and more phenomenal with each book in this series, as we discover further depths of magic and fantasy.
I love how twisty the plot is, where every small detail can have a huge impact on the story. I love the interesting and complex characters and how they all interact.
I am growing to love Beetle’s character more and more through this series, and I loved that he played a more central role in this book.
Jemma and Septimus are fantastic characters, as always. Nicko and Snorri also make an appearance from the depths of Time, and magic surrounds everything they do.
Loving this series!
June Wrap Up
Book Review: SpaceKid iLK
Spacekid iLK: Invasion 101
by Andrew Hammond
by Andrew Hammond
4 out of 5 stars
iLK is a normal alien boy, flying around with his parents in a spaceship and invading planets. But when iLK’s father conquers Earth, he gets tired of being the supreme ruler of such a boring planet, and gives the job to iLK to teach him some responsibility. Earth is soon in danger, and it’s up to iLK to save the planet with the help of some friendly Earthlings!
I thought this book was hilarious! The writing is so clever and silly, and the plot is really imaginative. I loved the world-building with the aliens, and their culture of invasion and world domination. I especially enjoyed the complex family dynamics between iLK and his parents.
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Picture Book Review: The Green Giant
The Green Giant
by Katie Cottle
by Katie Cottle
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
When she goes to visit her grandfather in the country, Bea discovers a green giant made of plants in the greenhouse next door. They have a lovely summer together, playing, swinging from trees, flying kites, and jumping rope with vines. But soon, Bea has to return to the city, and the green giant gives her a magical gift.
I thought this story was charming! The giant tells Bea all about when he was a young sapling in the city, and how he had to move out to the country because of all the pollution that made it hard for him to breathe.
Bea herself is an adorable character. Curious and sweet, she enjoys simple summer activities and is friendly to everyone (and every plant).
I like the crayon look of the art style, but the artwork isn’t very polished or symmetrical. Sometimes Bea’s eyes are different sizes, and the green giant’s design is severely lacking. He just has a plain smiley face for a face! Just two dots for eyes and a line for a mouth. I would have expected something a little more imaginative from an artist. And his body doesn’t seem like it has any structure. He’s a boneless blob of green and yellow leaves. He looks weird, instead of endearing.
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Picture Book Review: It’s Your World Now
It’s Your World Now!
by Barry Falls
by Barry Falls
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
This children’s book encourages children to be creative and true to their dreams, reminding them that they are capable of anything, but also that not everything will go their way. But most importantly, this book conveys the message that each child is loved, no matter what.
The one reason I enjoyed reading this book is the possibility for pointing out so many fun details in the illustrations. There is a ladybug hidden on every page, and it’s so delightful to search for it in the pictures. When reading with a child, it would be really fun to point to each picture and ask them “What is that?” or “Who is that?” and teach them about various people, places, and things.
All the illustrations are bright and colorful with a cartoonish look. The pages vary from simple and clean to extremely busy with complicated pictures of various things all jumbled together. I prefer the clean style, but I can also see the appeal of the jumbled images since it would be fun to point out each thing on the page while reading with a child. Continue reading
Jane Austen July TBR
Book Review: Forgotten Beasts
Forgotten Beasts
by Matt Sewell
by Matt Sewell
3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
This beautifully illustrated book teaches about extinct animals from the ancient past. There are no monstrous lizards or dinosaurs in this book. This is all about other types of mammals, birds, and sea creatures who once roamed the earth. Some are familiar to us, like the woolly mammoth and the sabre-toothed tiger, but most are impressively rare and wild-looking.
The illustrations are soft and colorful, with a gentle and silky style. But I wish there were more detail in the illustrations, and I wish that there were more drawings of each animal. It would have been interesting to compare the bone structure of fossils to the artist’s rendition of fur, feathers, and scales. It is very beautiful, but I was hoping for more detail.
As always with these sort of scientific books, I’m put off by the assumption of theories and dates that have not been proven. The author writes about millions of years, as though those dates were established scientific fact. The theory of evolution is also discussed as though it were fact and not theory. It makes me lose confidence in the veracity of the writing when ideas that are not proven are written about as if they were true.
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Book Review: The Door in the Forest
The Door in the Forest
by Roderick Townley
by Roderick Townley
2 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Daniel is a boy who cannot tell lies, no matter how much he wants to. Emily is a secretive girl with an eccentric grandmother. Together they try to find a doorway to the mysterious island and the magical secrets it holds. But a sneaky Army Captain has camped out in the town with his soldiers looking for traitors and spies, and he is determined to ferret out Daniel and Emily’s secrets.
This book was only okay. I was disappointed in the story. The big revealed mystery about the island was a major disappointment. I was bored with the characters. The plot barely moves at all. This is not nearly as imaginative as some of this author’s other books. I ended up skimming through the last 50 pages.
Book Review: Poppy and Rye
Poppy and Rye
by Avi, Brian Floca
by Avi, Brian Floca
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
This cute story follows Poppy as she travels to the far-away Brook to bring the sad news of Ragweed’s death to his family. But when she arrives, the Brook has been dammed by selfish beavers, and Ragweed’s family have been threatened and their home flooded. The only one brave enough to help Poppy stand up to the beavers is Ragweed’s younger brother, Rye.
I loved this sweet and whimsical story! The writing is old-fashioned and charming, and I loved the adorable mouse characters.
I was especially interested to see the depth of Rye’s character, and some character development from Poppy and Ereth. It was delightful to see a simple story with such deep themes.
Luminous Libro 