books.

Picture Book Review: It’s Your World Now

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It's Your World Now! by Barry Falls
It’s Your World Now! 
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 →

Book Review: Forgotten Beasts

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Forgotten Beasts by Matt Sewell
Forgotten Beasts 
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

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The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley
The Door in the Forest 
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

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Poppy and Rye by Avi
Poppy and Rye 
by Avi, Brian Floca (Illustrations)

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.

Book Review: Book Girl

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Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson
Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life 
by Sarah Clarkson 

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Sarah Clarkson delves into the qualities that a “book girl” possesses, and how she learns and looks at the world. And the author lists her favorite things about reading, along with her favorite books for every occasion in life.

I enjoyed this book, especially the lists of books. There is a short review with each book listed, so you can check off the ones you’ve already read, or look up the ones that sound interesting and put them on your wishlist.

Another wonderful thing about this book was the emphasis on reading as a way to know more about God through stories, and to connect with yourself by connecting with God. I really liked how the author explores various aspects of how stories can comfort, guide, and enlighten, always pointing us toward Christ. Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: The Big Book Adventures

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The Big Book Adventure by Emily Ford
The Big Book Adventure 
by Emily Ford, Tim Warnes

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


Foxy and Piggy love to read. They share their reading adventures with each other, and describe all the wonderful characters they have met. They encounter mermaids and dragons. They fly on a magic carpet, and find buried treasure. Foxy goes to outer space on a rocket, and Piggy has tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter in Wonderland. The two friends decide to start a book club, so that they can go on even more reading adventures together!

I loved the sweet characters of Piggy and Foxy. They are so cute!! They bounce from story to story enjoying each adventure and happy to share the experience of reading with a friend. Continue reading →