The Enchanted Wood (The Faraway Tree, #1)
by Enid Blyton

4 out of 5 stars

Three siblings discover that the wood behind their cottage is magical, 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. But the magical connection changes every week, so that you never know which land will be at the top of the tree. It might be the Land of Birthdays where everyone gets a free birthday party. Or it might be the land of evil goblins. It might be a land that rolls and jumps with constant earthquakes. Whatever land there is, the three children and their fairy friends are sure to have a wild adventure!

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
by Julie Andrews Edwards

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings meet a strange old professor who tells them about the mysterious Whangdoodle, a creature thought to be mythological. The professor assures the children that the Whangdoodle is real, and he can be found ruling over other fantastic creatures in a mystic land in another dimension. If only they can crack the science of imagination, they will be able to cross over into Whangdoodle land. However, there is a guardian of the Whangdoodle, the Prock, who will do everything possible to stop the children and Professor from reaching the Whangdoodle.

I loved this imaginative story! It’s so wild and weird. There are all kinds of strange creatures that the children meet. They have some wild adventures and fall into traps set by the Prock and his friends. But nothing can harm them if they rely on their common sense and courage.

The Railway Children
by E. Nesbit

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings embark on a new adventure when they move to a country cottage near the railway. They quickly make friends with the railway employees, and memorize the train schedule. They run to the train track to wave hello to each train that passes, and the commuters begin to watch for them waving their little handkerchiefs every morning. But the railway is also a dangerous place to play. The children must learn the safety rules and signals. However, sometimes they find that they will need to break the rules to save the trains from certain disaster.

I love the old-fashioned charm of this book! It’s such a beautiful story and all the characters are so sweet. Of course, they have days when they are grumpy and they make mistakes too, but they always make it right in the end. I love the way the siblings bicker and fight sometimes, but they also really support and care for each other.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks
by Mary Norton

3.5 out of 5 stars

Carey, Charles, and Paul are visiting their aunt for the summer when they meet the neighbor, Miss Price. Miss Price is secretly a witch, and the children see her riding on her broomstick in the night. When she crashes her broomstick, the children help her and in return Miss Price gives them an enchanted bedknob that will magically take them anywhere they wish. The children get into some troublesome adventures and discover that magic is not as simple as it appears.

Bumpfizzle the Best on Planet Earth
by Patricia Forde (Author), Elīna Brasliņa (Illustrator)

1 out of 5 stars

A little boy named Daniel pretends to be an alien sent to observe Earthlings. He is upset that the new baby is getting more attention than him and he feels unloved, so he lashes out and causes trouble for his family. He eats the cat food and makes himself sick to get attention. He locks his older brother in his room during a game of hide and seek. He ties the family pet into a bag and throws it in the trash bin. Thankfully, the cat escapes and makes it back home, but what a horrible thing to do!

I ended up DNFing this book. I didn’t get the weird sense of humor, and I hated the main character. What a little brat! He’s so mean and destructive. He’s selfish and horrible to his family. All he does is criticize everyone and say mean things about them in his diary. Apparently, he warms up to the baby at the end of the book, but that doesn’t mean I want to suffer through chapter after chapter of his bad behavior to get to one chapter of reconciliation at the end.