Book Review: Fire and Forgiveness

Fire and Forgiveness by Martha Dunsky
Fire and Forgiveness: A Nun’s Truce with General Sherman 
by Martha Dunsky

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


In the midst of the American Civil War, two schoolgirls at the Ursuline Convent School for Girls are at war. Jane and Clara play pranks on each other and call one another names. Mother Superior Baptista Lynch urges the girls to reconcile, reminding them that everyone has good in them, but the girls find it difficult to forgive each other.
General Sherman’s army is marching into Columbia, South Carolina, and Mother Baptista writes to him to beg for protection for her school and convent. The cannons are firing on the city, and the Confederate Army retreats, leaving the city defenseless.
In the middle of so much violence, how can Jane and Clara learn to make the peace, when the adults are constantly at war?
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Book Review: Emily’s Fortune

Emily's Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Emily’s Fortune
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

When Emily’s mother dies, Emily plans to travel West to live with her aunt, but the state orphanage has other plans, and Emily is forced to run away from the Orphanage Child Catchers. With the help of another orphan boy and her trusty turtle, Rufus, Emily will travel by train and stagecoach through the Wild West to reach the safety of her aunts home. 

This is a funny and cute little story with plenty of adventure and hilarity! It would be a wonderful book to read aloud to children, because there are so many opportunities for funny voices and dramatic voices. 
I enjoyed the story, but it’s not particularly amazing or special. The plot is simple, the characters are static, but it’s the writing style that really keeps the reader interested. The writing is witty, the dialogue is snappy, and the scenes flow smoothly into a cohesive story. And young readers aren’t looking for complex plots or deep characters, so it’s a perfect book for children!

Book Review: Mudshark

Mudshark by Gary Paulsen

Mudshark
by Gary Paulsen

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Mudshark is the smartest kid in school, finding lost objects and solving mysteries for his classmates and teachers. When a psychic parrot takes up residence in the school library, Mudshark’s detective agency is threatened, and he’ll do anything to outsmart that talking bird. Between stolen chalkboard erasers, a missing gerbil, and a toxic situation in the faculty restrooms, Mudshark will have to think and scheme and plan to save his school!

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Picture Book Review: Have I Ever Told You?

Have I Ever Told You? by Shani King
Have I Ever Told You? 
by Shani King, Anna Horvath (Illustrations)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This picture book reminds each child that they are loved, that it’s okay to ask questions, that it’s important to do the right thing, and that they should always be respectful and kind.

I loved the text of this book, with its insightful statements about being inclusive and kind, about honest communication, and especially about love and family. It reminds the reader that it’s important to talk about the important things, and make sure that every child feels safe and loved and heard. I think this book will open good dialogue between children and adults, and provide opportunities for “teaching moments”, or maybe just provide a chance to listen to a child and hear what they want to say.

However, I did not always love the artwork.

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Book Review: Strange Lives of Venomous Sea Creatures

Don't Mess With Me by Paul Erickson
Don’t Mess With Me: The Strange Lives of Venomous Sea Creatures 
by Paul EricksonAndrew Martinez (Photographs)

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This book tells all about the venomous creatures of the sea, with beautiful photographs of each type of fish, coral, and worm. Each page has wonderful explanations of how the creatures feed on their prey, how they deliver their venom to their victims, and how they protect themselves from other predators.

The information is interesting and memorable, but uses many big words and technical terms that children might find too heavy for enjoyable reading.
I loved the colorful photographs, and curious facts about each animal, and I found it very informative and impressive.  Continue reading

Picture Book Review: Miss Pinkeltink’s Purse

Miss Pinkeltink's Purse by Patty Brozo
Miss Pinkeltink’s Purse 
by Patty BrozoAna Ochoa (Illustrations)

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Miss Pinkeltink is homeless, and she carries around a massive purse full of random stuff. Sometimes she knocks things over with her enormous purse, and the townspeople complain that she has run over their roses with her purse, or knocked down their fence, or bumped children off their bikes.

But Miss Pinketink has a good heart, and she shares the stuff from her purse with the townspeople. She gives out a roll of tape to fix a flat bike tire, or a comb to a bald man, a bone to a cat, and a plunger to a car mechanic with hilarious results!

A little girl named Zoey recognizes that Miss Pinkeltink’s heart is in the right place, even if her gifts are not always the most useful things. Zoey organizes the townspeople to provide a home for Miss Pinkeltink, and show their appreciation for all her gifts to them!
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Book Review: Ultimate Predator-pedia

Ultimate Predatorpedia by Christina Wilsdon
Ultimate Predatorpedia: The Most Complete Predator Reference Ever 
by Christina Wilsdon

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Everything you ever wanted to know about every kind of predator is in this book! With categories that talk about each type of animal, sections that address fangs, claws, wings, and special pages for endangered animals, this book answers every question you might have about these incredible animals.

Beautiful photos of predators in action really bring the book to life, and give a strong impression of the life these animals live in the wild. I could just stare at these photos for hours. Every page is so colorful and full of movement.

There are big sections for predatory mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and a strange array of predatory invertebrates like squid, scorpions, spiders, and ants. I really like how the book is organized, and all the great information about each animal. There are also several pages that tell the reader how they can help conservation efforts to preserve endangered species, and how predators help their ecosystems from getting out of balance.

There is also a glossary at the back to help the reader with large words, and a list of websites, movies, and places to visit to find out more!
This book will spark the curiosity of any child or teen, and is a wonderful reference for all the knowledge you’ll need about the world of predators.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions expressed here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

Non-fiction Review: Why Not?

National Geographic Kids Why Not? by Crispin Boyer
National Geographic Kids Why Not?: Over 1,111 Answers to Everything 
by Crispin Boyer

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This colorful book explores questions like “Why isn’t the sky orange instead of blue?”, “Why don’t animals need to brush their teeth?” and “Why doesn’t the moon have a name?”.
With a thousand detailed and interesting answers to every weird question you never thought to ask, this book is full of strange and weird facts about animals, space, biology, geology, technology, and many other subjects.
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Non-Fiction Revew: Weird But True! 10

Weird But True 10 by National Geographic Kids
Weird But True 10 
by National Geographic Kids

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


This interesting book combines colorful illustrations and photos with tid-bits of weird information about history, science, biology, culture, animal life, and a million other subjects!

I read through the entire book in just a half hour, fascinated with every wacky statement and attracted to each page by the stunning photos. I learned so many freaky things, like that jellyfish used to have hard shells, there is an albino humpback whale off the coast of Australia, and that it’s against the law in the USA for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs! haha! Weird and random and hilarious! Continue reading