children’s books

Series Review: May Bird Trilogy

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May Bird and the Ever After
May Bird and the Ever After by Jodi Lynn Anderson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this book May Bird is whisked off to the land of the dead, called Ever After, and adventures her way across the land, searching for a way home. She makes some ghostly friends, and some enemies, in her quest to find the Book of the Dead which holds the answers to every question.

The writing is excellent, and there are many good characters. I just don’t like ghost stories. All the Halloween-style world building was not to my taste, but I think other people would enjoy that kind of setting.

The story takes a little while to finally get going, and then I really liked it! I loved May’s character. She is spunky and weird and brave! The people she meets are interesting and crazy and hilarious. So many wild characters! Continue reading →

MKs in Colombia

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These MKs in Colombia are discovering a new love for reading!

Here’s what one Missionary Mom wrote to me today…

“Not a day has gone by since that they haven’t wanted to read a book. This is so encouraging to me, especially as I worried about my son not being interested in reading or learning how to read before! They have a renewed interest in reading now, so thank you so much for that!  I think it really helps to have some new, exciting books rather than just the same, few old ones we had before.” – Missionary in Colombia

You can be a part of this amazing ministry, and help send books to children in need! Donate NOW at http://www.gofundme.com/booksformks

We desperately need funds to cover the cost of postage and to buy more books. Help us put a smile on these MKs faces and reading material in their hands!

Book Review: The Jewel of the Kalderash

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The Jewel of the Kalderash
The Jewel of the Kalderash by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this last book in the trilogy so much! The plot really surprised me, and I loved the new characters and old.
In this book, Petra is still on a quest to save her father from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and naturally Tomik and Neel are along for the ride.
My favorite character is still Astrophil, the tin spider with a big brain and an even bigger heart.
Once again, John Dee makes an appearance, and of course intrigue and spying and political machinations follow in his wake.

The stakes are definitely higher in this book, with assassinations going on all over the place and various thrones of various countries up for grabs. Petra has some tough choices to make, not only in her personal friendships, but also in deciding how much she is really willing to sacrifice to achieve peace for her country and the people she loves. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Celestial Globe

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The Celestial Globe
The Celestial Globe by Marie Rutkoski

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this second book in the trilogy better than the first! In the first book, there was a lot of explanations and random minor characters, but in this book we have a more solid story and better pacing, I think.

Petra is on the run again from the evil Prince of Bohemia, and her friends, Neel and Tomik, are swept into her adventures. The mysterious spy/ambassador John Dee is back, and he tries to train Petra to use her magic, but she is an unruly student.

My favorite character by far is Astrophil, the metal spider with an encyclopedic brain. He’s so wise and intelligent and loyal! I just love his snappy dialogue. Continue reading →

Book Review: A Stranger at Green Knowe

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A Stranger at Green Knowe
A Stranger at Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this story, a gorilla escapes from the zoo and hides in the thicket behind Green Knowe, where Ping befriends and hides him.

This is not my favorite of the Green Knowe books, because I’m very “meh” about monkey stories, especially when monkeys are constantly being compared to men. Monkeys, gorillas, or any other primate are NOT like men. Seriously? They are animals. They work on instinct. That’s pretty much it. Are they interesting and majestic? Yes, sure! But it gets so annoying after the first 100 pages to constantly hear how the gorilla’s expression was just SO human. bleh.

But of course, I adore the old house of Green Knowe, and the delightful grandmother Mrs. Oldknow, and the enigmatic Ping! Continue reading →

Book Review: The Stones of Green Knowe

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The Stones of Green Knowe
The Stones of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is nothing like Boston’s writing! She can take a simple story, and make it full of action and meaning. She can introduce a single character, and immediately you are completely invested in this person’s world.

In this book, the magical stories of Green Knowe are told from the perspective of Roger d’Oldknow, whose father is building the new manor house of Green Knowe in the times of the Normans and Saxons. Roger is worried that the house he loves won’t last or stand the test of time, but when he is whisked into the future, he sees the house in all its beauty and his descendants living there in peace. Continue reading →

Missionary Kids Love Books!

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kids books

These sweet children in Bulgaria just received a book package from Books for MKs, and they look really excited! What a blessing to see the smiles on their faces, and know that a love for reading is being kindled in their hearts.

Donate NOW to send out books to these children and other MKs like them! Every penny you donate goes to pay for the postage to mail books to the MKs. Click the link below to safely DONATE at GoFundMe!

http://www.gofundme.com/booksformks