children’s books

Book Review: Floors

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Floors
Floors by Patrick Carman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is the story of Leo, who lives in a hotel that resembles an amusement park more than a hotel. There are secret rooms, secret elevators, and secret trains running through the in-between hidden floors of the hotel. When the owner of the hotel, Mr. Whippet, goes missing, he leaves clues for Leo to follow throughout the hotel, discovering its secrets, and saving the hotel from being torn down. But he insists that Leo take a friend with him for safety, so Leo brings the new bellboy, Remi, along for his adventures. Leo also has to bring one of the ducks from the hotel’s pond along with him as he explores the hotel, and Betty the Duck proves more useful than he expected! Continue reading →

Series Review: The Debt

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I started out really loving this series! The books are fast paced and the adventure is non-stop. There are so many mysterious elements in the story, not the least of which is the evil Debt mafia who are giving Dom, the main character, six impossible tasks to complete.  I love a good puzzle, and these books are just one enigma after another!

However, by the time I got to the last two books, I was seeing some message in the books that I did not agree with. Messages like “School is not for everyone. You can quit and get a job instead.”  Messages like “Underage drinking is okay, as long as you can handle it like a man.”  Messages like “You are in charge of your own life. You don’t need God to tell you what to do.”

Keep reading to see my reviews of each book, and you’ll see how I loved these books in the beginning and then it was a quick descent into extreme disappointment by the last book. Continue reading →

Book Review: I’m Not Afraid

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I'm Not Afraid
I’m Not Afraid by Lee Ann Mancini

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Susie the shark and her friend Rachel, who go to the amusement park, but Susie is too scared to go on the roller coasters. Susie learns that you don’t have to be afraid because courage comes from God! As part of the Adventures of the Sea Kids series, each book of the series has a definite Christian message. Continue reading →

Book Review: Messenger

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Messenger
Messenger by Lois Lowry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am completely in love with the entire Giver quartet so far, and this third book is no exception!
This book follows Matty, whom we met in Gathering Blue, and his journey of self-discovery as he finds a power/gift within himself that he never had before.

As in the other books, we are introduced to a community where everything seems peaceful and content, but there is a dark secret in this seemingly happy society and there is a mystery for Matty to solve. It’s never what I think it’s going to be! I’m always surprised at the mystery, and so impressed with the deep social themes that are addressed. Continue reading →

Book Review: Little House in the Big Woods

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Little House in the Big Woods
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve read this book so many times that I’ve lost count! Every time I am charmed all over again by the stories of wilderness survival told from the perspective of a little girl. The beauty of this novel and the others in the series is the simplicity of life that is described. Gather food, build a home, work hard and have a little fun on the side- this is all they required back in the day. In this entertainment age, it’s so refreshing to be transported back to a time when things were so much simpler and slower. Continue reading →

Book Review: Emlyn’s Moon

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Emlyn's Moon
Emlyn’s Moon by Jenny Nimmo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is utterly enchanting! I liked that instead of being told from Gwyn’s POV, as the first book was, this one is told from Nia’s perspective. Nia comes from a large family, where she feels inadequate as the middle child. But when she is called upon to reunite a broken family, she has to search deep within herself for the strength and talent that she’s always possessed. Nia helps Emlyn search for his lost mother, and with Gwyn’s magical help, they encounter adventure and mystery beyond the world they know. Continue reading →

Book Review: DragonSpell

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DragonSpell
DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much! The magic and dragons and quests are just perfect, but the best parts are the spiritual themes and wisdom that run through the book. There is such a depth and beauty to the writing, and I was so pleased with the echoes of Christianity!

Kale is a young slave-girl who is mysteriously drawn to dragon’s eggs. She is sent on a quest to retrieve a valuable egg from an evil wizard, but her mission is not as straight-forward as it seems. Although she has help along the way, Kale is sometimes unsure whether she can trust her new friends, and tensions run high as the group learns to rely on one another in sticky situations. Continue reading →