children’s books

Book Review: The Specific Ocean

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The Specific Ocean
The Specific Ocean by Kyo Maclear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This sweetly quiet story of a little girl who slowly falls in love with the Pacific Ocean brought me a sense of wonder! At the beginning the girl is reluctant to get in the water, but she gradually comes to love playing in and around the ocean. Her dreamy observations and imaginings around the seaside are just lovely, and bring the reader immediately into the story. You can taste that salt air and feel the waves pulling at your feet! Continue reading →

Book Trilogy Review: Giants in the Land

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The Way of Things
The Way of Things by Clark Rich Burbidge
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I liked this book pretty well! In this story, the friendly giants who have always helped the townspeople suddenly disappear, and only one man has the courage to journey into the wilds to locate the giants and find out why they left. The main character, Thomas, grabbed my attention right away, and I liked seeing him deal with each crisis as it comes up in the story, gathering courage and wisdom as he journeys along. He’s a good character!

The writing is blatantly preachy, but still inspiring. I liked how the spiritual message is gradually unfolded, but I wish Continue reading →

Book Review: Alexander the Good Dragon

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Alexander the Good Dragon Alexander the Good Dragon by Fred Wolf My rating: 1 of 5 stars

“ALEXANDER THE GOOD DRAGON … a stirring tale of long ago battles between good and evil, men and dragons… Sean is tormented by guilt when his father is kidnapped by a malevolent dragon. Unable to simply sit still and wait for the king and his men to come to the rescue, Sean sets out on a long and perilous journey through the Cumbrian Mountains to seek the help of Alexander, a great and benevolent dragon who has proven to be a defender of men. But lately, Alexander is nowhere to be found. Can Sean find the reclusive Alexander?” -GoodReads Description

This book was only okay. I do love stories about dragons though! This book has the basics for a good dragon story, but just needs some better structure. The characters are one-dimensional and the story needs some further development. There’s almost no sub-plot at all, and it ends pretty quickly instead of having a third act climax and then denouement. The main character has almost no Continue reading →

Female Friendships in Literature

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Other Videos on Female Friendships:
Thoughts on Tomes: Female Friendships| Book Chat https://youtu.be/jkQmLvoq91Y
Serious Rereader: Female Friendships in YA https://youtu.be/IpQkroqSdCo

Again, I’m sorry for the terrible lighting in this video. I am working on a solution.

Review: Gathering Blue

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Gathering Blue
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.” -GoodReads

 

I loved this book almost as much as the Giver! I’m falling in love with Lowry’s books one by one! Kira’s connection to her embroidery art is touching and mysterious. It really sparked my interest from the beginning. I loved seeing her growing into her art, and discovering what it means to be an artist. The responsibility of art can be a heavy burden or a joy, and Kira has to make decisions, hard choices, about how to Continue reading →

Review: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival

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Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival
Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival by Dene Low
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You would think Petronella’s sixteenth birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country estate near London, teas are being served, and her coming out party promises to be a resplendent affair. Everything is falling nicely into place, until, suddenly—it isn’t. For Petronella discovers that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has developed a most unVictorian compulsion: He must eat bugs. Worse still, because he is her guardian, Uncle Augustus is to attend her soiree and his current state will most definitely be an embarrassment.
During the festivities, when Petronella would much rather be sharing pleasantries with handsome Lord James Sinclair (swoon), important guests are disappearing, kidnapping notes are appearing, many of the clues are insects, and Uncle Augustus is surreptitiously devouring evidence. It’s more than one sixteen-year-old girl should have to deal with. But, truth be told, there is far more yet to come . . . -GoodReads

 

I love it! I read this book all in one sitting, and was perfectly delighted with every chapter. The absurd plot and witty banter are just perfection! There are so many imaginative details in this book that all come together for a truly interesting plot. The writing is so dignified and humorous; it’s like this sugary froth of words. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Chestnut Soldier

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The Chestnut Soldier
The Chestnut Soldier by Jenny Nimmo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was completely entranced by every word in this book, and read it all in one sitting!
This last book in the trilogy is told from the perspectives of both Gwyn and Nia, the story weaving around them like a mystical dance. Nia’s long-lost uncle, Evan, is a soldier recovering from being wounded, and he comes to visit her family. But it soon becomes evident that Evan is being used as a pawn in magical warfare, and Gwyn must find a way to convince Nia that something is wrong with her uncle, and get her help in saving Evan from the evil within.

This story is deliciously haunting, unearthly and weird in the magic of myth and legend that comes to life. Every scene is dripping with suspense and hidden meanings, but there’s also humor and brightness that stands out against the dark themes. The writing is absolutely genius! Continue reading →