Book Review: Under the Lilacs

Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott

Under the Lilacs
by Louisa May Alcott

4.5 out of 5 stars

Ben has run away from the circus, and he finds compassion and generosity in the house under the lilacs. He is basically adopted by Miss Celia and her brother, Thorny, and while he is grateful for their kindness, it’s difficult for Ben to adapt to a country life after all the excitement and thrills of traveling with the circus.

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Book Review: Five Little Peppers Midway

Five Little Peppers Midway by Margaret Sidney

Five Little Peppers Midway
by Margaret Sidney

4 out of 5 stars

The five Pepper siblings have a lovely life living with Mr. King in his mansion. They are all studying hard, but Polly studies harder than anyone, practicing her music so she can be a music teacher someday. When Mr. King’s cranky relation Mrs. Chatterton comes to stay, she makes trouble for the whole family. She is rude to Polly, treating her like a servant. She complains that Mr. King’s grandchildren will learn dirty habits from the Pepper boys. Finally, she convinces little Phronsie to run errands for her, resulting in a disaster that affects the whole family.

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Classic Book Review: The Enchanted Castle

The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit

The Enchanted Castle
by E. Nesbit

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings are spending their school holidays stuck at school, so they go exploring around the countryside, hoping to find some adventure. They stumble into a beautiful garden estate where they go through a maze, finding what appears to be a young princess in an enchanted sleep. When they awaken her, it proves to be only Mabel, the housekeeper’s daughter. But Mabel assures them that magic enchantment is real, and the children explore the gardens with a magic ring that transforms their holidays into a wild adventure.

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Book Review: James and the Giant Peach

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

James and the Giant Peach
by  Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

James lives his two horrible aunts, wishing that he could get away. A mysterious stranger gives him a bag of magic, but James accidentally drops the bag near an old peach tree, and the tree absorbs all the magic creating a giant fruit. The giant peach propels James into a new adventure that will take him farther than he ever dreamed and get rid of his awful aunts once and for all.

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