Trigger warning: This review contains spoilers which include discussions of severe eating disorders and self harm. I just finished reading Wintergirls and I’m feeling that relief that comes from no longer hitting yourself in the head with a hammer—and that’s actually a compliment to the power of the book. It’s a terrifying and very effective […]
The Lacemaker and the Princess
April 24, 2013 by 1 Comment
The Lacemaker and the Princess is a historical novel set in France in 1788. It involves real characters, including the royal family. Our heroine, Isabelle, is made up, although the author explains that there could very well have been a girl like her in 1788 France. Isabelle has been making lace since she was 4 […]
Speak
April 22, 2013 by 2 Comments
There are a few reasons I decided it was time to reread and finally review Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month, and Anderson is doing a fundraiser with RAINN. I also read an interesting interview with her. And I recently read about a fascinating study that looks at […]
Beyond Dinocalypse
April 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
My 10 year old son is so excited that Beyond Dinocalypse, the sequel to Dinocalypse Now, is finally available! Full disclosure up front: I edited this book, so I may be biased on quality—although that’s not really what Reads 4 Tweens is about, and therefore I think it’s fine to review books I’ve edited. Beyond […]
Princess of the Midnight Ball
April 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Princess of the Midnight Ball is probably my favorite retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” (and yes, there are a lot to choose from!). It’s the first book in a trilogy following the twelve princesses, each book focusing on a different princess. The curse is explored in full and the princesses are sympathetic. They are […]
Scarlet
April 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I usually wait until an entire series (or at least most of it) is published before I start reading—that avoids the situation of anxiously waiting for the next book to come out, a situation I faced with Scarlet, the hotly anticipated sequel to Cinder. Of course, as soon as the book was in my house, […]
Before Midnight
March 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Yet another fairy tale retelling by Cameron Dokey! I hope she never stops writing these. Before Midnight is based loosely on “Cinderella” and it makes some really interesting changes to the familiar tale. Cendrillon (“child of cinders”—Cinderella’s name in Perrault’s French fairy tales) was born just before midnight, as one day ends and another begins. […]
Entwined
March 25, 2013 by 1 Comment
Entwined is a novel length retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” (Retellings of this tale seem to be popular—I talked to author and frequent Reads 4 Tweens reviewer Jocelyn Koehler about that.) This version deals with the logistical issue of giving birth to 12 daughters by having the youngest being born right before the mother […]
The Princess Bride
March 22, 2013 by 3 Comments
Review written by Jonathan Lavallee. I’m sure most people have seen the movie and not read the book, turning this book into every one’s favourite book that they’ve never read. The Princess Bride is a story about William Goldman editing out all the boring bits of a beloved childhood book that his father had read […]
King Khan
March 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
My 10 year old son has been devouring the Spirit of the Century novels from Evil Hat, and Dinocalypse Now and Khan of Mars were perfect for him. He won’t be reading King Khan for a few years, though. Not that it’s not a great novel—if you think the story sounds fun, then you should […]
