Review written by Clark Valentine. (This review focuses on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s / Philosopher’s Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This review is full of spoilers, but I can’t imagine that’s super relevant to most people at this point.) You almost certainly know the story. 11 year old Harry Potter […]
The Runaway King
November 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment
If you read the review of The False Prince, you know I loved it. Its sequel, The Runaway King, doesn’t disappoint (which is rare in sequels, particularly in middle books of trilogies, but that’s probably a post for another time). If you haven’t read The False Prince yet, I suggest you do that before you […]
The Cheshire Cheese Cat
November 6, 2013 by 2 Comments
Another book recommendation from my daughter and her school library! The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale is an amusing story about unlikely friendships and overcoming assumptions. Charles Dickens has a supporting role, with details that will keep fans of Dickens engaged (admittedly, that will mostly be adults—but that’s part of why this […]
I Am Malala
October 30, 2013 by 3 Comments
Malala Yousafzai is a young activist for education and girls’ rights in Pakistan who was shot by the Taliban about a year ago. Her story captured the attention of people all over the world—as the mother of a young girl who feels strongly about injustice, I was definitely drawn in. Malala’s autobiography, I Am Malala: […]
Wild Orchid
October 29, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Another fairy tale retelling from Cameron Dokey! This one is Wild Orchid, based on the ballad of Mulan. (Yes, we could get into a discussion about whether this truly qualifies as a fairy tale. Let’s not—I’ll happily have that conversation with you over coffee someday.) In this version, Mulan has mostly grown up without her […]
The False Prince
October 24, 2013 by 3 Comments
I was enthralled by The False Prince, the story of an orphan caught in a dangerous plan to place a false prince on the throne. I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel, The Runaway King. Sage, our hero, and three other orphan boys have been purchased by a nobleman, Conner, who intends […]
Nicola and the Viscount
October 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Nicola and the Viscount is the first book I’ve read by Meg Cabot (author of The Princess Diaries). It’s a pretty typical romance novel for the younger set, which basically means the heroine is younger (16 in this case) and the raciest it gets is some mentions of kissing. It’s a Regency romance (think Jane […]
My Sister the Vampire 12 & 13
October 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
In the name of efficiency, here are the twelfth and thirteenth My Sister the Vampire books, Read It and Creep and Fangs for the Memories—called Stake Out! and Double Disaster! in the UK—in one convenient review! The adventures of Olivia and Ivy continue, and I’m going to assume that you’ve read at least the reviews for […]
A Hidden Magic
October 11, 2013 by 1 Comment
Review written by Jocelyn Koehler. In A Hidden Magic, when ordinary Princess Jennifer and handsome Prince Alexander wander into the Enchanted Forest, things quickly get messy. Alexander, who doesn’t believe in magic, angers a magic mirror and falls into an enchanted slumber. Jennifer does believe in magic, so she finds out how to break the […]
My Sister the Vampire series
October 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
My daughter really enjoys this series and frequently rereads them. They’re remarkably hard to get hold of in the United States, though, especially in hard copy! We ended up ordering our copy of Star Style from the UK. They are occasionally available through Scholastic, often as parts of sets. Many of these titles are now available on Kindle […]
