Lots of people suggested I read The Name of this Book Is Secret, and I’m so glad I finally did. It’s the kind of irreverent metahumor that I love. The narrator speaks directly to the reader, explicitly playing with the nature of what a book is, such as letting the reader write the last chapter […]
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
October 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane explores surprising emotional depths for a novel about a china rabbit. Edward is definitely not animate—I would call him a doll except he would take it as an insult. Although he thinks and he feels a full range of emotions, he doesn’t do anything that an inanimate object can’t […]
Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb
October 5, 2012 by 1 Comment
Johnny Graphic and the Etheric Bomb takes place in an alternate 1935 America. The geography is just different enough to keep you on your toes and remind you that Johnny’s world isn’t quite our world (there’s a map—it looks like the South won the Civil War, for instance, and our United States became four separate […]
The Moon Coin
September 18, 2012 by 1 Comment
2012 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards: Gold Medal Winner (Pre-Teen Fiction – Fantasy) The Moon Coin is a delightful fantasy story about Lily and her brother Jasper. Their Uncle Ebb has always told them tales (not stories—there’s a difference) of the Moon Realm. After Ebb disappears, Lily finds the Moon Coin necklace her uncle always wore […]
The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
August 1, 2012 by 1 Comment
Review written by Jocelyn Koehler. In The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, Christopher Healy seems to have distilled all the elements of the most entertaining Disney movies, and then carefully reassembled them into this book, which leaves the famous princesses alone (for the most part) to focus on Prince Charming—or rather Princes Charming, since […]
The Quest of the Warrior Sheep
June 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Quest of the Warrior Sheepbegs to be read aloud—sadly, I read it to myself so I had to imagine all the baaing and bad puns in my head. It may need to be our next read aloud with the kids, though. The story is about, well, the quest of the warrior sheep—a group of […]
Lulu and the Brontosaurus
June 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Lulu and the Brontosaurus is a delightful book for younger readers. With short chapters and illustrations by the wonderful Lane Smith on every page, it’s great for kids who are transitioning from picture books to chapter books. That said, it’s likely to appeal to older kids as well because of its sense of humor. The […]
The Case of the Missing Marquess
June 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Case of the Missing Marquess is the first in the Enola Holmes series. Enola is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft, who are also minor characters in the book. Enola—born late in her mother’s life—is scandalous due to her very existence. Her mother has allowed her free rein, neglecting her education as […]
Basil of Baker Street
June 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Since Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective is one of my favorite animated movies, I’ve been meaning to read the books the movie is based on. Finally I got around to reading Basil of Baker Street. Basil is a mouse who lives in the basement of Sherlock Holmes’ house on Baker Street. He idolizes the human […]
The Snarkout Boys and the Baconburg Horror
May 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Review written by Jonathan Lavallee. The Snarkout Boys and the Baconburg Horror is a fun, silly book that deals with two boys that sneak out of their house at night to watch the late night double feature at The Snark. They occasionally meet up with their friend Rat—a teenaged girl with a penchant for cars […]
