Stoop of Mastodon Meadow is the sequel to Stout Hearts & Whizzing Biscuits. Oliver’s father is now the American Ambassador to Patria, so Oliver and his family are living in the castle with Farnsworth and Rose. Oliver and Farnsworth begin the school year at the boys’ school, Mastodon Meadow, while Rose goes to Madame Mimi’s […]
Encyclopedia Brown
July 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Like most people my age, I loved the Encyclopedia Brown books when I was young. I also adored the Two-Minute Mysteries, even if most of the clues were well above my experience (did you know that men and women have different etiquette when telling a taxi driver their destinations? I sure didn’t.). Donald J. Sobol […]
How to Be a Pirate
July 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
How to Be a Pirate is the second book in the How to Train Your Dragon series. The look and tone are pretty much the same—scrawled illustrations, vaguely rude humor, splotches in the margins, changing fonts and random capitalization, maps and lists and such that further explain parts of the story. Hiccup is still far […]
Star Style
July 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Note: This book is called The Bat Pack in the United States. My daughter is still enjoying the My Sister the Vampire series, although I’m finding it really hard to purchase the latest ones! We ended up ordering the 8th book, Star Style, from a British publisher. There are at least three more that I’m […]
Circles in the Stream
June 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment
When I started reading Circles in the Stream, I worried that it would be too dark and scary. It begins with a rather intense scene of a large cat being viciously attacked by a dark being. When the plot settles in, there are rumors of ghosts and witches haunting the forest. However—and thankfully for most […]
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 […]
How to Train Your Dragon
June 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
How to Train Your Dragon is a funny adventure that has absolutely nothing but a few names in common with the movie based on it. A bunch of young Vikings are attempting to survive their rites of passage, which include capturing and training a hatchling dragon that will serve as a hunting companion. Hiccup Horrendous […]
The Ordinary Princess
June 15, 2012 by 2 Comments
Review written by Jonathan Lavallee. The Ordinary Princess is a great tale about a young woman who appreciates the value in being a strong willed individual while everyone around you is obsessed with the way you look and who you’re going to marry. It’s set in a kingdom called Phantasmorania, a place full of strange […]
Sheep
June 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Sheep is about the adventures of a Border collie pup. When the sheep ranch where he was born burns down, he’s sold to a pet store. From there, he ends up as a pet and then runs away, traveling with several people or alone, until he finally finds the home where he belongs. In many […]
Water Sky
June 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Water Sky is the story of Lincoln Noah Stonewright who, at around age 13, goes to Alaska to visit friends of his father. Lincoln is part Eskimo*, but he’s grown up around Boston and doesn’t know the Eskimo ways. While he’s there, he learns a lot about the culture and wrestles with the morality of […]
