Book Review #824

Little Pierre by Robert D. San Souci, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This tale was interesting.  I liked how all the pictures were vividly colorful and brought a whole new layer to the story.  Even though I enjoyed reading this book, it isn't anywhere near my favorites list.  I might recommend.

Book Review #823

Don't Take Your Snake For A Stroll by Karin Ireland, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: two stars (out of four)

There was a lot of amusing tidbits in this book, but the entiretly wasn't nearly as amusing as it should have been.  Sure, parts of it were funny and I thought a lot of the illustrations were insanely comical, but some things just didn't click.  I might still recommend though.

Book Review #822

The Badger And The Magic Fan by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Rating: one star (out of four)

There were a lot of elements of this story that were just plain bizarre and a little too far-fetched to make an enjoyable read.  Even though it was an interesting story, I couldn't get over some of the weirder details and wasn't satisfied when I finished reading.  I wouldn't recommend this book.

Book Review #821

Four Friends At Christmas by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a fairly sweet tale about four crazy friends.  I liked the pictures and the ending was pretty cute, if not a little random.  I might recommend.

Book Review #820

The Holy Twins by Kathleen Norris, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Rating: one star (out of four)

I found it hard to believe everything in this book.  I know that they wanted me to take some of the things that happened as fact, but I felt like that was a tad bit misleading.  I did think it was a good concept to tell more about these people from history, but I wasn't overly impressed with how they portrayed their lives.  I wouldn't recommend.

Book Review #819

Francis: The Poor Man Of Assisi by Tomie dePaola

Rating: one star (out of four)

I was not impressed with this book.  It is labeled as a non-fiction biography for children, but I think that is a bit of a stretch.  I don't know how many events in this book actually happened, but it seemed a little far-fetched to assume this is how the man really acted.  The illustrations were typical Tomie, but I couldn't enjoy them as much because of how the book was portrayed.

Book Review #818

The Family Christmas Tree Book by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I liked how Tomie wove a story about one family's decorating traditions into a retelling of how Christmas trees came to be.  The illustrations were simple, but nice to look at.  I might recommend.

Book Review #817

Petook: An Easter Story by Caryll Houselander, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

The message that this book was trying to convey was a good one, but unfortunately, I didn't feel like it did the best job.  I'm not sure children would get the significance of the story and I felt that parts of the story were a little unbelievable.  I did enjoy Tomie's illustrations though.  I'm not sure that I would recommend this book.

Book Review #816

An Early American Christmas by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a nice book that portrayed what Christmas might have looked like a long time ago.  I liked how Tomie drew the pictures and how sweet the family was about helping and getting ready for the celebration of Christmas.  I would recommend.

Book Review #815

Alice Nizzy Nazzy by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Rating: one star (out of four)

This story would have been interesting, but I felt like some pieces were missing.  I liked the concept, but there were elements that needed some details to make the story more well-rounded.  I did enjoy Tomie's illustrations.  I probably wouldn't recommend though.

Book Review #814

So Happy! by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Anita Lobel

Rating: one star (out of four)

I think there was a point to this story, but I didn't get it.  The idea was an interesting premise, but I didn't see how everything connected and was a little annoyed with how the story progressed.  The pictures were okay, but not anything that I would want to look at for hours on end.  I was not impressed with this book and would not recommend.

Book Review #813

An Extraordinary Egg by Leo Lionni

Rating: two stars (out of four)

Parts of this book made me smile and I was amused at the little frogs'  "knowledge" of the mysterious egg.  I liked how the story progressed, but thought the ending was a little forced and felt sorry for Jessica.  I would probably still recommend though.

Book Review #812

Mr. McMouse by Leo Lionni

Rating: one star (out of four)

I'm not really sure how this book got published.  The story felt really disjointed and the ending totally threw me for a loop.  I had expected something vastly different and was left completely unsatisfied.  I would have liked more closure.  I would not recommend this book.

Book Review #811

The Princess Knight by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer

Rating: three stars (out of four)

Reading this book put a smile on my face.  I loved how the princess took her future into her own hands and showed that she was a strong person who could make decisions for herself.  She proved to be quite capable of making up her own mind.  I especially loved the ending, it was a sweet and simple.  I would recommend.

Book Review #810

Princess Pigsty by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer

Rating: two stars (out of four)

While I did enjoy seeing the antics of this fed-up princess, there were parts that were slightly unbelievable.  The ending was rather neatly wrapped up as well.  But still, I did like how the youngest princess handled her dilemma and the illustrations captured her moods nicely.  I might recommend if you liked off-the-wall princess books.

Book Review #809

Pirate Girl by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was an amusing pirate tale.  I liked how the story didn't go the way you'd imagine it going, but it still kept you entertained.  The spirited little girl was a spunky character who I enjoyed seeing interact with the band of ruthless pirates.  The ending was a tad bit random, but still interesting.  I might recommend.

Book Review #808

The Wildest Brother by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This book was amusing.  I could see the relationship between the brother and sister.  I liked how well the older sister put up with her rambunctious and energetic little brother who had an overactive imagination.  The ending was quite sweet as well.  The illustrations were fun.  I might recommend.

Book Review #807

Melvin Might? by Jon Scieszka

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This book was mildly amusing, but not something that I think would capture the complete attention of all children.  If your child loves trucks they would probably enjoy this book.  The pictures were bright and colorful, and it was fun to see what each new page would bring.  But this book was not remarkably astounding or anything.  I might recommend.

Book Review #798

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: three stars (out of four)

This was a super cute book!  That is, if you like reptiles.  I especially loved the way the story was told; through post-it notes between the mother and son.  There was a subtle trace of humor throughout the entire book.  The illustrations were funny as well.  I liked David Catrow's portrayal of the iguana.  All in all, this book made me smile and I would definitely recommend.

Book Review #797

How The Cat Swallowed Thunder by Lloyd Alexander, illustrated by Judy Schachner

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I really felt sorry for this poor cat as he tried to clean the house.  He was lazy, but once he set to work he managed to get the job done.  The ending was a bit random, but it wasn't totally dissatisfying.  The illustrations were colorful and energetic.  I might recommend.

Book Review #796

Little Blue And Little Yellow by Leo Lionni

Rating: one star (out of four)

This book just didn't do much for me.  I thought it would have more substance to it.  But after I finished reading I went, "huh" and set it aside.  The illustrations were simple and a little bland.  I wouldn't recommend this book.

Book Review #795

Hide-And-Seek All Week by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

The storyline for this book was pretty entertaining, but a little predictable.  I kind of felt sorry because the kids could never decide on anything and always used up all their recess time.  Still, Tomie worked in a simple message that even kids could understand.  I might recommend.

Book Review #794

The Friendly Beasts: An Old English Christmas Carol, illustrations by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

The illustrations for this book were fantastic.  The characters had this certain sweetness about them that perfectly matched the Christmas carol.  I had never heard of this song before and was glad that it was featured in this book.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #793

That's Good! That's Bad! In The Grand Canyon by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: one star (out of four)

This book was simply o-kay.  I didn't feel like the story plot was impressive and thought most of it was simply too-far-fetched to be amusing.  Some of the illustrations were a little too-out-there for me and I didn't enjoy looking at them as much as I should have.  I wouldn't recommend.

Book Review #792

One by Kathryn Otoshi

Rating: two stars (out of four)

The illustrations for this book were very colorful and innovative.  I liked how they interacted with the story.  The message was fairly obvious, but I thought it was still a nice story and kids wouldn't feel that it was too 'preachy'.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #791

Freckleface Strawberry by Julianne Moore, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a fairly cute book.  I liked the illustrations, they were sweet and energetic.  The moral of the story was good and the ending made me smile.  My favorite parts were all the methods Freckleface Strawberry used to 'get rid' of her freckles.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #790

Watch Me Throw The Ball by Mo Willems

Rating: four stars (out of four)

If there is anyone who can make me laugh, it is Mo Willems.  Everytime I pick up one of his books I end up chuckling.  This book was no exception.  I liked watching the interaction between Elephant and Piggie and seeing their crazy  antics.  I especially loved the illustrations, they were superb .  I would totally recommend this book!

Book Review #789

The Loose End Of The Rainbow by D. B. Pacini

Rating: zero stars (out of four)

I was excited to see that I had won this book in a Firstreads giveaway.  I was even more thrilled to see that it was a young-adult book. YA is my favorite genre. While I admit that the story's premise was an interesting concept, the storyline was not well developed. I also had a hard time getting into the book because it was fragmented and confusing. 

This novel was supposed to be fantasy, but when you take characteristics from today and mix them with people from 500+ years ago, you lose some of your credibility.  The characters were unimaginative and stereotypical.  If they had Japanese elements, then all of them were Japanese: from their name, to their clothing, to the way they gathered food, and lived.  You either need to have your own culture for your fantasy world or you need to borrow and extrapolate to make it your own.  You can't take random things out of history and expect them to flow smoothly in your fantasy novel.  

I enjoy footnotes with useful and helpful information. I did like how some of the footnotes gave descriptions about the food and plants.  But at times, the informative footnotes disrupted the flow without adding relevancy to the story. I couldn't figure out if the novel was a fantasy disguised as an educational book, or an educational book trying to be a fantasy novel. Distracting footnotes were inserted with random bits of information that had no relevance to the story. Although it is commendable to have historical and educational footnotes along with a story and one of the footnotes in this book featured Martin Luther King Jr., I was confused about why he was even referenced in this fantasy novel set hundreds of years before his time.  To introduce this man in a footnote and never refer to him again was very odd. He had nothing to do with the storyline and inserting his information was jarring.  In another instance, the author added a complete footnote explaining that the descriptive phrase mentioned, “wet spot in a haystack,” was a phrase used by one of her relatives.  This would be great to interject as interesting trivia in a conversation, but would only be relevant as a footnote if the book were an autobiography.   There were several footnotes of this type in the book. There were at least two instances where Wikipedia was given to find more information. Wikipedia is not a legitimate reference and should never be used be as a reputable source. 

There were sentences throughout the book that made little or no sense.  It was almost like someone had cut one long sentence in half and inserted a period in the middle with the second sentence starting where the last one left off.  There were also random bits of dialogue that were out of place or jarring because they didn’t flow well.  I would find myself having to decipher what point the author was trying to get across due to the way she wrote things down.  There were many instances in the story where the conversations were stilted and incomprehensible.  

I was genuinely confused about the ending.  I didn’t see why things worked out the way they did, and I wondered why they had gone to all the trouble in the first place.  I felt there were major plot holes in the story.  I had a hard time getting through the entire book because of the abrupt writing style.  I was often puzzled when a paragraph in the story ended abruptly and then the next paragraph started a completely different topic with no transition.   This happened too many times and it was a struggle to finish the book. 

In my reviews I try to be fair, but truthful.  I know that someone worked extremely hard to bring about this story, and this story is a part of them.   Although the author put a lot of thought and effort into creating the different people, this book had major flaws in flow and plot.  I would not recommend this book.

Book Review #788

When I Was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by

Rating: two stars (out of four)

Told from the perspective of a four-year-old looking back on her life, this book gets pretty humorous.  I liked the concept and thought some of the memories were sweet.  The illustrations were fairly busy - their color and pizzazz were all over the place.  I would probably recommend this book.

Book Review #781

We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers 

(characters created) by Lauren Child

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I liked the premise of this book, and thought it did a good job of encouraging children not to waste.  I did feel like parts of the story were a little jumbled or out of place, but I still enjoyed reading this book and would probably recommend.

Book Review #780

Rotten Teeth by Laura Simms, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: one star (out of four)

This book was very interesting...a little too interesting.  I was disgusted by some of the illustrations and descriptions.  The story wasn't impressive and I didn't care for any of the characters.  I wouldn't recommend.

Book Review #779

Good Morning To You, Valentine by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I was not impressed with all the poems in this book.  Some of them were cute, but the majority just didn't do anything for me.  I liked Tomie's illustrations though.  I probably wouldn't recommend.

Book Review #769

The Perils Of Quad by Carl Joglar

Rating: three stars (out of four)

The first sentence was excellent.  It left me intrigued.  Without even thinking, I was already reading the next couple of lines.  The story was fairly good about keeping you hooked and guessing.  I don't remember ever being bored.  After I put it down, I found that the story would wander around in my head for a little bit.  I was impressed with all the science fiction elements, I just wished that they had been a little more developed.  The main character, Bodi, was likable.  I loved all his other "names", especially the robotic version.  The beginning of this book was a tad bit different from the middle and the ending.  It was a little slow going, but once things got up to speed, it went along fairly smoothly.  I absolutely loved the way Carl threw in all assortments of words that have faded from everyday use.  The style of language was superb and I enjoyed seeing some of my favorite words in print.  

I was pretty caught up in the story.  There were several parts throughout the book where the story would shift suddenly and I would go, "what?" then "no way!" and eagerly turn the page to see what would happen next.  But along with those startling discoveries were some loose ends.  There were just a couple bits of things that never got explained, or dropped out of the picture completely.  They were slightly unnerving, but I was easily able to forgive them because of the general feel of the rest of the story.  I would have liked it if some of the other characters were a little more developed - like Phoenix and Bodi's mother.  Some parts of the story were a little disconcerting.  The story would jump from one spot to anther with just a sentence.  I would have liked some more closure before jumping off to the next segment.  

I really enjoyed this book.  It kept me reading. The story was engaging, and I wanted to know what would happen next.  My only complaints were some unmentioned plot details, scenes I wanted more fleshed out, and slightly jarring switches from scene to scene.  This book reminded me of Maximum Ride by James Patterson crossed with science fiction, only not nearly as violent and graphic.  I would recommend.

Book Review #768

The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a sweet story.  I liked how it all tied back together and made a loop.  The illustrations were lovely, it is hard not to like Tomie's endearing drawings.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #767

Olivia Saves The Circus by Ian Falconer

Rating: three stars (out of four)

Olivia's imagination is quite spectactular.  She can get into all kinds of trouble just by thinking.  I love watching what sort of antics Ian Falconer will cook up for this delightful character.  The pictures made me laugh.  I would definitely recommend.  

Book Review #766

Westward Ho, Carlotta! by Candace Fleming, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: two stars (out of four)

The pictures in this book are quite crazy.  But insanely enough, they match the story fairly well.  This story is bizarre and far-fetched.  But it somehow manages to be slightly entertaining - making it not a complete waste of time.  Still, this book is not something I'd go around recommending right and left.

Book Review #765

The Long, Long Letter by Elizabeth Burr, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This book was a little odd.  I'm not sure it is something that kids would enjoy.  I found it very strange and was a little puzzled when I finished it.  The ending was nicely wrapped up and all, but I didn't feel anything.  I probably wouldn't recommend.

Book Review #764

Our Tree Named Steve by Alan Zweibel, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: three stars (out of four)

This was such a sweet book.  I loved the illustrations, the colors, faces, and characters were so marvelously drawn, especially Steve.  I had tears in my eyes when I finished this book.  I would definitely recommend.

Book Review #763

Willy And May by Judy Schachner

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a sweet story.  I liked the relationship between the aunt and the niece.  The illustrations were lovely, I caught myself staring at them sometimes longer then the text.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #762

The Grannyman by Judy Schachner

Rating: three stars (out of four)

This was such a sweet book about an old cat.  I loved the illustrations, they were comical, endearing, and brimming with life.  I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you were a fan of cats, particularly ones full of spunk.

Book Review #761

Kit And Kat by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a fairly entertaining and cute read.  I liked how the cats solved all their problems.  It was fun to see what they would do in each circumstance.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #760

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. San Souci, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This book is a cross between Tim Burton's two films 'The Corpse Bride' and 'Nightmare Before Christmas' mixed with the generic Cinderella story.  It is a very odd mixture.  There were some things that I thought were a little too creepy, and some things that almost made me smirk.  Still, this book was just a little to0 off for my tastes.  I would be wary of recommending it to young children.  The illustrations do their fair share of portraying the story and might frighten some kids.  

Book Review #759

Where Do Balloons Go by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was an interesting book.  The pictures were pretty bright and amusing.  I liked the concept of the book, but wasn't quite satisfied with the ending.  I would probably still recommend though.

Book Review #758

Secrets In The Hills by Kathleen Ernst

Rating: two stars (out of four)

A nice book.  I liked all the references to Spanish and Mexico, they gave the book a more real feel.  I thought Josefina was a little young to be contemplating her future so seriously, but I appreciated how close she was with her family.  I would probably recommend to fans of the Josefina series.

Book Review #757

Olivia Counts by Ian Falconer

Rating: three stars (out of four)

A crazily funny book told only in the voice that is Olivia.  This board book was cute and fun, I would recommend.

Book Review #756

Olivia's Opposites by Ian Falconer

Rating: three stars (out of four)

This a cute little book, told in Olivia's spunky style.  I enjoyed this short board book and would definitely recommend, it is highly amusing.

Book Review #755

A Thief In The Theater by Sarah Masters Buckey

Rating: two stars (out of four)

Kit is a take-charge sort of girl, who doesn't let setbacks easily overtake her.  I thought this book was fairly entertaining, and I was puzzled over who was the thief until they revealed it at the very end.  I would probably recommend for fans of the Kit series.

Book Review #754

The Light In the Cellar by Sarah Masters Buckey

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I thought this was a good juvenile mystery book.  The characters were pretty evenly fleshed out.  I was almost fooled when they put the decoy thief as the prime suspect.  I liked how it all wrapped up.  I would probably recommend if you were a fan of the American Girl series.

Book Review #753

That's Good! That's Bad! by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by David Catrow

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I actually really enjoyed the illustrations in this book.  Most of them were quite humorous and imaginative.  While the repeated lines in this story got a little old, I still thought it was interesting to see what situation the boy would wind up in next.  I would probably recommend. 

Book Review #752

Christopher: The Holy Giant by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a legend I had never heard before.  I appreciated that it was being passed on down to children, but I don't think I would put much stock in its claim.  Still, I enjoyed the pictures and would probably recommend.