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 #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.

Book Review #751

Once Around The Block by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Victoria Chess

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I liked the sentiment of this story a lot.  It was sweet.  But I was not the least bit impressed with the illustrations, they were kind of pathetic.  I'm not sure why Kevin just didn't illustrate this book himself.  I did like the ending though, it was pretty nice.  I might recommend.

Book Review #750

Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This is a fun book.  There are so many cool things to look at on each page, sometimes it is a little overwhelming.  Still, I enjoyed seeing the different moods and I would probably recommend.

Book Review #749

Bonjour, Mr. Satie by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a rather interesting tale.  I thought it was pretty entertaining and I liked the illustrations because of their bright colors and shapes.  I would recommend.

Book Review #748

Grandpa And Bo by Kevin Henkes

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I really enjoyed looking at the pictures in this book, they were so soft and peaceful.  The ending was really sweet, it made me smile.  I would recommend.

Book Review #747

The Cloud Book by Tomie dePaola

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This book was quite informative.  I liked how Tomie mixed fun with education to give youngsters a book they would like and get some interesting tidbits out of as well.  I would recommend.

Book Review #746

Thump, Quack, Moo by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin

Rating: three stars (out of four)

The crazy scheming Duck is up to no good again.  I liked how the farmer interacted with the animals, it always cracks me up to see what sort of trouble they will get into.  The illustrations are fun.  The ending was pretty comical, though I felt a little sorry for the farmer.  I would recommend.

Book Review #745

Old Bear by Kevin Henkes

Rating: four stars (out of four)

I absolutely loved the illustrations for this book!  They were gorgeous!  I loved how Kevin blended different shades of the same color to make a lovely scene.  The story was fairly simple, but it was still pretty sweet.  I would definitely recommend.

Book Review #744

Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes

Rating: three stars (out of four)

Lilly never ceases to amuse me with her strange ideas and kooky outfits.  This book was no less amusing.  I especially liked the climax of the story, which called upon Lilly to think up the perfect solution.  I was very impressed with how she handled it and I broke out into a smile when I figured out what she was going to do.  I would recommend.

Book Review #743

Matthew's Dream by Leo Lionni

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I think my favorite part of this book was all the mice artwork.  The story was pretty simple, but still fairly enjoyable.  I would recommend if you were already a fan of Leo Lionni.

Book Review #742

It's Hard To Be Five by Jamie Lee Curtis, Illustrated by Laura Cornell

Rating: two stars (out of four)

One of the lines in this book actually made me laugh out loud.  I thought this was a fun tale, if not amusing at points.  The pictures were outrageously detailed, I had a hard time tearing myself away from the illustrations to read the words on the page.  I would recommend.

Book Review #741 

I'm Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a nice book with a good message.  The kids were pretty cute, and hard to dislike.  the illustrations were colorful and imaginative, there was always something that caught my eye.  I would recommend.

Book Review #740

Tell Me Again About The Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis, illustrated by Laura Cornell

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This book was cute.  I liked the way it was written from the perspective of a child who had the complete story memorized.  The pictures were very detailed and there was so much to look at on each page.  I would recommend.

Book Review #739

Pictures From Our Vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins

Rating: two stars (out of four)

The sentiment of this book was really nice and it kind of reminded me of vacations I had taken when I was a child.  Sometimes the pictures were a little confusing because there was so much to look at, but generally I enjoyed every page.  The story was sweet, I would recommend.

Book Review #738

A Busy Year by Leo Lionni

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a sweet story about the relationship between two mice and a talking tree.  I liked the illustrations, they were cute and the tree was especially lovely.  It was also kind of cool to see the year go by month by month.  I would probably recommend.

Book Review #737

The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a weird, but fun tale.  I liked how the crocodile devised "clever" tricks to fool the little children.  Some of his disguises were pretty funny.  I loved the illustrations by Quentin Blake, they were perfect for the story.  I would recommend.

Book Review #736

Samantha's Special Talent by Sarah Masters Buckey

Rating: two stars (out of four)

This was a fairly good book.  I didn't see the end coming, and that was a plus.  The story was pretty sweet and kept a good pace - I was never bored while reading.  I would probably recommend if you were a fan of the American Girl series.

Book Review #735

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney

Rating: three stars (out of four)

The little llama is back!  And this time he has to get ready for school.  Will he survive?  You bet he will!  But not without some llama drama.  This book was almost as enjoyable as the first in this series (llama llama red pajama) and I enjoyed looking at the pictures, especially the facial expressions of the little llama and his classmates.  I would definitely recommend, especially if you were a fan of llamas.

Book Review #734

A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

Rating: three stars (out of four)

This was a very intriguing book.  I had seen it several places before I finally decided that I would read it.  The cover has always fascinated me.  I really liked the concept, I had never heard of it before and seeing the way the author described things was pretty amazing.  She used a good amount of descriptive ways without making it sound repetitious.  There were a couple parts in the story that I felt were a little unrealistic, but they were easy to brush aside.  A couple times in the story I was banging my head (mentally) going, "come on man, don't do that..." to the main character, because I could see where she might end up and I wanted her to survive.  A note to readers, this book did make me cry, so if you cry easily (like me) and don't want to look like a freak while in public, read this book at home.  I would recommend. 

Book Review #733

It's Like This, Cat by Emily Neville, illustrated by Emil Weiss

Rating: two stars (out of four)

I thought this book did a good job of portraying everyday life (when it was published) and I was actually interested in what the boy was doing.  I liked the main character Dave, even though there were times I was going, "boy, what are you doing?"  The cat was an interesting character, I'm not sure that it really tied things together all that well, but I know it was supposed to.  The illustrations were nice, but nothing amazing.  The ending was a little abrupt, and I kind of wished that it had had more closure.  There was one part in the story that was especially painful, and I almost wished that it had been left out, because it was sad.  I'm not sure why this book won the Newbery Medal, it definitely wasn't an astounding story or anything.  I might recommend.