Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka, illustrations by Francesco Sedita

It's the first day at a new school for Michael K. when he is put into a group two very strange kids.  One had eaten half his pencil, the other told him they were from another planet.

Um-kay.

Michael K. just wants to get away from them, but throughout the day the two stick by his side, tell him all about SPCHDZ and why they need to recruit 3.14 million people or else the planet will be turned off.

What's up with these kids?  Could they really be aliens from outer space?

What I Thought:
Oh, Jon Scieszka.  Just when I think I can't enjoy your work any more, you come out with a gem like this!  It's a fun, and wacky book that I have no doubt that many kids will eat up and ask for more. 

One of my favorite sections of this book is the chapter where the hamster tries to explain what's happening....in hamster.

A fantastic book that you don't want to miss!

Highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check out Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka, illustrations by Francesco Sedita.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Book two is out now!  I can't wait to read that!

Crunch by Leslie Connor

It's crunchtime and Dewey Marris is right in the middle.  There is a gas shortage and with his parents stranded hours away, it is up to him and his siblings to keep life running as smoothly as possible for his 5 year old twin brother and sister.  While his older sister keeps the home running, Dewey keeps the family's bicycle repair business, the Marriss Bike Barn, going.

Since there is no fuel available Dewey and his brother Vince are busy with the booming business.  While the duo try hard not to become overwhelmed, when parts go missing and it appears they are being robbed a little at a time, the kids make hard decisions.  

What I Thought:
An entertaining read!  It didn't take long for me to get involved in Dewey's story, Connor did a great job peaking my interest in the first pages.  I was interested in how the family would function during the gas shortage and while mom & dad were stranded hours away. 

This book also made me wonder what I would do if a gas shortage like this ever happened.  (I wasn't around for the one in the 1970's.)  In this book, people are riding their bicycles down the highway, which is an interesting concept. 

Overall, a good book with some interesting characters. 

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Crunch by Leslie Connor.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile

Bink and Gollie are best friends, but two very different personalities!  Both love fun and through three short stories and illustrations we get a glimpse of life with this pair. 


What I Thought:
This is a keeper!  What a fun book.  It's a collection of three short cohesive stories that are simply wonderful and Fucile's illustrations take them to the next level!  He did an exemplary job portraying Bink and Gollie's different personalities in the perfect way.

My favorite story was the second one where Gollie went on an adventure to the Andes mountains...through a book!  When she reached the top, Bink joined her for a sandwich snack.

I really hope that we see more of Bink and Gollie in the near future.

Very highly recommended...I promise you will love it! 

(Edited to add...) This book is the 2011 Geisert Medal Award winner. 

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile.

Reviewed from a library copy.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams

It's the summer of 1968 and three sisters, Delphine, Vonetta and Fern, are off to Oakland California from Brooklyn New York to visit their mother who abandoned them many years ago.  The girls are excited about visiting California and have grand ideas of all sorts of adventures.  They are also anxious about seeing the mother that left them so many years ago.

How surprised they are when the mother they meet is not the one they imagined...one who would dote on them and care for them as most mothers would, but instead the complete opposite!  Their mother shows up late to the airport, doesn't ever cook for them , doesn't give hugs, and won't even refer to Fern by her name!

The girls are send to eat breakfast at a local center run by the Black Panthers and then stay for their summer camp. 

It's an interesting summer for sure, and one that will change their lives forever.

What I Thought:
This book is getting lots of Newbery buzz, so I wanted to check it out!  And wow, it's a great read!  I enjoyed the voice of Delphine and at times wanted to reach out and give her a big old hug!  Delphine has had to serve as a mother figure to her sisters for years, and she is understandably angry when her mother shows no interest of stepping into that role.  Throughout the book we grasp a better sense  of what makes their mother "tick" and wonder if they will ever come to an understanding.

The cultural and historical aspect of this book is wonderful.  Personally, I do not know much about the Black Panthers and that movement, and this book has peaked my interest in this time of history.  What a great book to include as a supplement to any unit about the 1960's!

This is a wonderful book, and I would not be surprised if it had a shiny Newbery medal attached to its cover soon!

Very highly recommended. 

(Edited to add...) This book is the 2011 Coretta Scott King Author Medal winner and a 2011 Newbery Honor winner. 

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Bobby the Brave (Sometimes) by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat

In this second installment of books about young Bobby Ellis-Chan.  Bobby is a fourth grader with a working mom, a stay at home dad/former professional football star, a little sister who is obsessed with princesses, and an older sister who is the starting quarterback for her high school team.  Bobby is feeling a little un-special these days.

When he overhears part of conversation between his dad and older sister, he feels even worse.  Could his father really think they aren't alike at all?  Especially since he is not great at football, and really doesn't care for the sport anyway.  Bobby would much rather be learning tricks on his skateboard.

Bobby is excited to land the part of Sandy the dog in his class performance of the musical "Annie."  But when an asthma attack interrupts the performance and his dad rushes to the rescue, Bobby is even more embarrassed.  Will Bobby be brave and tell his dad how he feels?

What I Thought
Oh, I love Bobby!  In his first book, Bobby takes on the girls, and in this book he takes on himself!  I love how Bobby feels kind of unappreciated and unsure of himself throughout this book, only to find out he isn't the only one that feels unsure. 

I also really appreciate about this book is the strong family unit with the stay at home dad.  With this becoming more common, I am glad to see some children's literature with this family dynamic.

Bobby suffers from asthma attacks, and this book includes a great explanation on what asthma is and how it feels like to have an attack.

A fantastic story, and I'm looking forward to the next book about Bobby!

Highly Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Bobby the Brave (Sometimes) by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat.

Reviewed from a library copy.

(You can check out my review of the first book about Bobby, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) here.)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney

In the fifth installment of Greg Heffley's diary...er, journal...Greg encounters that middle school rite of passage we all look back at with a grimace and a smile...PUBERTY.

That's right, this year during Health class the boys are separated from the girls for part of the class where they are lectured about hygiene, and later in the year they are given the task to take care of an egg "baby" overnight.  (Which is almost successful for our pal Greg.) 

In true Diary of a Wimpy Kid fashion, Greg manages to find himself in a few situations that he finds super embarrassing, and experiences some new things....like his first lock-in!

On top of that, Greg is lectured about being responsible at home and when his mom decides to take some college classes, those responsibilities are piled on even more.

Why can't things just stay the same?

Greg comes to realize that growing up...it's the ugly truth. 

What I Thought: 
Oh, Greg.  How I find you absolutely adorable. 

And all BOY. 

Being a girl, but growing up with a brother, I have an appreciation of these books because I SEE middle school boys in this book.  They will LOVE it!

And though I imagine a good bit of this book is lost on me (though I LOVE it), there are millions of kids out there that will gobble this book up.  And rightly so. 

Very highly recommended.  I'm ready for book six, because I just can't get enough!

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney.

Reviewed from a library copy.

See my other Diary of a Wimpy Kid reviews here:

Dog Days

Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin

When Oogy was four months young, he was used as bait for a fight dog.  The outcome of that horrid event is evident on the cover of this book...a good portion of Oogy's face was ripped off including his left ear.  By a miracle, Oogy was found by police and taken to the Ardmore Animal Hospital where in a number of events, equally as miraculous, he ended up with the Levin family.

One would think that Oogy would be a damaged dog with lots of anger and resentment towards humans.  Just the opposite!  Oogy has nothing but love and adoration of not only his family, but every person he encounters.

Levin shares story after story of not how his family provided refuge for Oogy, but how Oogy provides so much love for his family.

What I Thought:
When I saw this book on the new shelf at my library, I couldn't bear to pass it up.  Oogy's sweet face was so intriguing and within the first pages I was entranced by his spirit.

This is a story of survival, acceptance, inspiration and unconditional love.   It will make you angry to hear about what Oogy was put through at such a young age.  You'll laugh at his antics.  You'll fall in love with his spirit, and with the Levin family! 

This is a dog I'd love to meet!

Dog lover or no...you'll love this book! 

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin.

Reviewed from a library copy.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff

This is the story of an American writer living in New York and a used bookstore in England.   What started out as business transaction as Helen Hanff was looking for antique books in good condition blossomed over twenty years into a fantastic friendship.

What I Thought:
First, the story behind how I came to read this book.  While having a blast at the Southern Festival of Books with my dad, he ran into an old friend and they started chatting.  He is an avid book lover and enjoys sharing his passion with others, including mailing boxes of books to various small libraries across the country who most likely have very limited budgets.  When he found out I was a librarian, he insisted that I must read this book.  Not only insist...he mailed me a copy along with a sealed envelope  instructions that I couldn't open until I finished the book.  The envelope contained a very nice letter and a recording of a Helen Hanff NPR tribute in 1997.   Many thanks to my new book friend for this wonderful book!

So, the book.  Honestly...this is a book that probably would have never picked up on my own.  Which would have been a shame, because it is a wonderful memoir!  The book is letters that are written between Helen and her friends regarding the bookstore.   It's fun to see the formality of the first letters, then as the years go by the mood lightens and the correspondence grows to more friends of whom she has never met!

If you've never read this book, it's a quick read that is simply delightful!  I encourage you to pick it up and give it a read.

Very highly recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: 84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff.

Reviewed from a personal copy.

Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America's Cheapest Family by Steve & Annette Economides

The Economides family shares their tips and procedures for saving money in the grocery department.  This family, dubbed as "America's Cheapest Family" has fed their family of seven on $350 a month for years.

Impossible?  This family lay out step by step plans proving that anyone can do the same!  The book covers topics such as how to plan your grocery shopping and tips for stretching that dollar at the store by seeking out the deals, organizing your kitchen, using coupons, cooking in bulk, planting a garden, recipes, and even a bonus section for singles and empty-nesters.


What I Thought:

My husband and I have recently started eating more at home and being conscious of our shopping habits, both for health and budgetary reasons.  This book peaked my interest, and I found it to be very helpful!

The authors are very aware that their lifestyle is not the norm in our society, and that it took them a long time to build up to the efficiency that they now enjoy.  In their book, they are nothing but encouraging and understanding that what they do may not be for everyone!  With that in mind, I especially appreciated the tips at the end of each chapter written specifically for people with various skill levels in mind:  tips for those just beginning, those who have been doing it for some time, and those who have been doing it for a long time and are ready for a further challenge.

I especially enjoyed the chapters about once a month shopping and cooking and kitchen organization.  These are concepts that I hope to incorporate into our lives, but perhaps and a smaller scale.  (Especially since we don't have children!)

This is a great book for those who are looking to save both time and money in the kitchen!

Recommended. 

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America's Cheapest Family by Steve & Annette Economides

Reviewed from a copy provided by the Thomas Nelson Publisher Book Review Bloggers program.  This book will make the rounds among family and friends and kept in my personal library for future reference.

Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker

Clementine is excited!  Her name was chosen for Friend of the Week at her school!  She rushes home to share the news with her family and best friend Margaret!  Her family was very excited, but Margaret didn't exhibit the same amount of enthusiasm.  (But if you know Margaret, this isn't that surprising.)

There are other exciting things happening too!  The third and fourth graders are having a bicycle ride on Saturday and Clementine is so excited to decorate her bike with the decorations her father uses to decorate the apartment building....that is until something important gets lost!


What I Thought:
I love Clementine!  This is another great installment in this series by Sara Pennypacker.   Clementine experiences some of the not-so-fun things about growing up...fighting with friends, losing something important to her, and the excitement of being chosen as the "friend of the week' and getting to share exciting things with her class! 

It's encouraging to see Clementine's family there to support her and help her along life's path.  This is a great book to give to kids...I think they would love it! 

Highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Clementine, Friend of the Week by Sara Pennypacker.

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Jackson, Mississippi...1960's.   The Civil Rights movement is in full swing, but Jackson is not buying into the action.  There is still a very strong divide between the people that grips society to the utmost degree.

Meet Aibileen: a maid to a young white family and has raised 17 children...and lost her own in a tragic event.  As she goes to work everyday, to clean after the family, raise their young, and whatever else they see fit Aibileen grows more frustrated at the injustices.  But...she can't do anything about it.  Can she?

Meet Minnie: a strong willed family woman who sometimes lets her mouth get her into trouble.  After being fired for something that she didn't do, she wonders if she will every find another job.  She's tired of it all...what can she do?

Meet Miss Skeeter: a young socialite with a journalism degree from Ole Miss and a desire to become a writer.  She misses Constantine, the maid who practically raised her and was one of her closest friends.  While visiting friends, she begins to see how their help is treated and also seeks the truth about Constantine.  She decides to write a book telling the stories of many of the maids around Jackson, a very dangerous thing for both the maids participating and Miss Skeeter.

There's a lot to lose, but everything to gain.

What I Thought: 
Wow.   I have read several excellent books lately, and this is definitely one of them!  Stockett is an unbelievable story teller.  Through the voices of Aibeleen, Minny, and Miss Skeeter, Stockett gives a clear view of life for high society in 1960 Jackson Mississippi and the African American woman who worked for them.

Readers will get a clear sense of what it is like the women who work for the white families: the interesting love/despise relationship, how the ladies come to adore the children and it is made obvious the feelings are reciprocated; the embarrassment about being called "dirty" or being forced to use a separate facility...it all seems crazy in 2010.    But we all know these things happened every day.

Readers will also cheer for characters who see that this behavior is wrong, and take a stand to make it right...at great costs. 

This is a fantastic novel, entertaining, enlightening, and perhaps most of all...a reminder of past attitudes that should never again resurface.

Very highly recommended. 

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon:  The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff

It's World War II and Meggie's family is making sacrifices.  Her brother is serving overseas and her family has made the decision to move to Willow Run Michigan so her father can work in a factory that makes B-24 bombers for the war effort.

While they are happy to be helping the war effort, it is difficult to leave their home in Rockaway and the beach to move to a large city and live in a large apartment building with thousands of other factory workers.  What's worse is they are leaving behind their grandfather and close friends.

Life in Willow Run is different.  There are lots of people and the living arrangements are very tight.  Meggie quickly makes friends and discovers what life holds during war times.

What I Thought:
I thought this is a great narrative on what it was like for children living during World War II and helping with the stateside war effort.  This book is the companion to Giff's novel Lily's Crossing where Lily (Meggie's best friend) copes with the war from her home in Rockaway.  I enjoyed reading about this time period from two girls with similar background, but different experiences with the war effort.

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff.

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

Can an origami Yoda puppet really predict the future?  This is what the sixth graders at McQuarrie Middle School want to know.

It all started with Dwight, a rather odd student who created the origami Yoda.  He often just wore it on his finger, but one night at the PTA Night of Fun Yoda made his first prediction.  And it came true!

Time after time, when Yoda was was asked a question, his prophecy came true.  Could it be a fluke, or is Yoda (via Dwight) up to something??

What I Thought:
This is an interesting book.  I love the whole concept of the origami Yoda and how the book is set up as case files with many different students telling their experience with origami Yoda in their own words and commentary from Tommy who started the case file and Harvey who is a die-hard non-believer.

Complete with middle school romance and awkwardness (remember those school dances?) and other shenanigans, this book is great for the middle school crowd. 

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger.

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1 by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson can't seem to stay out of trouble.  He's about to be kicked out of another boarding school, where some events seem just....odd.

Upon returning home for the summer, he and his mother take off for a relaxing weekend when it takes an unbelievable turn causing Percy to battle against a monster and then running for refuge at a summer camp.

A camp for kids who are half-bloods...on half human, one half Greek god.

Percy is a wanted kid already, and is sent on a quest to prevent a war between the gods!   His time is limited, he is still figuring out his new life...will he succeed?


What I Thought: 
I'm very late to the Percy Jackson party, but glad I joined.  It's not one of my favorite series out there, and it did take me a while to get hooked into the story line but once I did I had to finish the book!  I'll eventually pick up book 2, but I'll have to wait for the title to go off the holds list!

Anyway, this book made me want to freshen up my Greek mythology knowledge.  I was pretty confused throughout the first part of the story trying to figure out what god did what and went with who.  However, by the end I felt pretty caught up, though I still think I should really do some brushing up before I move ahead in the series.

This is a super fun book that has all the elements that kids want...super kid hero, action...the works!

If your favorite tween hasn't read it yet...head on down to your local library and check it out!  I'm looking forward to reading book two, and check out the movie of this book.

Highly recommended!

Want to see more?   Check it out on Amazon: The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1 by Rick Riordan.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

In this memoir, Justin looks back on many of the conversations he and his dad have shared over the years. 

What I Thought: 
HILARIOUS!

My husband follows Justin's twitter feed and has literally laughed until tears ran down his face.  When this book arrived at the library last week, I couldn't wait to bring it home so we could read it.  My sweet hubby let me read it first!  He got so tired of me trying to read some of the funny quotes to him aloud (I was laughing so hard that I couldn't get the whole phrase out in one breath) that he kindly requested that I not share...he just would read it himself.  :)

It's obvious by the title that this is not a kids book!  If you're easily offended by language this is NOT the book for you.  But if you're looking for a book that will make you laugh, this is it.  Justin's dad definitely shares what he thinks, and doesn't sugarcoat those thoughts with anything.  But through all the crazy conversations and quotes, it is very obvious that Mr. Halpern loves his family and only wants to see his children grow up to be great human beings.

As briefly mentioned, this book came from a twitter feed that is wildly popular...and in the fall CBS will have a show by the same name featuring William Shatner.   I'm interested to see how it turns out!  (And quite interested to see how they tone down the language.)

Recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells, illustrated by P.J. Lynch

This is a collection of stories about Abraham Lincoln told from two of his sons, Willie and Tad.  In the first section, Willie recalls a trip to Chicago with his father, the lawyer.  The boys know that something big is about to happen, and Tad's father confides in him that he is about to run for President.  Tad's account of the trip is done in great fondness as he recalls many details of the trip: the train ride, waiting for his father at the courthouse while he works, meals together, and going to see entertainment.

In the second section, Willie narrates the experience of their family traveling to Washington DC after their father was elected President of the United States.  It is is an unstable time in America as war between the Northern States and Southern States is about to break loose.  The boys remember their father being carted off by the Secret Service, visiting their father in the Oval Office (much to the chagrin of his Cabinet...but they know their father loves the interruption....and playing in the White House with the Taft boys. 


In the third section, Tad recalls the painful experience of his brother's death and the effects that has on his family, and spending lots of time with his father as the war continues.  Tad sees the incredible toil the war has caused on his father, and he looks forward to returning to Springfield.  When the war finally does end, he observes his father celebrate victory in a most conservative and reluctant way and looks forward to returning home.


What I Thought: 
I adore stories about good ol' Abe and this one is no exception.  I loved how this book is narrated by Lincoln's sons, and it is quite obvious that the boys adored their father and the feeling was mutual.


I can never get enough stories of fathers who are just plain awesome. 


In the Author's Note, Wells talks about her research and how Lincoln may be one of the most documented personal histories as so many people left memoirs regarding this man and his family.  While this work is technically fiction, she points out that "The incidents in this story...are grounded in historical fact.  No detail was imagined or invented except the dialogue and the circumstances in which it took place." 


I love that Wells did so much research for this story and the result between that and her storytelling is that the reader feels connected to the whole Lincoln family, through the good times, and the bad.


Oh, and Lynch's illustrations are simply gorgeous.  Amazing. 


This is a wonderful book for those who enjoy Lincoln!  What a great short read-aloud for a class who is studying this president and it would give an exciting different perspective from the textbook. 


Very highly recommended. 


Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells, illustrated by P.J. Lynch.

Reviewed from a library copy. 

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell

Could you imagine spending your summer living just like the frontier people of 1890 did?  Instead of spending your summer at soccer camp, or at the mall, at the pool...you spend two months milking cows, mucking stalls, tending to the garden and crops, cooking over a wood stove and washing the laundry by hand.  Oh, and don't forget the lack of indoor plumbing and running water. That's right...outhouses.

That's just what Gen experienced when her mother signed her family up for this frontier camp...where they lived just as they did during the 1890's.  This was the time Laura Ignalls Wilder was living that we experienced in her book Little House on the Prairie.

Upon arrival to the camp the "campers" are instructed to change clothes into the typical 1890 fashion and relinquish any item that was not time period appropriate.  Including cell phones, iPods...everything.  Gen manages to talk her way into keeping her facial soap...but in the box was actually her brand new cell phone.

Life is hard in the 1890's.  Their mom is learning how to cook using only a wood stove and the very basic staple items.  For days they ate corn grits and beans.  (Blech.)  Her dad must learn to tend to the corn crop while Gen and her brother figure out how to help around the frontier house, take care of chickens, and help their parents with the jobs of the farm.

Gen manages to stay somewhat sane by texting her friends back in the "real world" telling them all about her experiences and the other kids there, including Caleb the really cute guy and Nora who lives here all the time as her family runs the camp.  Even though they may be living in conditions like the 1890's, the drama that surrounds teens is exactly the same. 

When Gen's friend starts a blog with all of her texts, things get crazy.  And Gen doesn't even know!  Will Gen and her family survive? 

What I Thought: 
This book has such an interesting concept, I literally couldn't put it down!  I LOVE the Little House books and always thought it would be cool to live in that era.  But wow!  The work that entails living this life....we are definitely spoiled rotten living now in 2010!

Gen's family dynamic definitely changes throughout their experience.   I truly enjoyed "watching" them change...each of them.  The teenage drama keeps the book "real" and set in the current times.  Every good book has to have a little romance with drama mixed in right? 

Overall, a great book!  I think a lot of people, especially those into frontier historical fiction will enjoy this.

Highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Davitt Bell.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

  

Stanley was just a normal boy, until one morning he woke to find that his bulletin board had fallen off the wall during the night, flattening Stanley into a boy who was paper-thin!  

After many failed attempts to return him to normal size, it determined Stanley would have to keep his thin state.  At first it was very fun, Stanley could slide under doors, travel through the mail, be a kite...he even helped solve a mystery at the local art gallery.

But eventually Stanley doesn't like his thinness...people keep making fun of him!  Will he ever find a way to return to his original size?

What I Thought: 

Such a cute story...I can see why this story has been a favorite with generation after generation.   The thought of being one inch thick and the benefits that could entail are endless!  

The Flat Stanley story has been used in so many creative ways, probably the most familiar is creating your own Flat Stanley and mailing him all over the world with a request to track his adventures.  Or, creating your own and taking him on your own adventures keeping a journal of his fun journeys.  

There is a new series of Flat Stanley books featuring some of his adventures....you can check them out here: http://www.flatstanleybooks.com/.  

This is a super fun book and character that I hope will stick around for generations to come!

Very highly recommended.  

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

Bree Tanner is a brand new vampire living in Seattle.  She was created by she--that's all she knows.  Bree lives in a house with twenty+ other newborns with leader Riley who instructs the group on when they can go out and hunt.  They've been instructed to stay as low-key as possible to avoid being noticed.

Yeah, good luck with that.  The Seattle news is consistently reporting of unexplained deaths in the area, causing even more unsteadiness within the house.

Bree befriends another young vampire Diego and together they begin to put together the pieces that all they have been told is not what it seems.  When the duo overhears a conversation between "she," Riley and several "dark hooded figures," the understand that they have been created for a purpose...to fight.

If you've read Eclipse...you know the rest of the story, but through Bella's eyes.  Read this to discover the story through another fascinating point of view: the young vampire Bree Tanner.  Things may not be what it seems!

What I Thought:
What a fascinating novella!  Meyer has taken a character from her novel Eclipse and fleshed out her entire vampire life.  (Short as a life as it was.)

It makes one remember that there are truly two sides to every story. 

One thing I found interesting about this book was that there was no chapter breaks.  This novella is 175 pages long, and it's straight through.  And every bit of it is fluid!  The only reason I even missed the breaks was when I needed to stop reading to take care of other things, like cooking dinner.  I found it hard to find a stopping point.

Oh, how I miss the days when I could just read all day without stopping.  Sigh.

Anyway, if you are a Twilight fan you don't want to miss this book.  You can read if online for free at http://www.breetanner.com through July 5.  But if you purchase the book, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross.   Which is awesome! 

Highly recommended!

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer.

Reviewed from a personal copy.

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

Hollis Woods was abandoned as an infant in a little town named Hollis Woods.  The person who left her there pinned a note to her shirt instructing that her name be just that...Hollis Woods.  Hollis has been bounced around the foster care system for her entire life.  She has made it a habit to run away from these homes as well as skipping school and prides on being "trouble."

When really, all she truly wants is a family.

This book alternates between flashbacks of an almost perfect summer with a wonderful family in the mountains and the present when Hollis is placed with an older women, Josie who turns out to have some memory problems, but is a craftsman which is perfect for Hollis who is a very talented artist herself.

Hollis decides to stay at Josie's for a while but when the social worker informs Hollis she cannot stay with Josie because of her memory problems, Hollis talks Josie into running away.   They go to the cabin where she spent that wonderful summer in the mountains, but now it is winter and a harsh one at that!

As Hollis cares for Josie and tries to come to terms with her past, she learns a lot about herself.

What I Thought: 
A wonderful, well-written book.  I fell in love with Hollis Woods and so badly wanted her to get her dream...a family!  I loved how Giff alternated each chapter with a flashback allowing us to gain insight into her past while living her life with her in the present.   Hollis is a great girl who just has been let down by adults her whole life and has learned to fend for herself.  It's such a gift to see Hollis trust others and allow herself to become a part of a family unit! 

A super book...give to readers who love reading books about strong characters and happy endings.

Very highly recommended.

This book was the recipient of a 2003 Newbery Honor.  

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff.

In 2007, a Hallmark movie was premiered on CBS of this novel starring Jodelle Ferland as Hollis Woods,  Sissy Spacek as Josie, and Alfre Woodard as Enda Reilly--the social worker.  It was really a wonderful movie and though it has been several years since I saw it, I believe it was pretty parallel to the novel.   You can check it out here.