Posted on by Maureen

Favorite Tales of Monsters and Trolls by George Jonsen

61datycw4glI have been spending time every night with my oldest daughter reading middle grade ARCs that I receive. I don’t want my twins to feel left out, so I have started reading Best Book Club Ever books with them every night.

Last night, my twins chose Favorite Tales of Monsters and Trolls. This was my husband’s book when he was a child, and I remember reading this one as well. This book was first published in 1977, and was adapted by George Jonsen and illustrated by John O’Brien.

Favorite Tales of Monsters and Trolls includes three folktales. Each of the stories is rather short, so the entire book can read in one sitting.

The first story is The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Three billy goat brothers are having a problem with a troll who lives under a bridge. They want to cross over to a greener pasture, but are blocked by a troll. As the first two goats cross, they tell the troll to wait for his older brother. When the biggest goat crosses, will he be scared by the troll or will he do what goats do best? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas

51mbtye2ydlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved books set in 19th century England, so I was very excited to read These Vicious Masks. This young adult novel is a collaboration between debut authors Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas.

Evelyn Wyndham is a bright and lively young woman. One evening, she attends a party at a neighboring estate with her family. On the way, they see something quite extraordinary, and then at the party, they are introduced to their host’s brooding nephew Sebastian. The next morning, Evelyn’s sister Rose is missing from her bedroom. It appears that she left in a hurry, and perhaps under duress. Read more

Posted on by Maureen · 1 Comment

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

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I have always loved Julia Quinn’s books. She is, without a doubt, my favorite historical romance author. I used to eagerly await her newest book every year, starting when I was in college. My family grew quicker than I anticipated (twins will do that to you), and there was a period of time when I didn’t have as much time for personal reading. As a result, I missed out on some of Julia Quinn’s books. I have been enjoying rediscovering old favorites, as well as introducing myself to some of the books I have missed out on.

I honestly can’t remember if I read Just Like Heaven when it originally came out in 2011.  At that point,  I had two 1 year olds and a 3 year old- I don’t remember much of anything! I have a paperback copy, but I purchased the Audible edition when it was on sale. I’ve been listening to it when I go on walks around the neighborhood. It took me a month to get through; we’ve had some unseasonably warm days, but we’ve also had a couple of snowstorms.

Just Like Heaven is the first book in the Smythe-Smith quartet. Fans of Julia Quinn might recognize the Smythe-Smiths as the family who hosts annual musicales featuring infamously dreadful girls doing great injustice to classical music. The makeup of the performers has changed over the last twenty years, as members get married and resign their place on stage in favor of a younger sister or cousin. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

517s2u8g0ilI first found out about Rebel Mechanics on Goodreads, and I made a request through the library network. It was available in a digital edition, which was just great- three cheers for instant gratification!

Rebel Mechanics is a YA novel written by Shanna Swendson. This is a work of historical fiction, and takes place in an alternate New York City in 1888. In this world, America did not win the Revolutionary War, and is still a British colony. The aristocracy -magisters- use magic, which is forbidden to everyone else. The working classes are developing illegal mechanical devices to overthrow the colonial government.   Read more

Posted on by Maureen · 1 Comment

Snappsy The Alligator by Julie Falatko

51bafim87hlI saw some tweets about Snappsy The Alligator, and immediately knew that my girls would love this book. I made a request through my library network, and was amazed when the book arrived at my town library only two days later.

Snappsy The Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!) is a picture book written by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Tim Miller.

The premise is rather clever: as the narrator describes what Snappsy is doing, the alligator breaks the fourth wall to address the narrator directly. He is annoyed by the narrator’s descriptions, and he does not like being followed around. Snappsy even ends up changing his plans because he knows he is being watched! Can Snappsy and the narrator resolve their feud before the end of the book? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Happy Birthday Oliver by Pierre Le-Tan

816phpyvpmlMy oldest daughter helps me with reading and reviewing middle grade books, and I wanted to be able to include my twins in my reading and blogging. They are strong readers, and they read independently every night, but I want to be able to read with them.

I have decided to start with the Best Book Club Ever Books. Do you remember them? They were published in the late 1970s-early 1980s. I’m not sure where they came from- maybe the grocery store? I remember loving them when I was a child, and my husband had all the books too. When my oldest daughter was much smaller, my in-laws brought us a box full of them. They had been languishing in the attic (the books, not my in-laws) for years, but they were in perfect condition.

The first book that I chose to read to my twins was Happy Birthday Oliver. This picture book, written by Pierre Le-Tan, was originally published in 1978. This is the story of an anthropomorphic dog named Oliver, who is very excited about his upcoming birthday. But when he wakes up on the big day, his parents don’t acknowledge his birthday. He mopes around so despondently that he gets a pity present from his teacher: a beautiful peacock feather. Did everyone really forget his birthday or is there a surprise waiting for him at home? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn by Sam Gayton

51-cr4ri2tlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have a daughter who is eight years old. She is a voracious reader, so when I receive the opportunity to read a middle grade book, I often read it with her. We have discovered some lovely stories together, and it’s nice to be able to spend time with her one-on-one.

As soon as I saw The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn, I had a feeling that my daughter would like it. This book was originally published in England under the title The Snow Merchant, and it was written by Sam Gayton.

Lettie Peppercorn is only twelve years old, but she is a formidable landlady in the town of Albion. Her Da is often at the local tavern, and her mother left over ten years ago. When a mysterious alchemist arrives with an incredible invention called “snow”, Lettie’s life changes forever. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson

91n6e8w3rvlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My daughters and I love to read together. I hadn’t seen very many picture books on Netgalley recently, so I was very excited when I received the opportunity to read several around the same time.

Too Many Carrots was written and illustrated by Katy Hudson. The story begins by introducing the reader to Rabbit, who has outgrown his burrow. The problem is that he has too many carrots, and there is no room left for anything else. So, instead of downsizing the carrot collection, he sets out for greener pastures. Rabbit tries to move in with Tortoise- cramming himself into Tortoise’s shell. That doesn’t work out very well, and Rabbit and Tortoise must seek shelter elsewhere. I don’t want to give too much away, but needless to say, we are introduced to a variety of animals, and their living situations. Rabbit is not a very good houseguest, and he needs to make amends for the havoc he has caused. There’s just one problem- Rabbit really loves his carrot collection. Are the carrots more important than his friendships? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Of Better Blood by Susan Moger

51kh9wdtaylI received a copy of this book from Albert Whitman & Company/Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy reading young adult historical fiction, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read Of Better Blood. Author Susan Moger has written several educational books and teaching materials, but this is her first novel.

Rowan Collier comes from a “good” family. She lives with her father and older sister in relative affluence, but that all changes when she contracts polio at the age of 11.   Five years later, Rowan has regained the strength in her paralyzed leg, and she can walk with a cane. She never returned home after her diagnosis, and has spent all that time living in various hospitals. When the story begins, she is spending the summer in the most humiliating way: playing the role of the “crippled” daughter in a traveling production about Fitter Families sponsored by a eugenics council. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

I Am A Droid by Christopher Nicholas

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My girls are fans of Star Wars. One of my six-year-old twins is a Star Wars superfan. I purchased the collection of six Star Wars Little Golden books on Amazon, so when I found I Am A Droid at my town library, I knew my daughter would enjoy it.

I Am A Droid is a book about the droids in the Star Wars universe. The language used is simple “Some droids are small. Some droids are big. Some droids walk… some droids roll.” The book goes into slightly more detail in explaining things like the difference between an astromech droid and a protocol droid. There’s not really much of a plot; it’s an explanatory book that reads like nonfiction. Read more