The Bravest Princess by E.D. Baker

The Bravest Princess by E.D. Baker. Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2014. 263p. (9781619631366) Series: Wide-Awake Princess, #3

I really enjoyed the first two books in the series, The Wide-AwakePrincess and Unlocking the Spell, but it’s been so long since I read them that I’ve forgotten the details of the story, including how Princess Annie and Prince Liam met. Which is rather important since they are engaged.

Goodreads Summary:

Sleeping Beauty's younger, non-magical sister, Annie, still can't rest while trouble in the [neighboring] kingdom threatens her good friend, Snow White. Snow White's evil stepmother has disappeared, and her father wants her married off right away--but who should she choose? How can she tell which prince is best? It's Annie and her good friend Liam to the rescue! A hilarious and and fantastical romp through a fairy tale landscape from beloved author E D Baker.

My Review:

The first 50-100 pages or so were a bit slow as the story focus mainly on Princess Gwendolyn’s wedding and then locking up Granny Bentbone who had been captured in the previous book (I assume). But once Annie and Liam got close to Snow White’s castle things got a lot more interesting.

The reason I enjoyed the first two books so much is the way so many fairytales were re-imagined and woven into the story. Sadly, that wasn’t the case with this one. Sure there were the several characters from different fairy tales but it lacked the creativity and charm of the previous books.

The adventure was interesting though and the reader is kept wondering where the wicked witch is hiding and who she might be disguised as. The 

Fairy tales very often have a simplistic and idealist view of love and marriage. I liked that the Snow White looked for more than a handsome face and a brave knight when choosing a prince. And that Annie and Liam were learning that love involves caring for the other more than oneself (and recognizing that in the other) and having the freedom to be themselves. Annie and Liam’s relationship was enjoyable and since this is a children’s book and the two are engaged there were a few times they kissed but that’s all that was said about it.

If you enjoy fairy tale retellings then you should read this series. If you enjoy children’s adventure and romance then this is also a book for you.

(View my rating system)

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($13.59 / $9.99); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($13.86 / $10.49); Buy it from an Independent Bookstore near you 

(Hardback / Ebook Prices good as of October 24, 2014 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this from the library (after purchasing it for the library). The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com or Independent Bookstores use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Early Islamic trade & Women's sufferage

Trade and commerce in the early Islamic world
by Allison Lassieur. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2012. 48 pg. ( 978-0778721796)
Series: Life in the Early Islamic World
Dewey: J381
Reading level: 6.7, Guided Reading: W
Interest level: 5-8th

Publisher Description:
This important book shows how trade and commerce spread with the conquests made by the early Islamic empires. Key topics explored include: transportation by caravans, ships, and boats; monetary systems; famous explorers and traders; interactions with the East and West; economical principles; and coinage.

My Review:
Lots of great maps, examples of Islamic artwork and photos. In addition to the topics mentioned in the publisher's description the book also covers various trade goods including a variety of luxury items and slaves. At the end are ten very short biographies of famous Muslim traders and explorers, there are also two timelines, glossary (no pronunciation guide), additional resources and index.

I think this would be a good resource for middle schoolers studying Middle Eastern history and learning about trade and commerce centuries ago. This is a series I will consider for my school's library.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

Image from Good-
reads, no cover
available online

Women's Right to Vote
edited by Paul A. Kobasa and others. World Book, 2011. 64 pg. (9780716615088)
Series:World Book's Documenting History
Dewey: 324.6
Interest level: 6th-12th

Publisher Description:
A history of the women's suffrage movement throughout the world, based on primary source documents and other historical artifacts. Features include period art works and photographs; excerpts from literary works, letters, speeches, broadcasts, and diaries; summary boxes; a timeline; maps; and a list of additional resources.

My Review:
A very information rich book about women's efforts to obtain the right to vote around the world. I really liked that the book wasn't only about the suffrage movement in America but included other countries around the world - mainly those in the former British Empire.

I fully expected to find this individual book for sale through Follet or a book retailer. Unfortunately that is not the case. It's a good resource for any middle school report on women's suffrage with lots of pictures, excerpts from letters and books, and at the end a timeline, sources, additional resources, and index.

Find it at a library near you; The only place online that I could find that sells it is World Book as part of a series.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Adams, Shackleton & Obama (Who was/is....? series)

 Who was Abigail Adams?
by True Kelley, illustrated by John O'Brien. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2014. 112 pg. (9780448478906)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J973.4
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
Abigail Adams was a strong woman far ahead of her time. She urged her husband, President John Adams, to "remember the ladies" and despite having no formal education herself, she later advocated for equal education in public schools for both boys and girls. She was also the first First Lady to live in the White House! This biography tells the story of Abigail Adams and her role in America's Revolutionary War period.

My Review:
I enjoyed this brief biography of this truly remarkable woman. It is an excellent introduction to her life and what she did while her husband was away serving the fledgling US government. At one time they didn't see each other for five years!

The sentences were short; easy for young readers. The pen and ink illustrations show the clothing, housing, tools and modes of transportation of the day. There are a few maps and several boxed inserts focusing on specific events or people in her lifetime. The careers of her husband, John Adams (2nd US president) and son, John Quincy Adams (6th US president) are also told about as they relate to her.

At the end is a timeline of her life and the world, a brief bibliography including books for young readers and a list of websites (only one didn't work) for further research.

Great for 3rd to 5th graders looking for a biography of an amazing woman from the American Revolution and the early years of American government.

4 stars

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes &Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($4.49); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)


Who Was Ernest Shackleton? 
by James Buckley Jr., Illustrated by Max Hergenrother. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2013. 112 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J919.89
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
As a boy he preferred reading sea stories to doing homework and, at age 16, became an apprentice seaman. Subsequently, Ernest Shackleton’s incredible journeys to the South Pole in the early 1900s made him one of the most famous explorers of modern times. His courage in the face of dangerous conditions and unforeseeable tragedies reveal the great leader that he was. His historic 1914 journey aboard the Endurance has all the drama of an action movie.

My Review:
I quite enjoyed learning more about this explorer of the freezing cold. This book was more interesting to me than the Abigail Adams book since I knew (in the recesses of my mind) most of her story and Shackleton's story was for the most part a new bit of history to me.

The writing is simple and engaging. Kids will enjoy his adventures living in a boat and on ice for months on end. The illustrations are very well done and really enhance the text.

At the end of the book are two timelines, one of his life and one of world events. There is a bibliography that includes several websites. Nothing listed is specifically geared toward children but students 5th grade and up should find the websites interesting and informative.

4 stars

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($4.49); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)

Who Is Barack Obama? 
by Roberta Edwards, Illustrations by Nancy Harrison and John O'Brien. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2009. 112 pg. (9780448453309)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J973.932
Reading level: 4.9
Interest level: 3rd-6th gr

Publisher Description:
As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as [the] first African-American president [of the United States of America]. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the author's bestselling beginning reader Barack Obama: United States President.

My Review:
All but the last three chapters are apolitical (for the most part). At that point the story reaches his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, his run for US Senate and then of course his US presidential campaign. Since the book was published in 2009 there is no mention of his presidency, but that is for the best since it takes a while before the big picture can be seen and he's currently the president.

I enjoyed learning more about Obama's childhood and college years. The book doesn't go into very much detail, but it highlights the main events and tells about the many places he grew up. Kids would find this a great source for a biography book report or for a project on the president.

The Civil Rights Movement is mentioned but simplified and misrepresented to the point that it strongly implies no African-Americans had the right to vote until the 1960s. Which of course is false and misleading since African-Americans had been voting for almost 100 years, though they had quite a bit of difficulty in some southern States. Hence the Civil Rights Movement.

As with all the books in this series there is a timeline of the person's life and a timeline of world/US events. There are five books listed in the bibliography - two are for young readers and two are Obama's own books. No websites were listed.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($2.29); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars

A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars. Holiday House, 2008. 176p. (978082341473) Series: Blossom Family, #4

I needed to read a book by an author whose name started with the letter B. And it had to be over 150 pages. And I had to be able to get and read it tonight. This book fit the bill. Unfortunately it was number four in a series so the jumping back and forth between characters was a bit confusing. Still engaging though.

Goodreads Summary:

The Blossom spirit endures as the family confronts the frailty of human life in Newbery Award-winning author Betsy Byars's fourth Blossom Family book. It's a time of ups and downs for the Blossoms. Maggie is thrilled to be the youngest member of the rodeo circuit...until she witnesses Mom kissing a handsome bull rider. Back at home, the family has weathered the worst flood in the state's history. Now Vern and his friend Michael can't wait to test their homemade raft down at Snake Creek, but they don't count on the creek's raging current. Hearing their screams, Pap lassos his old rodeo rope and runs to the rescue when suddenly a heart attack strikes. As Pap clings to life, the Blossoms must rely on the strength of their family and pull together as never before.

My Review:

Start with book one, things would make a lot more sense. The characters were all entertaining and seemed spot on for their ages. I could easily picture the kids doing and thinking exactly what the author had them doing and thinking.

The story did start a little slow and jumped from Junior to Vern to Maggie and then back again so it was a bit confusing. But I got used to it and the method works to tell what the three kids are up to on a fateful day in the Blossom family history.

Junior witnessed Pap’s heart attack and at first thinks Pap died before his very eyes. The author does a great job soothing Junior’s fears about the moment a person dies and at the same time teaches kids it isn’t terrible and also is a lesson to parents that they should talk to their kids about what happens and what is expected from the child when a grandparent is nearing death.

I’m going to look up book one, The Not-Just-Anybody Family, and if it’s anything like this one, I think it would make a good read aloud. The end of this edition has a reader’s guide, an interview with the author and several photos of her life.

4 stars as a children's book

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($5.38 / $6.26); Buy it from Barnes& Noble ($6.49 / $6.95); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

(Ebook / paperback prices good as of July 7, 2014; always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this as an ebook from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com or Independent Bookstores use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Multi-cultural Rice and Electricity

Everybody Cooks Rice
by Norah Dooley ; illustrations by Peter J. Thornton. Carolrhoda Books, 1991. 30 pg. (9780876145913, 0876145918)
Dewey: Fiction
Reading level: 4.4, Guided Reading: M, Fountas & Pinnell: M
Interest level: K-3rd

Publisher Description:
On her way to find her little brother for dinner, Carrie samples each family's dinner in her neighborhood. By the time she tracks down her brother, Carrie has discovered a world of rice dishes in her own backyard.

My Review:
I like this book. Carrie's neighbors are from Barbados, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, India, China, and Haiti while Carrie's great-grandmother came from Italy. Each family makes their rice dish a bit different. The author's introduce all the different dishes while telling a story familiar to any big sister - finding her brother.

Some of the words might be hard for early elementary kids to read for themselves but not to understand. I think it would make a good read aloud at school or at home. But especially at home since the recipes for all the different dishes are included at the back.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes &Noble; Buy it from ChristianBook; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you



The Shocking World of Electricity with Max Axiom, Super Scientist 
by Liam O'Donnell ; illustrated by Richard Dominguez and Charles Barnett III. Capstone Press, 2007. 32 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Max Axiom
Dewey: J537
Reading level: 4.8, Guided Reading: V, Fountas & Pinnell: V
Interest level: 5th-8th

Publisher Description:
Follows the adventures of Max Axiom as he explains the science behind electricity including how it is produced and how electricity is distributed. Written in graphic-novel format.

My Review:
The Max Axiom series does a good job in introducing different science topics to late elementary and middle school students. The story is engaging and the opening scene of Max getting shocked by a doorknob after shuffling on the carpet is something most kids can relate too.

Electrons, protons, neutrons, renewable energy, batteries, the electrical grid and saving energy are all addressed in this action backed book. At the end is a 'More About…' section, glossary, book suggestions, and internet sites (but first you have to go through Facthound.com, which has a curated list of links that should be accurate, age appropriate, and current).

An aspect that I especially like since I work at an international school in Africa is that the main character is not Caucasian. My library has four books in this series and I've already ordered this and several others for next school year.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from ChristianBooks; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com or Independent Bookstores use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Aztecs & Antarctica

As a school librarian I buy, skim and shelve a lot of non fiction for children and youth. One benefit to being in the States during the summer is that I can borrow stacks of books from the library to evaluate them for my school.

So I decided to start a (hopefully) regular feature focusing on elementary, middle school and high school non fiction. If anyone else is interested I could even figure out how to do a link up thingy (a very technical blogging term ;-)

I'd love feedback and opinions! How many books should I write about in each post? Should I group books by topic, by age range, by series, all or some of the previous?

You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice!: Gruesome Things You'd Rather Not Know (Revised Edition) 
by Fiona MacDonald, illustrated by David Antram. Franklin Watts (Imprint of Scholastic), 2013. 32 pg. (9780531271049)
Series: You wouldn't want to be...
Dewey: J972
Reading level: 5th grade and up
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
You are a young man of noble family in the Central Valley of Mexico. Your city is about to be visited by your overlords, the Aztecs: fearsome warriors who practice human sacrifice. Will you be one of their victims? This new extended edition includes a map and a timeline of the Aztec civilization, and a selection of chilling facts.

My Review:
This is from a fun series that ought to appeal to kids. However, the students at my school are more drawn to the topic than the fun illustrations. We don't have this book but we do have the Pony Express one and Ninja Warrior. There is absolutely no interest for the pony express, but I've had lots of boys and a few girls ask where the book is about ninjas.

A few observations I jotted down after reading this book:
- There's no bibliography.
- It does have a timeline, index and glossary.
- How do they know some of that stuff?!
- Makes light of human life / murder / sacrifice. [And it's rather gruesome]

"Walking slowly up the temple steps, you are grabbed by five priests and flung on your back across a sacrificial stone. You see no more..." pg 24

"You die quickly and with little pain, but the sacrifice is not over yet. the priests cut your heart from your body and raise it high toward the sky to show it to the gods.  ... Next, they cut off your head and display it in a skull rack along with hundreds of others. ... Finally, your blood is poured down the temple steps, and your limbs are tossed to the crowds of worshipers below. The warrior who captured you collects the limbs and takes them home. He cooks and eats your sacrificed flesh." pg 26 

Several grades study the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs which is why I was considering this book. However, since this is a period in history I'm less familiar with and it's not one that we have a lot of easily understood written records of, I would have liked a bibliography to prove that the authors know what they're talking about.

Aside from the gruesome description of the human sacrifices, I don't like how the texts portrayed human sacrifice as a perfectly acceptable ritual. In a way it's actually good that it's gory because it shows how terrible human sacrifice and cannibalism is.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes &Noble


The Antarctic Habitat 
by Molly Aloian, Bobbie Kalman. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007. 32 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Introducing Habitats
Dewey: J577
Reading level: 3rd
Interest level: K-1st

Goodreads Summary:
This detailed description of the snow- and ice-covered continent of Antarctica features birds, seals, and whales of the Southern Ocean.

My Review:
I thought the reading level was more second grade. Most sentences have about 6-8 words. Unfortunately there is no pronunciation guide, especially for 'phytoplankton', 'photosynthesis', 'herbivore', 'carnivore', and 'omnivore'. But all other words and terms should be somewhat familiar to kids.

Some words are in bold but there is no glossary at the end with definitions, just an index of where those words are found in the book. The words are defined in the text.

"Millions of tiny plants grow in the Southern Ocean. They float near the top of the water. These ocean plants are called phytoplankton."

The photos and illustrations are all nice and enhance the text. But I wish some scale had been provided as it's impossible to tell just how huge the blue whale really is (a full length photo is included) nor how wide the wing span of the albatross is.

I like that this book doesn't combine the arctic and antarctic regions, the amount of material covered and the illustrations. I'll take a look at the other books in the series and will keep this in mind if/when we need some habitat books for the younger grades.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

WoW #45: Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George

Hosted by Breaking the Spine.

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George
Series: Castle Glower, #3

Bloomsbury October 2014

About
Having been dropped by Castle Glower into the middle of a strange forest, Celie sets off to solve the mystery of the Castle's past and what's causing it behave so erratically now. Accompanied by her pet griffin Rufus, her brother Rolf, sister Lilah, and their friends Pogue and Lulath, Celie will have to face deceitful wizards, wild griffins, and the truth behind the Castle itself before she can find a way home.

Why I want to read it

I have read the first two books in this series, Tuesdays at the Castle and Wednesdays in the Tower, and really enjoyed them. The last one ended on a bit of a cliff hanger so I'd love to find out what happens.

Pre-order it:

Amazon ($12.16) and Barnes and Noble ($12.05)
Prices are good as of June 10, 2014 for pre-ordering the hardback edition. Please double check for yourself.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge. YWAM Publishing, 2000. 222p. (9781576581643) Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

This has been sitting on my nightstand for a while and this morning I picked it up and read it over breakfast. Then I read it during lunch and kept reading until I finished it. What an interesting story! I know it only scratched the surface of Cameron Townsend’s life.

Written for youth this book chronicles the life of Cameron Townsend as he struggles to figure out what to do with his life as a teenager, to becoming a missionary in Guatemala, to translating the New Testament into Cakchiquel, to founding Camp Wycliffe that later became the Summer Institute for Linguistics and Wycliffe Bible Translators, to founding JAARS and all the work that went into establishing those organizations.

His was a very full, very busy life with sorrow and tragedy but also triumph and success. I never knew how Wycliffe Bible Translators got founded and now I want to learn more about Uncle Cam as he became known, his family, and the many amazing stories translators have to tell.

If you are interested in the history of missions, Wycliffe Bible Translators, or Mexico and Guatemala then this is a book worth reading.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($6.99 ebook); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($6.69 pb); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($8.09 pb) 

(Prices good as of May 18, 2014 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Weird but true! 2 by National Geographic Kids

Weird but True! 2: 300 Outrageous Facts by National Geographic Kids. 208 pg. National Geographic Society, 2010. (9781426306884) Series: Weird but True!

The fifth graders at the school I work at absolutely love these books. We have number 2, 3, 4, 5 and brainless baddies and there's only been perhaps a week when one of them didn't have a kid waiting for it and it was on the shelf. Needless to say the books are wildly popular.

Each book has 208 pages of strange but true facts. Photos, colorful illustrations or unique fonts make each factoid quite eye catching. And there is an index to help you find that crazy fact that you remember reading but can't find again.

The drawback is that there's no citations and sometimes the facts are a bit hard to believe. For example, "The total earthworm population in the United States weighs ten times more than the total human population." (pg. 98) "Astronomers have discovered a star that is made of a 10-billion-trillion-trillion-carat diamond." (pg. 134)

Some facts make you really curious how they even know that: "Newborn babies are color-blind" (pg. 36) or "A snowflake can take up to two hours to fall from a cloud to the ground." (pg. 104)

National Geographic holds the belief that the earth is millions of years old and that comes through on some of their facts, "The oldest bat fossil ever found was 50 million years old." (pg. 153) or "Turtles lived on earth before dinosaurs did." (pg. 73)

If you're looking for a book or series that will keep elementary and even middle school kids entertained for quite a while, then get a hold of these books. I highly recommend this series for any school library and kids who love facts.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from ChristianBook.com (first book in series)

Disclosure: I borrowed the book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

The Clue of the Broken Locket (Book Cover Bingo - Locket)

The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene. Grosset & Dunlap, 1965 (first published 1934). 178p. (9780448095110) Series: Nancy Drew, #11

I read this as part of the Book Cover Bingo game and it was a trip down memory lane. Nancy Drew is such a great heroine. Plus it was really interesting to realize that music pirating has been around a long time. 

Goodreads Summary:

Nancy Drew and her friends are plunged into a network of strange events when they visit Misty Lake. The very night they arrive, they meet pretty, red-haired Cecily Curtis, who seeks Nancy's help in solving two mysteries: one concerning Cecily's fiancé, Niko Van Dyke, a popular singer who believes that his record company is cheating him of royalty payments; the other, involving a family treasure hidden before the start of the Civil War--Cecily's only clue being half of a gold locket.

Nancy's investigations lead her to Pudding Stone Lodge, where the sinister Driscoll family lives. Elusive humming noises, a flashing light in the attic of the lodge, the periodic apparition of an excursion launch which had sunk in Misty Lake years ago, and the fleeting appearances of a frightened girl who strongly resembles Cecily give Nancy plenty of opportunity to test her sleuthing skills.

Braving a series of dangerous situations and discouraging developments, the alert young detective perseveres in her attempts to solve both mysteries and reveal the astounding secrets of Pudding Stone Lodge.

My Review:

It’s been years since I read Nancy Drew and she’s still as delightful as ever. She’s smart, she’s resourceful, she’s brave, she knows when to call for backup, she’s kind, she’s trustworthy.

There were two things in the story that probably wouldn’t make their way into a modern children’s book but that I really appreciated. Nancy and the gang were headed back to Misty Lake from Baltimore on a Sunday and stopped somewhere along the way to go to church. That’s all the story says, but it’s still telling that it was included.

Ned, Dave and Burt are complete gentlemen and even stay in a separate house than the girls even though it can be assumed the girls’ accommodations had plenty of rooms. How different from today’s college students!

Growing up I didn’t know that these books were written before World War II. Though of course it’s easy to tell that they were written before cell phones and computers were around. The original books (#1-#34) were revised in the 1960s and 70s to remove stereotypes and prejudices as well as to shorten the stories and make them faster paced. The new books have 20 instead of 25 chapters. (Wikipedia has more information)

Interesting fact: it’s a mystery who the illustrator was for the original cover of this book. Russell H. Tandy illustrated and did the covers for books 1-10 and 12-26, but didn’t do the cover of #11 even though he did the internal illustrations. (Source: http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/history.html)

A great series for girls and a great trip down memory lane.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I borrowed the book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Top Ten Scariest Nancy Drew & Hardy Boy Book Covers

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

I don't read horror or scary books in general so at first I wasn't going to do this one, but then I remembered that the cover of one of the Sister's Grimm series books is kinda freaky. And then I started to wonder how many of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books were on the scary side. So here's a list of the...

Top Ten Scariest Nancy Drew & Hardy Boy Book Covers

1. The Clue of the Tapping Heels

Is that a dog, cat or wolf? Not something I'd want to meet in an old, dark stairwell.

2. The Message in the Hollow Oak

Just imagine, you're walking through a lovely forest when you find a skull in a hollow tree!

3. Mystery of Crocodile Island

I wouldn't want that croc after me!

4. The Sky Phantom

Not something I want to see in front of me when flying a plane!

5. Mystery of the Glowing Eye

The eye of Sauron!

6. The Flickering Torch Mystery

And now the Nazgul are after Frank and Joe!

7.  The Arctic Patrol Mystery

That is one big polar bear.

8. The Clue in the Embers

Creepy mask. Makes me think of an Orc. Except they don't wear pink.

 9. Mystery of the Whale Tattoo

Not a guy I'd want to meet in a dark alley. Or anywhere for that matter.

10. The Secret of Wildcat Swamp

I hope he ducked in time. That's one fierce looking wildcat.

Which book covers do you think are scary?

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

No Talking by Andrew Clements

No Talking by Andrew Clements. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007. 146p. (9781416909842)

Have you ever stopped to think about how much we use words? My entire job as a school librarian revolves around words. And I don’t mean just the printed words in the books, magazines and online. If I’m not talking or reading, I’m writing. Never realized how much writing there would be after graduation.

Even with this blog, if I’m not reading a book then I’m writing about it or as is the case with the Top Ten Tuesday meme then I’m writing about multiple books.

What sparked these thoughts? Well, it’s something that I’ve thought about off and on for a while, but also I just finished reading No Talking by Andrew Clements.

Goodreads Summary:

The fifth-grade girls and the fifth-grade boys at Laketon Elementary don't get along very well. But the real problem is that these kids are loud and disorderly. That's why the principal uses her red plastic bullhorn. A lot.

Then one day Dave Packer, a certified loudmouth, bumps into an idea -- a big one that makes him try to keep quiet for a whole day. But what does Dave hear during lunch? A girl, Lynsey Burgess, jabbering away. So Dave breaks his silence and lobs an insult. And those words spark a contest: Which team can say the fewest words during two whole days? And it's the boys against the girls.

How do the teachers react to the silence? What happens when the principal feels she's losing control? And will Dave and Lynsey plunge the whole school into chaos?

This funny and surprising book is about language and thought, about words unspoken, words spoken in anger, and especially about the power of words spoken in kindness...with or without a bullhorn. It's Andrew Clements at his best -- thought-provoking, true-to-life, and very entertaining.

My Review:

Andrew Clements writes great school stories for upper elementary and middle school kids. I’ve read School Story and Frindle aloud to 3^rd and 4^th graders and they really enjoyed them. This book would also be a good read aloud.

The plot is interesting and engaging. The clever use of three word sentences is very well done. Kids can relate to the characters and teachers/administrators are not made out to be big, bad, mean adults.

I’ll be recommending this book and Clements’ other books to 3^rd-5^th graders for years to come. Any school kid who enjoys books where kids stand up for something and make a difference will probably enjoy No Talking.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Betty Greene: Wings to Serve by Janet & Geoff Benge

 Betty Greene: Wings to Serve by Janet & Geoff Benge. YWAM, 1999. 195p. (9781576581520) Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

I really enjoy this series. In addition to writing biographies of the “famous” missionaries the Benges have also written about men and women whose work impacted hundreds if not thousands and yet are not as widely known. I don’t think I’d heard of Betty Greene before seeing the title of this book. And what a story.

Back cover:

As a young girl growing up on the shores of Lake Washington, Betty Greene had two passions: a love for Christ and a love of flying. As a young World War II WASP pilot, Betty dreamed of combining her two passions by using wings to serve God.

Betty’s dream became reality when she helped found the Mission Aviation Fellowship. Her faith-filled adventures and faithful service helped created what is today a global ministry that operates over eighty aircraft in nineteen countries.

My review:

Betty Greene (1920-1997) led a fascinating life. She served on the homefront during World War II was a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), she was a founding member of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), was the first woman to fly over the Andes, and worked in Mexico, Peru, Nigeria, Sudan and Irian Jaya.

London, England and Malakal, South Sudan

This was a great book to get a glimpse of what being a WASP was like and what life was like in the 40s and 50s especially. Reading this book reminded me just how big the world and especially Africa is. In the late 1950s it took 39 hours (and several days) to fly from Malakal, Sudan (now South Sudan) to London, England! Today it takes less than 10.5 hours to fly from Juba (which is about 325 miles to the south of Malakal) to London.

It was also very interesting hearing about the people she met along the way. Nate Saint was a MAF pilot and Cameron Townsend plays an important role in the early days of MAF (I’m looking forward to reading his biography in a few days).

A few things could have been done better. I wish there had been more dates to help the reader keep track of when events took place. We’re told how long she was in each place thus leaving it up to the reader to keep track – which is difficult. Also the focus was mainly on Betty’s flying and work in the MAF office. Rarely are we told about her other passion: love for Christ.

Great book for fourth grade on up, for anyone interested in aviation history, for anyone wanting to be inspired by a life well lived. Includes a bibliography (the unpublished manuscript mentioned was published in 2002).

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBook.com;(cheaper here as of Feb 11, 2013)

Disclosure: I borrowed this from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.