Is It Night or Day?

Title: Is It Night or Day?

 

Author: Fern Schumer Chapman

 

Summary: In 1938, 12-year-old Edith, a Jewish girl, is sent away to America from her German village in the beginnings of the Holocaust. The only problem is that none of her family can come with her on the journey, however she does already have one sister awaiting her in America.

Life in America is hard, and each day, Edith struggles to raise money to buy the passes for her family to join her. The uncle and aunt she is staying with are rather unkind to her, though she develops an understanding with her cousin.

The book takes Edith over the course of about 4 years, and throughout those years, Edith grows and learns to adjust to life in her new country; America.

 

Comments: I loved this book. What I especially liked, is that this book is based off of the true story of Fern Schumer Chapman's own mother. How amazing is that?

Edith is likeable and her situation is saddening. Every step of the story, the reader will be cheering and rooting for her as she makes it through her extremely difficult journey.

This book has so much to offer. Edith grows so much over the 4 years. She travels from childhood to adulthood. Even in her different and tough situation, she has a lot of the same interests and insecurities as regular teens do, even in today's day. This makes Edith a very relevant and relatable main character.

This book would be best enjoyed by someone in the 10-12+ age range; a child who knows and understands the events of this time, can handle tragedy, and is able to handle a rather heavy yet hope filled book.

As much as I love this story, and as much as I would recommend it to everyone, I do wish that it had been longer in some parts and maybe a bit more detailed. It seemed to me like Edith's years in America passed by over the span of just a few chapters. I would've liked a longer book, or maybe even a trilogy series so that I could have more information rather than short snippets from her life over her years in America. Perhaps this was not a possibility in the publishing of the book, and either way, it does not matter because I am totally pleased with this story.

I felt a sort of connection to this book, though I can't exactly place my finger on why I did feel that way. I think it has a lot to do with this being a true story, and it also has a lot to do with the heartfelt writing of the author.

 

Rating: 5 stars!!!

 

 

The Red Umbrella

Title: The Red Umbrella

 

Author: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

 

Summary: 14-year-old Lucia Alvarez, growing up during the communist revolution, lives a carefree life with her parents and little brother. Her days consist of gossiping with her fashionable friend Ivette and dreaming of the dance and her 15th birthday party (a special celebration in her culture).

But it all changes once Ivette and other friends of Lucia begin to join the revolution clubs for children. Soon Lucia's friends are becoming more and more brainwashed into believing that the revolution is right. But Lucia's parents still disagree.

Then, the situation becomes even more dangerous and Lucia and her brother are shipped away to live in America until their parents can come retrieve them after the revolution or whenever they can get away.

The 2 of them move into a little Nebraska farming community and slowly make a life for themselves. Lucia starts high school and makes a true friend, and their foster parents are very nice and treat them like their own.

But then, something happens to Lucia's father and Lucia and her brother fear that they may never see their parents in America.

 

Comments: I liked this book and it was an enjoyable yet quick-paced read. For the readers who enjoyed I Lived on Butterfly Hill, this book will probably hit the spot. The book seems like it could be classified as almost more of a teen book, Lucia after all begins to drive in the book, grow to be a young lady, and there are also some more mature themes when Ivette's letters from her revolution experiences come into the story.
Lucia is a likeable girl and her character definitely grows throughout the story, in a rather pleasing way. I was quite impressed with the amount of time that Ms. Gonzalez could cover in this story, without making the story feel rushed in the least bit.
I would recommend this book for 12+, because there are some more mature themes, and there is also one time when while learning English, Lucia accidently says a cuss word instead of the word "beach" (I'll leave you to guess where that goes), but it is said by mistake of course.
I enjoyed this book, but for younger children just being introduced to this idea, I recommend I Lived on Butterfly Hill and then The Red Umbrella once the reader is a little older.

Rating: 5 stars

Turtle in Paradise

Title: Turtle in Paradise

 

Author: Jennifer L. Holm

 

Summary: In 1935, 11 year old Turtle has been sent to live in Key West with her cousins and aunt and uncle. She has never met them before - she has never even been to the town before, but once she gets there, things start out rough. Her cousins and their friends - all boys - do not take very kindly to her at first, but after a few days, tension eases and they slowly begin to accept her into their babysitting club. Turtle is beginning to make a new life for herself - she meets her grandmother for the first time, and is the only one who can seem to reach her, and she begins to feel at home. But then, Turtle discovers a treasure map and ventures away with the boys to find the treasure, just as Turtle's mother and suspicious boyfriend Archie show up in town.

 

Comments: I tried to read this book several years ago and I could not make it through the first 3 chapters. I decided that I had not given it a fair chance, and with a clearer understanding of the time that it was set in, I decided to pick it up once more. I am so glad that I did! The story is great and Turtle has something special to offer. Turtle is spunky and a hardcore girl. But the theme in the book is that "turtles may have a hard shell, but they have a soft underside." This is rather true in Turtle's case.

I would recommend this book to anyone 8+, but I read it around age 9 or 10 and could not really get into the story, so perhaps 10+ would be best. Really there isn't anything so "iffy" in the book, so the age doesn't matter.

I am so glad I gave this wonderful book a second chance!

 

Rating: 5 stars 

Eggs Over Evie

Title: Eggs Over Evie

 

Author: Alison Jackson

 

Summary: Evie Carson is going through a tough time in her life; her parents recently got separated and she misses her dad, who is a famous chef and always inspired Evie to cook. Her dad now lives in another house with his new wife who is expecting their twin babies, and Evie's dog. Evie loves to cook just like her dad, and she enrolls in a rec center cooking class where she meets a boy, Corey, who is the nephew of the eccentric cooking teacher. As Evie goes through a summer of change, she learns to navigate through her love of cooking, her feelings towards Corey, her dad and his new family, and maybe even her grumpy next door neighbor, Ms. Hamilton.

 

Comments: This book was pretty good. Evie was likeable and her emotions seemed real and so did her family. Her dad was not the stereotypical "divorced with a new family" dad that is sometimes found in modern books. Each character was pretty unique and the book was not as predictable as it looks. There are small illustrations scattered through the book and the sketches of Evie are a wonderful device for the reader to have a guide to envision how parts of the story are happening. The book and illustrations really struck a balance where the book didn't feel like an early reader picture book yet it wasn't a huge work of literature either.

The book goes quick and I don't really have anything to complain about, though it is not by any means my favorite book. I enjoy baking mostly and I certainly do not have as adventurous a taste palate as Evie, so perhaps this book would be better enjoyed by one who is as passionate about cooking as she is.

The book would probably be best enjoyed by 10+, because of Corey the boy crush and also Evie's mother goes on dates, divorce is talked about, and her stepmother having twins is discussed too, so I'd probably say 10+. Also, Evie herself is 13 years old.

 

Complaints: None.

 

Rating: 5 stars

Breakaway

Title: Breakaway

 

Author: Andrea Montalbano

 

Summary: LJ feels best when she is scoring goals on the field and playing soccer. Not only does she enjoy it, but she's good at it too. However, because she thinks she is so good, she tends to take the ball and become a "one man show" rather than play with her team, which includes new popular girl, Tabitha who LJ just may be becoming friends with. When she is suspended and made to sit on the sidelines, though, she realizes that she has to learn to lose her temper and become a team player.

 

Comments: This book would definitely be best enjoyed by those who play soccer. There is some soccer terminology in it that could be confusing to the reader who has no experience in the sport or a sport of that kind. I personally didn't enjoy this book, but I'm not a soccer fan or anything - I just couldn't relate to the character. For me, LJ was just so unlikeable and throughout the whole book she was full of self-praise. In the end she claimed to learn a lesson, but from a reader's perspective I did not see enough character or personality growth descriptions that reflected what she had supposedly learned. I feel like she may have just forced herself to learn something so she could have a chance at participating in the big game despite her suspension.

I found the "rich girl" Tabitha to be very stereotyped, with a driver and mansion and maid and such. She didn't have the stereotypical personality though, so I guess I can let that slide.

 

This could have the potential to be a good book for the earlier reader and soccer player, but it "fell short of the goal" for me.

 

Complaints: All complaints written in comments.

 

Rating: 3 stars

Selling Hope

Title: Selling Hope

 

Author: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

 

Summary: 13 year old Hope is traveling with her vaudeville troop along with her father in 1910 - right around the time when Halley's Comet was going to pass through. Hope is tired of traveling with her vaudeville troop and she dreams of settling down in a small town with her father. While passing through the town she used to live in before her mother died and she joined vaudeville 5 years prior, Hope sees her chance to finally get the "normal" life she wants.

To get money for rent and other expenses they will come across while settling down, Hope invents "anti-comet" pills to sell to people who fear the comet. The pills sell quickly and many take to the idea. But then, Hope begins to think about where home really is and where she would really be happy.

 

Comments: I thought this story was very interesting, and I enjoyed it (I am partial to historic fiction though). Hope was likeable and I was fascinated with the descriptions of vaudeville and how Hope was so young yet she was a performer. I also found the fear behind Halley's Comet interesting too. I don't think that anyone under the age of 10 would get everything out of this book though, so I recommend this for 10+.

 

Complaints: None

 

Rating: 5 stars

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet

Title: The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet 

Author: Erin Dionne 

Summary: 8th grader Hamlet longs to be a normal middle school student with a normal life, but that proves to be hard, with a genius 7-year-old sister (who is in her same grade!) and Shakespearian scholars for parents. Hamlet's social life gets even harder as she must help her young, somewhat clueless sister navigate middle school.

Comments: I enjoyed reading this book. Hamlet is a likable character, and her cute yet somewhat naive sister is likable too. I found it a bit unrealistic; with her sister being a genius and her parents being so devoted to Shakespeare to the point of hardly keeping up with the modern world, but it made for a fun story anyway. It was still an enjoyable read though; and while it would probably be suitable for most reading ages, I would recommend this book to those who are 10+ just because of the age of the majority of the characters. There is also a bit of an underlying romantic theme, which also contributes to my decision of readers being 10+. 

Overall, the book was pretty good, though probably not my favorite. 

Complaints: None! 

Rating: 5 stars 

The Wonder of Charlie Anne

Title: The Wonder of Charlie Anne

 

Author: Kimberly Newton Fusco

 

Summary: Charlie Anne is a girl growing up in the Depression era with her siblings, father, and Mirabel, a cousin. Her father and older brother go off to work at a job building railroads; leaving Charlie Anne home with her other siblings. Charlie is left doing all of the chores under Mirabel's strict watch and the only break she gets is when she goes by the river to talk with her mother who recently died in childbirth. She feels like she can talk with her.

Then, her neighbor, Mr. Jolly, brings home his wife and his wife's adopted daughter; a black girl named Phoebe who has a fun spirit that she shows through wearing pants, reading, and swinging. Charlie Anne becomes friends with her, but their friendship is threatened through the prejudices of the town; especially when it comes to Mrs. Jolly opening a school and letting everyone attend.

So many things happen, but when Charlie Anne comes to Phoebe's rescue, they truly realize nothing can keep them apart.

 

Comments: I enjoyed this book! I'd been waiting to read it for a while! Charlie Anne is very likeable and very real through her actions, thoughts, and emotions. I liked her a lot and felt like we had a connection.

Throughout the book, I found it hard to tell whether Charlie Anne's connection with her mother was being portrayed as a supernatural thing or as a coping thing for Charlie Anne to deal with the loss. However, I felt like it could've been portrayed as supernatural, because Charlie Anne's mother tells her something is not right with Phoebe in one instance. Either way, it is a nice and heartwarming connection. This book portrayed emotions nicely; making me feel sad for Charlie Anne at the right times and excited for her at the right times too.

This book would be good for about the 10+ range.

 

Complaints: None!

 

Rating: 5 stars  

The Other Half of My Heart

Title: The Other Half of My Heart

 

Author: Sundee T. Frazier

 

Summary: Keira and Minni are a pair of African American/biracial twins. But by looking at them, one wouldn't know it. Minni is pink skinned and red haired, while Keira is dark brown skinned and kinky curly haired. They consider themselves best friends and they consider themselves both African American/black, because that really is what they are, despite the color of Minni's skin. However, both girls; especially Minni, are becoming increasingly aware that they are treated differently by people who do not know they are twins; all because of the color of their skin.

 Their friendship is put to the test when their Grandmother Johnson enters them into the Miss Black Pearl Preteen of America beauty program/pageant.

The girls do not know Grandmother Johnson very well, but they are both suddenly whisked away on a plane to her home alone, where they prepare for the program. Grandmother Johnson seems to have a bias against Keira, who, like her, is dark skinned. At the beauty pageant, Minni feels out of place because of her light skin in a sea of dark skinned girls. She manages to make a friend, but Keira is having a great time, finally being at a program where she is not the minority. Minni gets a feel of how Keira feels everyday when she is a minority at places like school and around town. Both girls get into a small argument as Keria begins to question whether Minni thinks she is better because of her skin color and why Grandmother Johnson seems to like Minni more.

The girls go to the pageant and repair things in the end, realizing that they are really the other half of each others' hearts.

 

Comments: I enjoyed this book. Minni and Keira obviously had a special connection, and it was unfortunate that Grandmother Johnson had to cause Keira to question whether they were really as close as she thought. However, the racial questions both girls had probably would've come up later anyway. I felt bad when the two girls were doubting each other, and it was surprising and sad to see Keira treated differently than Minni by some people, even though the book was set in modern times. The girls both had a loyalty to each other though, and they did both succeed in surviving Grandmother Johnson, who actually had a lot more to her personality and reasons for bias than one might guess.

I would recommend this book for kids ages 10+ just because very young children could be confused by the fact that there are still racial biases today, and they may be confused at the different race questions the girls have. For a child of 10+ though, this book would be very educational and interesting to read.

 

Complaints: None!

 

Rating: 5 stars!   

 

 

Rocky Road

Title: Rocky Road

 

Author: Rose Kent

 

Summary: Fashionable, 12 year old Tess and her deaf brother Jordan move to Schenectady, New York with their mother, a woman suffering from "Shooting Stars" or bipolar disorder (not diagnosed until later in the book). She has a dream of investing in an ice cream shop and naming it, "A Cherry on Top." However, she has a lot of days when she crashes due to her illness and Tess must be there to take care of her little brother, Jordan, who is deaf and still learning sign language. A lot falls on Tess's shoulders, but as they make real progress towards opening A Cherry on Top, Tess meets a lot of supportive people along the way, that may just help the business succeed, and get her mother the help she needs.

 

Comments: I loved this book! It looks a bit long, but once I got into the story, it felt like only a few pages turned before I was finished! Tess is such a nice, caring girl who comes up with a lot of great ideas. She obviously has too much responsibility on her shoulders in the book at first, and while she sometimes puts on a good face and acts like nothing is wrong, how she really feels does occasionally come out. She seemed a little older than she actually was said to be (age 12), but I suppose it is because so much is expected of her, between caring for her brother and her mother, she has more responsibility than I could even imagine. Tess is fashionable and has a good sense of style, but she isn't mean or anything like the "fashion" stereotypes that often appear in books. She cares deeply for her little brother, Jordan, who is not stereotyped either; he has an interesting and complex personality, just like anyone else, once readers get to meet him. I liked the idea about opening up the ice cream shop, and I understand Tess's hesitation to open it. The book wrapped up nicely, but not overly nice and perfect; each problem was just solved by the end. I loved this book!

 

There is a bit of mild language in this book, so I'd assess the situation before giving this book to just any child. I'd definitely say at a minimum that 10+ would be ideal. Plus, younger readers who do not have experience with things like bipolar disorder may not understand the mother's problems and they may be a bit confused. Young readers could also be confused as to why Tess's dad walked out (alcohol addiction/gambling). SO, I'd definitely say 10+ (at least) for this one!

 

Complaints: None!

 

Rating: 5 stars!!!

Dream of Night

Title: Dream of Night

 

Author: Heather Henson

 

Summary: Jessalyn DiLima lives on a horse farm and fosters abused horses and children in foster care situations. She takes in a horse, Dream of Night or Night for short, and an 11-year old girl, Shiloh. Both were abused and in horrible situations before coming to Jessalyn and neither is ready to open up. Shiloh and Night are both angry and want to run away and get out, but overtime, they find out that they may be able to help each other heal and in the process help Jessalyn get the family she wishes she had.

 

Comments: I liked this book a lot! Shiloh was just so angry and upset, yet she was pretty likeable too. Night was a former racehorse and it was so sad to listen to his flashbacks of being abused by multiple owners after an injury causing the loss of his racehorse status. Jess has a tragic past, and it was interesting watching all of them go through events and heal together. The book had each chapter with the 3 of them giving their perspective on a particular event going on in the book. The book is good, and just because of Shiloh's previous situation and the horse abuse, this book would probably be okay for a mature 8+ but I'd give it the conservative rating of 9/10+.

 

Complaints: None!

Rating: 5 stars

I, Emma Freke

Title: I, Emma Freke

Author: Elizabeth Atkinson

Summary: Emma Freke is living with her mother and grandfather and grandfather's dog in an apartment above their bead shop. Her father walked out before she was even born and Emma's mother isn't attentive and is continuing to date men on and off and is usually out every night. Emma feels alone with her only friend being much younger and Emma already feels awkward because of her six foot height and her bright red hair.

For summer break, Emma is invited to a family reunion just for the "Frekes" (pronounced "Freak" though the family refuses to accept this and pronounces it "Freck"). Emma makes friends with some of her cousins that she has never met before and she begins to feel at home.

Towards the end of the book, there is closure for Emma as she meets her real father (a nice man) and realizes that she is happy to be a "Freke".

 

Comments: This is a short book really (It took me an hour to finish) and is a nice story about a girl struggling to fit in at home who goes on an adventure that boosts her confidence and she turns into a different girl (for the better). There really isn't anything in this book that could be seen as inappropriate except for the word "sex" that is written in the book once and it isn't brought into detail and doesn't allude to anything and there aren't innuendos. Some may not agree with the mother dating so many men and nearly forgetting about her daughter and using her as a servant. It could be seen, in some ways, as a controversial book, but I enjoyed it and did not let anything minor get in the way of reading. I would recommend it to kids 9-10+.

Rating: 5 stars!!!

The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye

Title: The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye

Author: Bonnie Shimko

Summary: Amelia (Earhart) Rye is growing up in the 50s' with only her mother and grandfather. Her father ran out with another woman before Amelia was even born. Her mother is not necessarily nice and does not show love for Amelia in any way. Then, something tragic happens to her grandfather and Amelia feels lost in her outdated clothes and old glasses, and doesn't seem to make any friends at school; until Fancy Nelson comes along. Fancy is free-spirited and the first black person that Amelia has really met. They become friends and the book takes you through the struggles and excitement of their friendship. Then, the woman that Amelia's father ran off with shows up and Amelia doesn't know what to think. The woman turns out to be much, much different than Amelia expected. Towards the end of the book, Amelia's brother comes back and something very tragic happens to her mother, changing Amelia's life forever.

Comments: The storyline was full of tragedy. A lot of mean people do horrible things to Fancy because of her color and Amelia deals with a lot of tragedy, sadness, and disappointment. However, Amelia is a very likeable character and some girls may relate to the smaller pieces of her personality and story (having trouble making friends, something happening to a grandparent or parent, etc.) However, I have one big problem that makes this book stand out in a bad way.

There are cuss words in it.

Now they aren't on every page, there are only in the book here and there, but my family does not allow me to read, see, hear, etc. bad words, and most families I know feel the same, so this could be a deciding factor in whether you read the book or not. I don't want to turn you off the book or anything, the words aren't that bad (except for one "s" word - you know what I mean; I do not mean "stupid" of course).

Rating: 4 stars. The plot was great, but the occasional bad word could have been done without.

Love Puppies & Corner Kicks!

Title: Love Puppies and Corner Kicks

Author: R.W. Krech

Summary: Andrea's father is going to be an exchange teacher in Scotland, so the family goes off to live there for a year. Andrea loves soccer and tries to impress the girls on her team. She makes some friends and meets some other not-really-her-friends type of people, and she goes off on adventures - some of them including a haunted castle! She also deals with her crush and learns a lot about Scotland and its culture.

Comments: I really liked this book. It was cool to hear about a normal everyday girl who gets to go on a life changing trip to Scotland for the year. The romance part or "love puppy" part isn't a huge part of the book, really; so if you are looking for a romance novel, the cover of this book could possibly be misleading. I liked that though, because it is perfect for the person who wants a little love in the book but not necessarily "romance".

Complaints: I don't really have any. It was the perfect length book, and was everything any regular girl looking for a good, adventurous book could want!

Rating: 5 stars! I really liked this book and I am thankful to have stumbled upon it at the library.

 

Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out!

Title: Allie Finkle Book #5: Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out

Author: Meg Cabot

Summary: Allie is excited to find out that Uncle Jay is going to watch her brothers and her for the weekend, but is later disappointed when she finds out she has to go to Brittany Hauser's birthday party. At Brittany's party, they are going to sleep in a suite in New York City, go to Glitterati, and go out to Cheesecake Factory to eat. Allie doesn't get excited though, even after hearing of the extravagant limo that they will ride around in. Allie gets to the party and automatically doesn't like it. Finally, after a while, and a lot of trouble, Allie calls and desperately tries to get Uncle Jay to come pick her up.

Comments: This is one of my favorite Allie Finkle books. Allie Finkle is the type of girl who makes a very appealing series character. All of Ms. Cabot's writing about Allie and a girl of Allie's age - well, it is spot-on. Allie Finkle has for a long time been one of my series favorites.  

Ratings: 5 stars

Dork Diaries Book #2: Tales From a Not So Popular Party Girl!

Title: Dork Diaries Book #1: Tales From a Not So Popular Party Girl

 

Author: Rachel Renee Russell

 

Summary: Nikki Maxwell finds out she hasn't been invited to Mackenzie Hollister's birthday party - not that she cares anyway! She also volunteers to do a Halloween Party, and to do a little kids birthday party on the SAME night! Nikki has to switch from her gross costume for the birthday party to the cool outfit for the Halloween party, and then back again! Will Makenzie ever let her hear the end of it?

 

Comments: The Dork Diaries series is very popular amongst girls right now and it has been for a while - I think it is due to the fact that it is basically just Diary of a Wimpy Kid, except there is a girl protagonist/main character. At times, Nikki is annoying and whiny and she is extremely upset when any little thing doesn't go her way. The book itself is okay, but some children - especially younger children who may mirror or try to be like the main characters in books, and Nikki is really not the type I think anyone would want a child of any age to emulate. Nikki is nice and sweet at times; but only when things are going her way and she usually wants something out of everyone. I think that the first book (this is the second one) showcased Nikki as even more ill-behaved.

This book is probably best for 10+ because of the talk about being "cool" and "crushes" and "middle school bullies". Anyone under 10 or 9 maybe, could be too easily influenced by all this ridiculous talk.

 

Complaints: I really don't like how a part of Nikki's life is just centered around being popular and "cool".

 

Rating: 5 stars

12 Finally!

Title: 12 Finally

 

Author: Wendy Mass

 

Summary: 11 year old Rory is SO excited to finally turn 12. Ever since she was really young, she has kept a whole list of things she can do when she is 12. But once she is 12, Rory changes. She wears makeup, gets a cellphone, gets a bunny, gets her ears, pierced, and attends a boy and girl party. But nothing is ever going the way Rory wants. Nothing is really what it seems. Rory learns that she shouldn't be in such a hurry to grow up, and eventually sits back and enjoys childhood, which is how she really wanted it anyways.

 

Comments: Rory is a likeable character, and I feel like she felt that as soon as she turned 12, she had to change who she was - she was ready to get a cellphone, a pet, ear piercing, etc. and everything goes wrong! In fact, it is pretty humorous at times.

Rory was in a phase of trying to be cool and popular (whatever that is? XD) and I like how at the end of the book, she realized she didn't need to change. Rory was a well developed character who learned continuously throughout the book, which made the end make more sense.

 

Complaints: None.

 

Rating: 4 stars

Out of My Mind!

Name: Out of my Mind

Author: Sharon Draper

Summary: 11 year old Melody Brooks has never been able to walk, talk, or do hardly anything by herself without help. The reason is because she has cerebal palsy that limits her body, - but definitely NOT her mind. She has mountains of things to say, and she can't. It makes her upset and frustrated. In this book, Melody takes you through her life, starting with the day she was brought home from the hospital, to the day she got on the Whiz Kids Quiz Team, and all her experiences in between. Once she finally gets a voice, not everyone is ready to listen.

Rating: 5 stars

Complaints: NONE!! BEST BOOK!! MUST READ!
Comments: This book is wonderful. Beautiful. Well written. Melody is a girl who has everything going against her, yet she still comes out on top. To have the privilege of seeing the world through Melody's eyes was just so amazing and deep. It was also interesting to see that a lot of the people that Melody was with acted different around her, without even meaning to at times. Like her teacher, even her friend Rose. The book takes the reader through Melody's life, from birth to fifth grade. This is a must read for readers of all ages.

Moon Over Manifest

Title: Moon over Manifest Author: Clare Vanderpool Summary: It is the hit of the Great Depression and Abilene Tucker is sent to live with a man named Shady in a town called Manifest, a place with a rich past and a bright future. Her father lived here as a child many years ago, and Abilene is excited since she heard many stories about this place. She is a bit disappointed to see that it is only some buildings and a school house. Later, she meets up with two girls Lettie and Ruthann. They search for the "Rattler after finding notes. Abilene stumbles upon old Miss Sadie the diviner who remembered the sad history of the town even when no one else could bear to remember. Abilene learns new things about her father and she is even learning clues to a mystery. What is the mystery and how will it be solved? Rating: Five Stars! This book is really good. It is long so you can read it for a good three days. It is a page turner and really good. It is scary, sad, and tragic, yet happy.  What do you think? We'd love to hear your comments!

Take Two!

Title: Take Two
Author: Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy
Summary: This is the second book in the four book series of Payton and Emma the identical twins.
The book picks up where Trading Faces left off. Payton and her new friends are helping make the set for the school play and Emma decides to tutor two identical twins. They turn out to be big trouble! The girls' trade places with each other, and cause mix up and mayhem. What will happen, and will they be found out?
Rating: This is a total five star rating. IT is just as good as the first book and if you liked that one, you'll love this one even MORE!