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Sunny Side Up. Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. 2015. Scholastic. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Sunny Side Up is a graphic novel, a coming-of-age story starring Sunny Lewin. It is set in August 1976. It wasn't Sunny's first vacation choice to go visit her grandfather in Florida. The family had planned on a beach vacation, a vacation where Sunny's best friend could come too. But family troubles--troubles concerning Sunny's older brother--changed everything. Now Sunny is on her own for this trip and visiting her grandfather in his retirement community. Flashes reveal much in this one, readers learn about Sunny's life in Pennsylvania: her friends, her family, and what led to this vacation.

I liked this one. I did. I don't read many graphic novels per year--at most three or four. But I am SO GLAD I read Sunny Side Up. I loved the setting. I love stories featuring grandparents and the senior community. I love the main character, Sunny. I loved, loved, loved how by the end of vacation she had found her voice and REALLY opened up. I also loved that she made a new friend and had a few adventures with someone her own age. I loved that she discovered comic books and super heroes. Some of the pages devoted to her discovering super heroes were among my favorites. And I LOVED the ending.

Overall this one is oh-so-easy to recommend. Even to readers who don't typically read graphic novels.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Seventh Most Important Thing. Shelley Pearsall. 2015. Random House. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall is loosely based on a true story. One of the characters in the novel was an actual person, an artist named James Hampton. An author's note tells more of his story. I do wish I'd known this at the start; that is one reason I'm beginning my review with this 'essential' information.

Arthur T. Owens is the hero of The Seventh Most Important Thing; the book is a coming-of-age story set in 1963. Arthur has not been having an easy time of it, life has not been the same for him since his father died. And one day he loses it. He sees "the junk man" walking down the street pushing his cart full of junk, and the man is wearing his father's hat. He picks up a brick, takes aim, and hits him. Fortunately, it hits him on the arm and not in the head. James Hampton is "the junk man" and he urges the court to show Arthur mercy, and sentence him to community service. His community service will be working for "the junk man." Arthur has a list of SEVEN items to collect each Saturday. And the list is the same week to week. To collect these items, he'll need to walk the streets and neighborhoods picking up trash and even going through people's trash. It won't be easy for him, especially at first, to lower himself like that. But this process changes him for the better. And there comes a time when readers learn alongside Arthur just what "the junk man" does with his junk. And the reveal is worth it, in my opinion.

The Seventh Most Important Thing is definitely character-driven and not plot-driven. It's a reflective novel. The focus is on Arthur, on his family, on his new friendships and relationships, on the meaning of life. I liked the characters very much. The story definitely worked for me.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Archivist Wasp. Nicole Kornher-Stace. 2015. Big Mouth House. 268 pages. [Source: Library]

Two words describe Archivist Wasp, in my opinion, confusing and compelling. It's not often a book is equal parts confusing and compelling. Even though I found myself with more questions than answers and lingering confusion, I couldn't stop reading Archivist Wasp. Two more words to describe the book? How about post-apocalyptic and ghosts?

Our heroine is an archivist calling herself "Wasp." I'll be honest, Wasp doesn't have the best of lives, even, when she's not fighting for her life, fighting to stay the Archivist. (She's challenged every year by three Upstarts. That's how she got the job as well, by killing the previous Archivist.) Archivists have a marginally better life than Upstarts. But essentially, no one in this post-apocalyptic world has a happy, easy life. The villagers, well, they have their problems too. But at least they aren't tortured/tormented by the Catchkeep's Priest and brainwashed into a life of hate and violence.

So what does an Archivist do? She hunts ghosts, recording what she learns from each ghost, disposes of ghosts after studying, except, for when a villager wants to buy a ghost for whatever reason. It's a bleak, lonely life. And Wasp does spend a good bit of the book recovering from various injuries.

So the book is about what happens when Wasp meets an out-of-the-ordinary ghost, one that is actually able to communicate with her, one that has a tragic tale to tell and a huge request for her. This nameless ghost (he can't remember his identity, I believe) wants her help in finding another ghost, Catherine Foster. He wants them both to travel to the underworld and search the spirit-world. She agrees, and, in the process learns that life below isn't any more bleak than life above. In fact, in some ways it might even be slightly better. But the search won't be easy. And it will have its own dangers.

The book is about what she learns through this search, it will change her certainly....

Do I understand everything that happened in Archivist Wasp? Not really. The quest was really confusing in places, and, she is thrown in and out of other people's memories. She sees the past on her quest, in bits and pieces, and probably not sequential flashbacks either. She has to piece it all together. And she does a much better job than I did with that!

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became The Beatles. Susanna Reich. 2015. Henry Holt. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I love the Beatles, have spent several decades loving the Beatles, so I was quite excited to read Susanna Reich's picture book biography of the fab four. She introduces each Beatle individually, starting with John, of course. As each one meets John and joins the band, his story is then told in some detail. It is a partial biography, not a full one. The book concludes circa 1963 with the Beatles just beginning to become HUGE in England. (Think Love Me Do and Please, Please Me.)

The details are age-appropriate, in case you're curious. If you're familiar with the Beatles--as a group, or as individuals--then you know that there is plenty that could have been said, could have been shared, for a mature adult audience. The book captures them at their innocent best.

I've read a handful of books about the Beatles--mainly biographies--over the years, and this one did a good job with the basics. I liked the simple approach for a younger audience. Though this one would definitely be a picture book for older readers, and not a book ideal for preschool read aloud.

The Illustrations are by Adam Gustavson. I spent time looking at each spread of this picture book, absorbing the details in the text and in the illustration. I've spent plenty of time looking at photographs of the Beatles--I had a new Beatles calendar for several years in a row. So what did I think of the illustrations? I liked them for the most part. There were one or two that I thought were practically perfect. But I couldn't really say that of each and every page. Still, I liked the illustrations overall.

If used in a classroom, this one would pair well with the first Beatles Anthology album. Students could listen to "early" recordings of the Beatles.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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When Sophie's Feelings are Really, Really Hurt. Molly Bang. 2015. [September] Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Sophie loves to paint. She also loves the woods. Now Ms. Mulry is telling the class: "After school, find a tree you like a LOT. Look at it carefully--the trunk, the branches, the leaves. Tomorrow your'e going to paint that tree from memory."

Premise/plot: Sophie's feelings get hurt during art time at school. One of the boys--Andrew--teases her about her painting, telling her that her painting is all wrong. Can the teacher intervene and reassure Sophie that there isn't a right and wrong way to paint a tree?

My thoughts: I liked the text. I did. I like Sophie as a character. And I liked how expressive the story was. Did I like the illustrations? Yes and no. I actually really liked Sophie's drawing of a tree. Her art assignment was beautiful. And I liked the brightness of the colors. But overall, I didn't "love" the illustrations.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Finding Serendipity. Angelica Banks. 2015. Henry Holt. 288 pages. [Source: Library]

I enjoyed meeting Tuesday McGillycuddy and her dog Baxterr, the stars of Angelica Banks' Finding Serendipity. The novel takes place on the last day of school/first day of summer vacation. On the way home from school--she's roller skating, by the way--she stops to make a wish at a fountain. She'd never tell the wish aloud, who would? But the reader learns that the wish is that her oh-so-famous mother Serendipity Smith would finish the final novel in her oh-so-popular series. (Vivienne Small and the Final Battle.) Her father welcomes her home with baked goodies, but, Tuesday is too excited about her mother possibly finishing the series to enjoy a snack or even dinner. Her mother is upstairs in her office writing...and mustn't be disturbed. But when it becomes late--past her bedtime perhaps--the two open the door to discover an empty room and an open window. The Dad? Well, he's not worried. But Tuesday, well, she's super-worried! Where did her Mom disappear to?

Tuesday, for better or worse, decides to GO in search of her mom. And that journey starts at the typewriter her mom uses in her office. Before she knows what's happening, Tuesday's own story, her own adventure, has begun...and her oh-so-faithful dog, Baxterr is by her side, of course.

Tuesday's adventure is something....and the "world" she visits is fun in a dangerous sort of way. But I won't be sharing the details of her adventures there and who she meets... That wouldn't be nice of me at all!

I liked this one. I did. It was a quick, light read. It is a bit cutesy, I admit.
© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Frog on a Log? Kes Gray. Illustrated by Jim Field. 2015. [September] Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: "Hey Frog! Sit on a log!" said the cat. "But I don't want to sit on a log,' said the frog. "Logs are all hard and uncomfortable. And they can give you splinters. Ouch!" "I don't care" said the cat. "You're a frog, so you must sit on a log."

Premise/plot: The cat is quite BOSSY, as this frog discovers in this rhyming book. Cat knows exactly where everyone is allowed to sit: frogs on logs, cats on mats, hares on chairs, mules on stools, gophers on sofas, etc. The frog keeps on asking question after question perhaps hoping to change the cat's mind, but, he asks one question too many…

My thoughts: The text was okay for me. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. I think I might have liked this one a tiny bit more if I'd liked the illustrations.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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A Lucky Author Has A Dog. Mary Lyn Ray. Illustrated by Steven Henry. 2015. [August] Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Early in the morning, people are waking and going to work. So a dog is, too. Because an author should also be waking. A lucky author has a dog to begin every day with a kiss--then some help getting dressed.

Premise/plot: Ever wondered what a day in the life of an author was like? A Lucky Author Has A Dog is a picture book about what it's like to be an author--an author with a dog! It talks about writing and publishing--being an author. But it is also very much a celebration of dogs and pets.

My thoughts: I liked this one very much. It was a great book. I loved how it discusses the writing process. I loved the point of view as well. For example, "Are stories waiting to be noticed? The dog will show the author how to look and listen the way a dog does. An author without a dog can learn. But having a dog is better. Because everything is better with a dog."

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Eva Sees A Ghost (Owl Diaries #2) Rebecca Elliott. 2015. Scholastic. 80 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Sunday
Hello Diary,
It's me--Eva Wingdale! Did you miss me? I bet you did! I love: drawing, patterns, daydreaming, the word plum, funky hats, questionnaires, my friends, being super excited! I do not love: my brother Humphrey's horrible singing, Sue Clawson ("Meany McMeanerson"), the color gray, washing my feathers, being scared, squirrels, Mom's caterpillar sandwiches, feeling lonely.

Eva Sees A Ghost is the second book in Rebecca Elliott's Owl Diaries series for young readers. (I'm thinking second grade, or so, would be the target audience. Or an advanced first grader. As a read aloud, even younger audiences would enjoy.) It is a chapter book. It is heavily illustrated. It is heavy on puns.

In this book, Eva sees a ghost. She is upset when NO ONE believes her. Can she prove to her classmates, her friends, her teacher, her family that she really did see a ghost? Or did her own eyes deceive her? How does one go about proving something like this?! 

Did I like it as much as the first book in the series? Probably not. But it was still a quick, enjoyable read. As an adult, I was able to guess the outcome very early on, but, younger readers may not be so quick to guess. (In a way, it is fun to guess, to see if one's guess is correct, and to look for clues and make predictions as one reads.)

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Elephant in the Dark. Mina Javaherbin. Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin. 2015. [August] Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Merchant Ahmad had brought a mysterious creature all the way from India! The news spread fast through the village. What could the huge beast be?

Premise/plot: A village determines to find out about the mysterious new beast--by feeling their way to the truth in a dark barn. Every single person gives a different description. After the first few people share with the others their descriptions and conclusions, much arguing follows. Especially as more and more people keep adding to the discussion with their insights.

My thoughts: A retellng of a familiar poem or story. One version of this folk tale was by Rumi, a 13th Century Persian poet. His was called "The Elephant in the Dark." Overall, I liked this story. I thought Eugene Yelchin did a great job with the illustrations, matching them with the story's origins and giving the book a very traditional feel.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Where's Walrus? and Penguin? Stephen Savage. 2015. [August] Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Premise/plot: Where's Walrus? and Penguin? is a sequel to Where's Walrus. Both are wordless picture books. In the first book, a Walrus escapes from the zoo and manages to cleverly escape capture or recapture. It's a hide-and-seek book. In this second book, Walrus and escapes with a friend, a Penguin. Once again readers are asked to play hide and seek. The illustrations reveal their whereabouts. Can readers spot Walrus and Penguin on every spread? Where will they go next? How will they be disguised?

My thoughts: I liked this one. I liked the first book too. I think it's a fun and engaging book to share with young children. It's actually one of the few wordless picture books I like. I probably liked the sequel more than the original because it is a true sequel. The ending is absolutely adorable.

Text: 0 out of 0
Illustrations 5 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 5

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Milo Speck, Accidental Agent. Linda Urban. 2015. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 Did I enjoy Linda Urban's new book? Yes. What should you know? Well, it's a fantasy novel. A fantasy for middle grade. Milo Speck, the hero, finds himself suddenly in an adventure he's completely unprepared for. How did he get there? The dryer. Yes, I'm serious. He is reaching into a dryer, looking for a missing sock, when suddenly he's being picked up by an OGRE, pulled from an OGRE'S dryer. He's confused, and has every right to be. What will become of him? How will he get back home? How can he avoid being eaten? Is he alone? Or are there other kids out there being pulled into this ogre-world? Can he save the day?

If you enjoy quick fantasy reads, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy Linda Urban's Milo Speck, Accidental Agent. It's slightly-slightly predictable in a place or two. But for the most part, it kept me reading. Was it silly? Yes. Especially the GIANT TURKEYS. But did I want to keep reading to find out what happened next? Of course I did. Plenty of action and adventure in this one. But I also enjoyed meeting Milo and Tuck.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Where Did My Clothes Come From? Chris Butterworth. Illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti. 2015. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 First sentence: Wouldn't it be great if you could wear your favorite clothes ALL the time? But you need different clothes for different weather and for doing different things.

Premise/plot: A nonfiction book written for children to answer two questions: 1) What are your clothes made of? 2) Where did they come from? Readers learn about what jeans, sweaters, silk/satin dresses, soccer uniforms, fleece jackets, and rain boots. Several pages tell the story of each item. (Think "Bert's Blanket" but without the singing. Actually the comparison isn't exactly fair, the subject is treated seriously and factually.)

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. I found it interesting. I had no idea, for example, that fleece jackets are made from recycled plastic bottles. "It takes about 12 bottles to make your fleece jacket." The information is presented well: clearly, step by step. I definitely appreciated that. This one is easy to recommend.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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The Queen's Hat. Steve Antony. 2015. [August] Scholastic. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: The Queen was on her way to visit someone very special when the wind went…swish! The wind took the Queen's favorite hat right off her head.

Premise/plot: The Queen is on her way to visit the new royal baby when the wind sweeps her hat away. The Queen and the palace guards chase the hat all over London. In the process of the chase, little readers are introduced to famous London sites: Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, London underground, London Zoo, London Eye, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Kensington Palace.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved the premise of this one! It was so very cute and quite delightful. I could see adults enjoying this one very much! I know I did. There's just something joyous about it.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Friendshape. Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. 2015. [August] Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: What's so great about having friends? We're glad you asked! See, the great thing about having friends is…everything! Friends make you feel happy. Friends make you feel at home.

Premise/plot: Four shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle) answer the question "what's so great about having friends?" for young readers. It is a pun-filled celebration of friendships.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I liked the puns, for the most part. Adults may spot them a bit quicker than little ones. But regardless of whether the book's play on words makes you giggle or not, the book is fun and playful. It is a simple book, in some ways, but clever too.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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A Little In Love. Susan Fletcher. 2015. Scholastic. 288 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I'm dying. There's no use hoping I'll live or telling myself, Keep going, it's only a small wound. There's too much blood on the ground. I'm going to die in this street.

Eponine has always been one of my favorite characters from Les Miserables. I've always felt sympathy for her. And so I was quite excited to see that Susan Fletcher has written Eponine's story in her novel, A Little In Love.

Is an understanding--an appreciation, a love--for the novel Les Miserables a must for picking this one up? I wouldn't say it's a must. I wouldn't want to limit the audience for this one. Certainly this book will mean more to the reader who has at least watched one of the movie adaptations (though I'm not sure all movie adaptations even have Eponine's character? I do not care for the musical, for the most part, but this song gets me every time.*) But the most enthusiastic fan may just be the reader who has read Victor Hugo's Les Miserables--and unabridged at that! But any reader who is drawn to historical fiction set in nineteenth century France will find this of interest.

The framework of this one does make sense. I'm not always a big fan of stories told within a framework. But it is wisely done in this one. The narrator--Eponine herself--is not being melodramatic. She is, in fact, dying. And in a way, the whole book is a flashback showing us moments in her life that have led up to this moment--this heroic, tragic, bittersweet moment. This adaptation does not change the ultimate outcome.

Is it faithful to Victor Hugo's novel? Yes, for the most part. I do think a few details are changed along the way. And I do think plenty has been added, filled out, if you will. The characters we meet in A Little in Love are fleshed out.

So did I like it? love it? I really enjoyed it. It is one I read all at once--like a treat. I admit that I'm probably the ideal reader for this one since Les Miserables is one of my most favorite, favorite books of all time. My 2014 review.  My 2013 review.

*I think I fell in love with this song a full decade before ever picking up the novel. Why? Well, it's one that skaters really, really, really LOVE to skate to.

• Katarina Witt
• Midori Ito
• Michelle Kwan
• Caroline Zhang
• Ekaterina Gordeeva (I Dreamed A Dream, Not On My Own, but too beautiful not to share) 
• Quing Pang & Jian Tong (I Dreamed A Dream, one of my favorite pairs; and another routine from several years earlier)

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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An Ember in the Ashes. Sabaa Tahir. 2015. Penguin. 446 pages. [Source: Library]

I definitely enjoyed reading Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes. This young adult fantasy is a quick, compelling read with two narrators. Laia is a slave from the conquered Scholars tribe. Elias is a Mask, a soldier from the dominant (conquering) Martials tribe. The chapters alternate points of view. Which is good and bad. Good in that both narrators have action-packed stories that sometimes happen to collide. Bad in that the action is interrupted oh-so-often. And when you're all caught up in the moment, the last thing you want to do is switch narrators! Even if you know that in just a page or two you'll be swept right back up again. But at least both stories are fast-paced and action-packed. It could be a lot worse.

So. The world building is interesting. And the world-building is gradual in a way. You keep learning more about the world as the plot unfolds. It is never so unsettling that you're completely confused. But you know that the world is unique from the start.

So what is this one about? Laia turns to the rebel resistance when her brother is arrested and put in prison. She has no spy-skills to speak of, but, she's determined to do whatever it takes, no matter how hard, no matter how risky, to free him. She's placed as a spy within Blackcliff, the soldier-school, and her mistress is cruel. (She's also the Commandant.)

Elias is planning an escape of his own. He may have trained as a soldier--as a mask--but he's never bonded with his mask. He doesn't see himself as a cruel, heartless soldier who rapes and kills and follows orders. But he hesitates at the last minute, and decides to become an Aspirant instead. There were four named. Two will die. One will be the new emperor. One will take an oath to serve the new emperor until death. And the four trials will be more challenging, more risky, than anything he's ever faced before.

Both Elias and Laia are absolutely miserable and are facing huge challenges daily...

I liked it because sometimes you just need an intense, compelling read.

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Mom School. Rebecca Van Slyke. Illustrated by Priscilla Burris. 2015. Random House. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 First sentence: When I go to school, I learn how to cut and glue paper, count to 100, and sing silly songs. My mom says she went to school, too. I think she went to Mom School.

Premise/plot: A little girl is convinced that her Mom went to Mom School to learn how to be the BEST BEST mom in the whole world. She imagines all the things her Mom might have learned at Mom School. Things such as:

• learning how to go grocery shopping without losing any kids
• learning how to pitch a ball slowly so a kid can actually hit it
• learning how to go on scary rides
• learning how to talk on the phone and do hair at the same time
• learning how to cook and listen to silly made-up songs at the same time
• learning how to make forts out of couch cushions

And that's just a small sampling of one little girl's imagination.

My thoughts: This one was super-sweet and adorable. Predictably so, yes. But it's irresistibly charming in some ways. If you're looking for a sweet mom-and-daughter read that celebrates family life. I really love the little girl's pigtails. I do.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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All We Have Is Now. Lisa Schroeder. 2015. Scholastic. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]

No one saw it coming. Because this particular cosmic death star came from the direction of the sun, we were blind.

Did I love All We Have Is Now? Yes and no. If you're asking if it is a perfect read, then the answer is no. Yet there was something about it that kept me reading. Here's the premise, Emerson and Vince are two homeless streets getting by--barely--when the news comes in that the world is ending. Now everyone--including our two teens--are having to deal with life issues in a hurry. How will they spend their last two days? What will they learn about themselves? about each other? about humanity? life?

If you only give the book a few chapters--or a few pages--then you'll come to the wrong conclusion about what kind of book this is. For the simple reason that at first, these two decide they do not want to wait to die, that waiting would be torturous, that it would be better to decide when and where and how they'll die. So they make a plan to commit suicide together. This doesn't happen. For the two meet Carl, an older man, who has spent the past few days helping others and making other people's dreams come true. Inspired, Emerson and Vince take on a new mission: how many people can they meet in their last days? how many dreams can they help come true? 

Emerson and Vince are best, best friends. Vince is in love with Emerson, though she does have some issues. And Emerson is beginning to think that she's been wrong to keep Vince as only a friend. He is so much more than her best friend. But now time is against her. She's brave enough to face the end of the world perhaps so long as he is with her. But one of Vince's dreams is to make sure Emerson doesn't have any regrets at all before she dies...

The book is emotional and compelling. It is very sweet at times, very romantic. But I'm just not sure about the ending--the epilogue. I'm not sure it fits with the rest of the book and what it all means. But I thought there were some beautifully written scenes in this one. Most of this one is written in prose, but, some chapters are in verse.

It's like a song that
pulls you in and
fills you up
and gives you what
you didn't even know
you needed until
the sounds, the melody,
and the voices
wash away the pain.
They have each other,
and it's all they need.
A new single,
headed for the top
of the charts. (129)

The best kind of days
are the ones that make
you feel like you are living
inside a kaleidoscope,
twirling and swirling
with dazzling joy.
It doesn't happen often.
But when it does,
you hold on tight and
wish for the delight to
go on
and on
and on.
Forever. (156)

What I really appreciated about this one was the characterization. I loved getting to know Emerson and Vince. And I love following Carl's story as well.


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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The Big Princess. Taro Miura. 2015. Candlewick Press. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there lived a king and queen. The king and queen had no children of their own, but they had a beautiful garden, full of all kinds of flowers. It was their pride and joy, and each blossom was tended with the greatest love and care. 

Premise/plots: A childless royal couple is overjoyed when their greatest dream comes true: at last a child to call their own, a princess. But this princess is under a spell. She is tiny now, but, she'll keep growing and growing and growing until the spell is broken. And the king and queen are warned that they NEED to break the spell for the good of them all--the whole kingdom. Can they break the spell in time?

The Big Princess was originally published in Japan in 2013. 

My thoughts: I liked this one. I've read it three times now, and, I've reacted a bit differently each time. But overall, I think I do like it. It reads like a traditional fairy tale. It may not have all the expected elements--the presence of fairies, for example--but if you enjoy a good fairy tale, this original story may satisfy. Still, I have to warn you that this one is a bit odd.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Alphabet Trains. Samantha R. Vamos. Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke. 2015. Charlesbridge. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Tear the ticket. Load the freight. Sound the whistle. Raise the gate. Clank! Chug-chug! Whoosh! Alphabet trains.

Premise/plots: Alphabet Trains is a train-themed alphabet book for young readers. An author's note at the back of book provides more information on each train. A few trains are just types of trains, but other trains are specific trains. I like learning which trains are real, and where each train is located.  For example, "K is for Komet, traveling through the night. L is for Leonardo Express--a trip to Rome postflight." The note reveals, "The Komet runs overnight between Germany and Switzerland. Like a comet in the sky, the train travels at high speed. The Leonardo Express travels back and forth from the airport in Rome, Italy, to the central train station in the city. The trip is just 30 minutes."

My thoughts: I like this one. I like reading and reviewing train books, because I think train books will always have an audience. Little ones like trains. Some really, really, really love trains. Do you have a favorite train book?

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Poppy's Best Paper. Susan Eaddy. Illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet. 2015. Charlesbridge. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Poppy loved books. "I might be a writer when I grow up," she told her best friend, Lavender.

Premise/plot: Poppy loves to read and write. She has even almost decided to be a writer when she grows up. So when Mrs. Rose, her teacher, assigns a few writing assignments to the class, Poppy is super-excited. She KNOWS that whatever the assignment, she'll be the best at it because it involves writing. She KNOWS that her teacher will praise her work and read her writing as an example for the class. So Poppy is disappointed and frustrated and ANGRY when other students' work is picked instead. Will Poppy have a chance to shine?

My thoughts: I really liked this one. I liked Poppy. She's a character easy to relate to. We see her at school and at home. We see her "doing" her homework. We see the writing process. This one is easily about writing and school. But it is also about emotions and feelings and learning to deal with them appropriately.

Text: 3.5 out of 5
Illustrations 4.5 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Close to the Wind. Jon Walter. 2015. Scholastic. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

The boy and the old man arrived at the port at night. 

Did I find Close to the Wind a compelling read? Yes, for the most part. Notice I didn't exactly say enjoyable! Close to the Wind is a book about war refugees, mainly orphans, but also some families wealthy enough to pay for a ticket out of the country. The setting? The year? I'd like to know these myself. But the truth is the author has not given readers any context for placing Close to the Wind in the real world. It could be any country, any war, any year. Or almost any.

Malik is our young narrator. There is much Malik doesn't understand or grasp that readers may pick up on much sooner. For example, his grandfather's lies. His grandfather loves him very, very much. That's not in question, but, instead of telling the young boy that he just honestly doesn't know what happened to his daughter--Malik's mother--he makes up a pleasant-sounding story about how they will meet up with her right before getting on board the ship that will take them to a much better country. The boy isn't worried about getting on board, about how they will get tickets, about money issues at all really. He's placed all his trust in his grandfather who seems to be more than capable. But readers see some vulnerability. The grandfather IS worried.

Malik is a young boy that is easy to care about. And his grandfather, well, he's a good man willing to do anything for his grandson. The book is very ugly in places--showing the desperation of the times. I personally wish for more context. But even without it, this one is a compelling read.  

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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The Messengers. Edward Hogan. 2015. Candlewick Press. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

We're drawn to each other, us messengers. We must be. I remember the first time I saw him, down by the beach huts. There was something about him. The look of him. How could I not go over?

Did I enjoy The Messengers? Well, I finished it, didn't I? I'll gladly admit that The Messengers isn't my typical genre. In fact, I typically avoid paranormal thrillers. So I didn't actually enjoy it.

Frances is the heroine of The Messengers. If her age is given, I couldn't find it. I found myself curious as to if she was an older teen or a younger one in several places. Family troubles have led to her living with an aunt, uncle, and cousin (Max).

In the first chapter, she meets Peter who lives or at least works in a beach hut. She's drawn to this much, much older man who paints postcards. There is something peculiar about him that she can relate to. It turns out that they both suffer from blackouts and wake up eager to draw--paint, sketch, whatever--in the minutes afterwards. He tells her something that at first seems too strange or bizarre to be true: he's a messenger, and so is she. They have been cursed--or blessed--with a visionary gift of sorts. The drawings they make--they are actual death scenes, a scene of a future that can't be changed. It is their responsibility to find the victim and show him/her the sketch. The victim will remain clueless as to what they're actually seeing. Frances is disturbed, and understandably so. He also tells her that there are rules and consequences....

The Messengers reminded me, in a way, of Person of Interest which is probably the one reason I kept reading.

The Messengers would have been just as interesting to me, perhaps even more so, if Frances had been an unreliable narrator and if things had turned out to be all in her head.  

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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Over the Hills and Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Edited by Elizabeth Hammill. 2015. Candlewick. 160 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Over The Hills And Far Away: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes is a diverse collection of nursery rhymes for parents to share with their little ones. The collection includes traditional rhymes from many countries and cultures. Yes, there are plenty of familiar rhymes from the English and American traditions. But there are plenty of poems--rhymes--that may be unfamiliar to readers. These poems celebrate a universal: young ones all over the world find rhymes fun and appealing.

Yes, the book celebrates the fact that we have a rich tradition of poetry, that there is something right, something good, about sharing rhymes with young children. But the book also celebrates art. Over 70 illustrators were involved in creating this book. Some illustrators are very famous, others are new to the field. The illustrations vary page by page. Chances are, some illustrations you will LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and others you decidedly won't personally appreciate. There truly is something for everyone.

My favorites?
Polly Dunbar illustrated "Sing a Song of Sixpence" and "I Had A Little Nut Tree."
Jane Ray illustrated "The Queen of Hearts" and "Pussy cat, Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?"
Emily Gravett illustrated "A was an Apple Pie."
Ashley Bryan illustrated "Little Sally Water."
Lydia Monks illustrated "Little Bo-peep" and "Little Boy Blue."


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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