Book Review - Stick by Steve Breen

Stick by Steve Breen


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Stick is about a small frog by the name of Stick. Stick likes to do things himself. Until on day, Stick tries to catch his own lunch. Maybe his eyes are too big for his stomach, because Stick gets carried away - really carried away. He goes over the swamp, through a city and out to the ocean. Now Stick must find his way back.
Stick is a semi-wordless picture book. The illustrations tell much more of the story than the words so this a great book to share with your non-readers. You can make up your own mind what Stick is feeling as he flies through the air stuck to a dragonfly or balloons. The illustrations are beautiful and the expressions on the faces of the people, animals and Stick, as he is taken from one place to another, are delightful. I would recommend this to adults reading to those children who are getting ready to read but not quite there yet. Or for older children who like to make up the story themselves.

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Book Review - Ain't Nothing But a Man" by Scott Reynolds Nelson

Ain't Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Author Scott Reynolds Nelson seeks to find the truth behind the folksong “John Henry”, the story of a contest between John Henry, a strong steel drivin' man, and a steam drill. Was there really a man named John Henry? Did he challenge and beat a steam drill? Nelson takes us step by step through the process that he used to answer these questions and more to find the real John Henry.
I put this book on my "must read" list. John Henry is a icon in American folklore - the symbol of man vs. the machine. No one truly knows who the real John Henry was or even where the legendary contest took place. Many have sought to find this information, and Scott Nelson will not be the last. However, the journey Nelson takes on his historical quest to find John Henry and the meaning behind the song is both entertaining and educational. Did he find the real John Henry? You will have to read the book and draw your own conclusion.

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Book Review - The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Calpurnia Tate is smack dab in the middle of six brothers, and the only girl. She loves to float in the river and walk through the woods. When she confesses studying the surrounding flora and fauna to her oldest brother, Harry, he gives her a journal to "write down (her) scientific observations." With this she embarks on a whole new journey into scientific discovery. It isn't too long before Callie Vee finds a fellow naturalist in her grandfather. But this is 1899 Texas, where girls are supposed to cook and sew, boys are supposed to hunt and get dirty, and no one is supposed to look at, let alone read, Darwin's The Origin of the Species. With a little help from her grandfather, Calpurnia enters this forbidden world.
Boys and girls alike will enjoy this book, especially if they love nature and discovery. Adults will enjoy seeing the relationship between Calpurnia and her grandfather grow and blossom through the course of the book. The late 1800's and early 1900's was a time of wonder and discovery, with new inventions happening everyday. The telephone, automobile and even a simple window fan are all exciting and new for the characters in this book. Seen through Calpurnia's eyes, the reader get a taste of the wonder and awe that discovering something new inspires.

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Book Review - Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

Skippyjon Jones by Judith Schachner


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a wonderful book about a small Siamese kitten who imagines he is a chihuahua dog. Not only is he a chichuahua, but he is a great sword fighting chihuahau. Skippyjon Jones will entertain kids and adults alike. The children will like Skippyjon's ability to imagine so completely. Parents will like how his mother deals with Skippyjon's imagination.

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Book Review - The Robe of Skulls by Vivian French

The Robe of Skulls: The First Tale from the Five Kingdoms by Vivian French


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Gracie Gillypot lives with her mean stepfather, Munge, and her even meaner stepsister, Foyce. It was said that Foyce is as mean as Cinderella's two stepsisters rolled into one, she just isn't ugly. Gracie herself is a bit like Cinderella: kind; loving; hard-working; and very, very downtrodden. When we first meet Gracie she is shut in the cellar for being cheerful. But with a little help from a bat friend, Gracie sets out on an adventure that will take her farther than she knows. Add a scruffy prince, an evil sorceress and a troll, and you have the makings for a delightful fairytale.

This book is an interesting retelling of several different fairytales and myths rolled together. There is the princess and the frog; Cinderella; and the myth of the three fates who weave the fabric of life. The characters are enjoyable and you find yourself wondering how their lives went after the end of the book. I think my favorite character is the poor little troll who keeps losing his head, Gubble. Gubble is loyal and only tries to do his best to please the evil sorceress, Lady Lamorna, but never quite manages to do so He just wants to stay in his dark cupboard and sleep. Gubble adds the bit of humor that any good fairytale needs. I recommend this book for lovers of fairytales and for anyone who wants a light read with a little humor and a lot of fun.

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Book Review - Ted by Tony DiTerlizzi

Ted by Tony DiTerlizzi


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ted is a pink, raspberry loving, game playing creature who might or might not be real. But he is real enough to the little boy he befriends. They play Monopoly Twister and have fun with everything they do. Too bad the boy's father does not believe in "imaginary" friends. Or does he?
I loved this book. It is short and simply but strikes right at your heart. You quickly get the just of the story - a little boy greatly in need of some fun and a friend and whose father is too distant for either.

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Book Review - The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman

The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Freddie T. Burch, better known as Fredde the Great, is a down-n-out ventriloquist working his way through Europe 3 years after the end of WWII. He is not a very good ventriloquist, his lips keep moving. Then he runs into a dybbuk, a Jewish spirit or ghost who's troubles keep him from moving on. This dybbuk is named Avrom Poliakov and he is a 12 year old boy killed by the Nazis before his bar mitzvah. And now Avrom wants something of Freddie. What Avrom wants just might be the last thing Freddie ever does.
I liked this book. The subject matter is heartwrenching - the killing of Jewish children by the Nazis, often as sport. However, the whole time I was reading the book I felt like it was just skimming the surface. I kept wanting more depth - to the characters and to the plot. I don't know if Fleischman kept it shallow because he was writing for kids, but even so, it only seems to touch the surface of the story.

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