Doll Bones

Title:  Doll Bones

Author:  Holly Black

Published:  2013

Pages:  244

As a parent of little ones I was a little unsettled when reading about kids sneaking out at night, but this book turned out to be so delightful.

When Poppy, Zach, and Alice attempt to bring justice to one of their dolls they refer to as the Queen, things start getting a little creepy.  A journey to another city will test their loyalty and each others friendship. 

My favorite line from the book...

"Everyone has a story," Alice murmured.  "Everyone's the hero of their story.  That's what Ms. Evans said in English."

Games, pretending, creativity, sneaking out, boats, bikes, libraries, and deception....if these are on your list for a good weekend read then make sure you check out Doll Bones by Holly Black. 

The Cricket in Times Square

Title:  The Cricket in Times Square

Author:  George Selden, Drawings by Garth Williams

Published:  1960

Pages:  134

Description
There are many interesting things in the Times Square Subway Station, not the least of which are a mouse named Tucker, a cat named Harry, and now a cricket named Chester.  While the young boy Mario Bellini runs the family news stand, he doesn't even know he is being watched. 

A mouse was looking at Mario.

The mouse's name was Tucker, and he was sitting in the opening of an abandoned drain pipe in the subway station at Times Square.

Mario soon finds out about Chester Cricket though, and he goes to Chinatown to buy him a new little cricket home that even has a bell.  That night while Tucker, Harry, and Chester are playing around they soon get themselves into a bit of trouble.  Will they be clever enough to get out of this one?  

My thoughts 
When I was growing up, I don't think I read this one but I certainly heard of it.  I even remember eating chocolate and mint grasshopper cookies around that time too.  Maybe one of my teachers read this book to us.  It is hard to remember that far back.  I certainly enjoyed it now though.  Getting to know Harry Cat, Tucker Mouse, and Chester Cricket was such a delight.  I enjoyed the author's occasional stab of humor too.

Harry had been down to Washington Square to hear an open-air concert of chamber music.  How you could play chamber music outdoors Chester didn't understand-but it was New York and anything could happen.

I didn't want this book to end.  The characters were so endearing, they will live on in my memory for a long time.






  

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden

Title:  The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden

Author:  Karina Yan Glaser

Published:  2018

Pages:  323

The delightful Vanderbeekers from 141st Street are at it agian...this time they want to save a plot of land next to the church and turn it into a garden.  This will surely cheer up their beloved upstairs neighbor who is in the hospital, right?

When Hyacinth, Laney, Oliver, and Jessie (Isa is out of town at camp) put their heads down and make a plan, there is no stopping them.  How will they transform the run-down, litter filled lot into a place of beauty?

It was amazing how generous people could be without wanting or expecting something in return.

Maybe, Oliver thought, maybe the world worked only if people gave all they could without measuring the worth of what they gave.

I laughed and cried and fell in love with the Vanderbeekers even more with this book.  Be sure to check it out!





 

The Vanishing Season

Title:  The Vanishing Season

Author:  Jodi Lynn Anderson

Published:  2014

Pages:  258

It appears that after reading Little Monsters, Paper Valentine, and now The Vanishing Season that I have become enamored with Teen Murder Mystery books.  They are just so much better than adult murder mysteries!

My library website had a list of "Other Suggestions" when I was looking up info on Paper Valentine, and that is how I stumbled upon The Vanishing Season. 

When high school senior Maggie Larsen has to move from Chicago to Gill Creek on Lake Michigan she tries not to complain.  Becoming friends with her beautiful neighbor Pauline eases the blow.  She is also soon introduced to Pauline's good friend Liam.  Pauline says he's not her boyfriend, but it is hard to miss the way he looks at Pauline.

The local newspaper reports of a girl found dead near the shoreline a few towns over.  Soon another girl goes missing.  A local curfew is initiated, and as fall gives way to winter the small town of Gill Creek will never be the same. 

Anderson sprinkles details throughout the story only to circle back to them in unique ways later in the story which will  make for a great re-read.  I can't wait!


    

The Ambrose Deception

Title:  The Ambrose Deception

Author:  Emily Ecton

Published:  2018

Pages:  359

The Ambrose Deception is one of the books I read on a recent weekend read-a-thon.  I think I was initially drawn to the name Ambrose because I was thinking about Ambrose Bierce who wrote The Devil's Dictionary.  (this book doesn't have anything to do with that one though)


Emily Ecton, who once wrote for the hilarious show Wait, Wait...Don't tell me!, really put together a fun cast of characters and a twisty plot with this one.  The Ambrose Deception brings together three high school students who aren't exactly at the top of their class, but are willing to try to solve some clues in order to win a $10,000 scholarship.  Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi attempt to solve things on their own but later end up joining forces to find out if they are playing a game or if they are being played.  

If you have ever visited Chicago or dreamed of going, be sure to check this book out first.  You'll be amazed at all the fun places and mysteries of history that the old city can boast of. 




 

Warren the 13th

Title:  Warren the 13th

Author:  Tania Del Rio, Illustrated by Will Staehle

Published:  2015

Pages:  217

The Warren hotel has been in the family for thirteen generations.  Portraits of them hang proudly on the walls in the main hall.  Warren the 13th is a busy young boy who basically runs the place while his lazy Uncle Rupert takes naps all day and his mean, new Aunt Annaconda dispels long lists of chores.  

Although the hotel had not housed a customer in five long years, alas! an automobile crested the hill!  The new visitor was shrouded in mystery.

"We're delighted to have you.  My name is Warren.  What's yours?"

The guest did not reply.

"Where are you visiting from?"

Still more silence.

"Have you come far?"

Somewhere in the distance, a cricket chirped.

Cozy up to this delightful chaper book/picture book (it has a lot of illustrations).  Make sure you have a mirror handy too...one of the pages is written backwards!

 

Paper Valentine

Title:  Paper Valentine

Author:  Brenna Yovanoff

Published:  2013

Pages:  304

There are two things I need to really get into a book, 1. a straight story line I can follow, and 2. a limited cast of characters.  This book had both.  Even though the library listed Paper Valentine as Fantasy, I would have categorized it as Mystery.  

Paper Valentine, set in the town of Ludlow, is having a major summer heat wave.  If the heat isn't making people crack up already, things get worse when local girls turn up murdered.  A teen named Hannah, who lost her own best friend six month ago, feels drawn to the investigation.  

This is the sort of book where you can be just fifty pages in and you re-read the author description  to see if they have other books too.  Brenna Yovanoff did a great job with this endearing story from beginning to end.  I'll be looking forward to reading more of her work. 

What to Say Next

Title:  What to Say Next

Author:  Julie Buxbaum

Published:  2017

Pages:  287

The socially awkward David Drucker knows all about the popular Kit Lowell, but is taken aback when she sits down next to him at lunch one day.  No one is more surprised than Kit and David themselves as their daily lunch conversations blossom into an actual friendship.

As someone who deals with the daily life of high functioning Autism in my own family, this book was quite intriguing.  At the end of chapter 11, David describes his first swimming under water experience as a child...

I somehow got the courage to put my face right into the pool, all the way past my ears, and the world went blue and dimmed and muffled and finally, finally quiet.

I also really loved the Author's Note at the end of the book...

There is a famous expression that when you meet one person with autism, you meet one person with autism.  Labels can be liberating, but they can also be limiting.  In What to Say Next we meet David.  Just David.  And what a joy he is.





 

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Title:  Nevermoor:  The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Author:  Jessica Townsend

Published:  2017

Pages:  480

 www.amazon.com

I've started following BookTuber Zoe in ReadbyZoe.  This was one she recommended from last year.  I ordered the large print edition from my library and it was 617 pages long!  

As Morrigan Crow, a cursed child living in Jackalfax, nears her eleventh birthday she knows that she is going to die.  She is enjoying her favorite dinner of lamb chops, roast parsnips, and minted peas when a knock comes at the front door.  Hearing footsteps coming down the hallway Morrigan thought..."Is this it?  Is this Death, come to take me?  Does Death wear boots?"

Death may or may  not wear boots, but Jupiter North does as he whisks her away to a magical city called Nevermoor.  Morrigan gets to ride on a giant spider, is housed in a shape shifting room, and befriends a gigantic cat.  But the real adventures begin with the four trials she has to go through.  

Even though Nevermoor was listed as Fiction, I would really say it borders on Fantasy.  Either way, I know you'll enjoy the humor, adventure, and mystery of this WUNDERFUL book!  (just read the book and you'll know why I spelled it that way)   

xoxo,

Kelly

Eddie Red Undercover, Mystery on Museum Mile

Title:  Eddie Red Undercover, Mystery on Museum Mile

Author:  Marcia Wells

Published:  2014

Pages:  240

It isn't often that a sixth grader gets to join the police force, but leave it to Edmund Xavier Lonnrot to pull it off.  Quickly tagged as "Eddie Red," Edmund gets a rare inside look at the workings of real detective work.  

With his photographic memory and excellent drawing skills, Eddie Red is able to help out with a complex case involving stolen pieces of art on Museum Mile.  

If you're a kid, there are three things you need in order to solve a police investigation:

1. A unique crime-fighting talent

2. A best friend who is a genius

3. A boatload of dumb luck

Well, luck might have a little bit to do with it, but Eddie Red is just getting started on his journey of undercover work.  Grab your IPODICU (i-pod-I-see-you), and join along with this adventure.  It would be a crime not to!


xoxo,
Kelly

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

Title: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

Author: Karina Yan Glaser

Published: 2017

Pages: 293

I recently came across a book review on this one, and I couldn't wait to pick it up.  Apparently a lot of other people were thinking the same because I had to wait for it on hold at the library for about a month.  

When the Vanderbeeker family is faced with having to move out of their beautiful brownstone apartment in Harlem, the kids put their brains (and their hearts) together to come up with a plan.  

The Vanderbeeker's home - a humble red brownstone with a weathervane that spun on windy days - sat in the exact middle of the street.  Among the many people who had visited it, there was quite a bit of debate about what it was like, but general agreement about what it was NOT:  Calm, Tidy, Boring, Predictable. 

Join Isa, Laney, Jessie, Oliver, and Hyacinth along with their pets Franz, George Washington, and Paganini as they come up with bad idea after bad idea to try to win the affection of their landlord Mr. Beiderman.  Will they be able to save their beloved apartment?  With a grouchy landlord and clumsy kids, what could possibly go wrong?

 xoxo,
Kelly

Absolutely Truly

Title: Absolutely Truly

Author: Heather Vogel Frederick

Published: 2014

Pages: 355

 www.amazon.com

Maybe it was because I read most of this one while on vacation this past June, but this sweet book really made it's way into my heart.  It was so much fun traveling along with twelve year old Truly Lovejoy as she moved to a new town, towered above her new friends, and turned the page on an unexpected mystery.

The almost six feet tall Truly isn't going to be able to just blend in at her new school in Pumpkin Falls, New Hampshire.  When she stumbles upon a hidden letter in the book Charlotte's Web, an unsolved puzzle must be found!  

Join Truly Lovejoy as she finds the courage to trust new friends, dances the Cha Cha, learns interesting facts about William Shakespeare, and has an absolutely truly great adventure!


xoxo,
Kelly      

  

 

The Astounding Broccoli Boy

Title: The Astounding Broccoli Boy

Author: Frank Cottrell Boyce

Published: 2015

Pages: 370

www.amazon.com

To write that Frank Cottrell Boyce is one of my favorite authors would be quite the understatement.  He has that amazing ability to keep his readers hooked with humor and excitement.  You can check out my inept review of his best-selling book Cosmic by clicking here.  

Well when Rory Rooney ends up turning green and finds himself tucked away in isolation with his arch nemesis, you'll hardly be able to believe what you're reading.   And...with the Killer Kittens on the loose, all of London is in paranoia!

"The cats had got together and were roaming around the city in big virusy gangs...I put my foot down harder on the milk float's accelerator, but it didn't make a lot of difference.  It certainly didn't go faster than cats." 

"Welcome to our secret headquarters...This is a hospital ward.  In fact, it's an isolation unit....Our headquarters is disguised as an isolation unit."

"They put us in the isolation ward here at Woolpit Royal Teaching Hospital because they think we're sick.  What if we're not sick?  What is what we are is...superheroes?"

Join Rory Rooney and his two friends...and a few penguins in this super adventure.  You won't want to miss it!


xoxo,
Kelly  



  

 

Scary Tales, One-Eyed Doll

Title: Scary Tales, One-Eyed Doll

Author: James Preller, Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

Published: 2014

Pages: 85

I was a bit unsure of just how scary this book would be.  So I read it in bed....at night....alone...and ended up having nightmares.  Then I read it aloud to the kids the next day....in the daylight....while they were busy playing with their toys.  Yep, they were completely fine.

When big brother Malik and his little sister Tiana run out of things to do during the long hot days of summer, the decision of digging up a half buried box next to an old, abandoned mansion just seemed logical at the time.  

"That's just a stupid old doll someone buried in the ground."

At that moment, a darkness fell over them.

The clouds burst open and poured down buckets of rain.  The three children were soaked to the bone by the time they got home.

Well turn on all the lights, grab your favorite blankie and your favorite snack (and perhaps all of your family members) and get ready to get scared!!!


xoxo,
Kelly      

Owl at Home

Title: Owl at Home

Author: Arnold Lobel

Published: 1975

Pages: 64

I really enjoyed reading Owl at Home to the kids this week.  They loved to each shout out "owl!" while I was reading it.  The book is made up of five delightful and well illustrated stories that will make you feel right at home. 

Join Owl as he invites in Winter but gets a chilly, unexpected surprise in The Guest.  If it's time for bed, make sure you examine the bed covers for any possible Strange Bumps.  Pour yourself a cup of Tear-Water Tea if you want to ponder the misfortunes of life.  If it's a little exercise you need, be sure to run with Owl Upstairs and Downstairs.  And lastly, making new friends is easier than you think in Owl and the Moon.

Hope you are able to check it out!


xoxo,
Kelly



       

On the Road with Mallory

Title: On the Road with Mallory

Author: Laurie Friedman, Illustrations by Jennifer Kalis

Published: 2016

Pages: 159

I think I'm going to name this The Year of Mallory.  I've really enjoyed reading the Mallory books to the kids (and Matt) this year.  The review for Mallory's Super Sleepover can be found here.  On the Road with Mallory is the most recent book, and I was glad to pick it up at the library the other day.

When Mallory's best friends Mary Ann and Joey move to the other side of town, the long summer ahead seems bleak.  But sweet, cheerful Mallory has a way of turning things around.  She is taking an art class, and is even helping out a neighbor with their garden.  

A road trip to the Grand Canyon also awaits...but unfortunately so does their cousin Kate.  Will their awkward long distance relationship be brought to light? Will being locked in a car together for hours and hours even be possible?  Put on your seat belt and ride along on this bumpy adventure!


xoxo,
Kelly

   



  

The Perfect Cat-Sitter

Title: The Perfect Cat-Sitter

Author: Ann Whitehead Nagda, illustrated by Stephanie Roth

Published: 2007

Pages: 104

www.amazon.com

This is a book I read out loud to the kids a few weeks ago.  We don't have any pets of our own other than the neighbor's cat that we feed, so the kids love books with animals on the cover.  

When Rana and her family have to go to India for a few weeks, her good friend Susan is more than happy to help out.  Susan reassures her friend, "Have a wonderful time and don't worry about a thing." 

Well, it's a good thing Susan keeps her correspondence to Rana rather vague, because she certainly wouldn't want to tell her that the cat gets sick, there is a deer in the backyard with Christmas lights stuck in their antlers, and that their friend Richard ends up getting hurt!

How will all this get resolved?  Is it ok to go near a wild deer?  Settle down with some Christmas cookies and find out in this perfect adventure!

xoxo,

Kelly

 

Withering by Sea

Title: Withering by Sea

Author: Judith Rossell

Published: 2016

Pages: 261

One of the first things I do when I pick up a potential read is to look at the inside cover for the book description, and then the back cover to learn about the author.  Whenever there is a picture of the author I think uh-oh.  Whenever there is a picture of the author who is unabashedly beautiful I think UH-OH! 

But when there is a sweet, old fashioned illustration of the author...yes!  I knew I would be in for a treat with this one.

Oh!  And the main character's name is Stella which is Clarice's middle name and also the name of my great grandmother.  Later on in the book she meets a man named Mr. Capelli who informs her that her name means 'star.'   

"Stella Montgomery lay hidden behind the ferns in the conservatory of the Hotel Majestic, flat on the mossy tiles, tracing a path through the Amazon jungle in a small, damp Atlas."

When Stella sneaks out of her room one night to retrieve her Atlas she left outside, she ends up seeing some things that she shouldn't have.  She quickly becomes a target on the evil Professor Starke's radar.  And to think how Stella spoke of the Hotel Majestic...

"Nothing ever happened here at all."

How untrue those words would soon ring in her ears!  Ride along on this wave crashing journey of the Hotel Majestic and beyond!


xoxo,
Kelly



   
   

Tiny Pretty Things

Title: Tiny Pretty Things

Author: Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Published: 2015

Pages: 438

When I think of ballet the things that come to mind are beauty, strength, patience, and gracefulness.  But this book gives you a front row seat to the inner workings of top notch ballet schools (according to Charaipotra and Clayton).  After just a few chapters in you begin to see eating disorders, extremely long hours, fierce competition, and betrayal.   

The story is told through the eyes of Bette, Gigi, and June who each have short chapters.  I like the way the book is set up and I found myself getting into the frame of mind for each character.  Oh!  There is also an introductory chapter from Cassie...but poor girl, you don't hear much from her after that.

The main question right at the beginning of the story is who will be cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the winter performance of The Nutcracker?  I won't give too much away, but let me just say that the decision shocked everyone.  What then ensues is a lot of harassment by the other girls.  

Although this isn't really a let's gather 'round the hearth and read a bedtime story  kind of tale, it was intriguing and mysterious.  I loved cuddling up to the book every day for a week just to find out what would happen!  I hope you are able to check it out.




xoxo,
Kelly




       

Mallory's Super Sleepover

Title: Mallory's Super Sleepover

Author: Laurie Friedman, illustrations by Jennifer Kalis

Published: 2011

Pages: 159

 amazon.com

This was a fun and easy to read aloud story that our entire family enjoyed.  At one point in our evening routine when one of the kids was acting up during story time, Matt didn't want to leave the room with them because he said he, "wanted to find out what happens."  Ha!  :)

Mallory's tenth birthday is coming up and she wants to have a super sleepover.  But things start quickly getting out of hand.  And, her best friend Mary Ann seems to be adding to the drama..."There's a difference between a sleepover and a super sleepover" she enthusiastically explains. 

Things turn out to be more than what Mallory planned and certainly more than what her parents agreed to.  Will the night be a total disaster?  Will Mallory just end up being in super trouble?  Grab a cupcake and your favorite PJs, and find out in Mallory's Super Sleepover.

xoxo,

Kelly