A Superhero Squirrel & A Natural-Born Cynic

Review:

She stood at the window and watched as the squirrel was vacuumed up.

Poof. Fwump.

""Holy bagumba!" said Flora.

- from the back cover

Not to go overboard or anything, but I LOVED this book. I mean, the main character (besides the little girl, Flora) is a SQUIRREL. When I was a kid, my favorite animal was a squirrel. I had stuffed animal squirrels, china squirrels, pewter squirrels, squirrel banks, squirrel bookmarks, and on and on..... The only thing I didn't have was a pet squirrel. If I had read this book as a child, this would have been a favorite for sure.

Flora is a great character; she describes herself as a natural-born cynic, but we can tell that she wants to hope. And Ulysses, well he is a squirrel. Before the accident, he is just a normal squirrel whose thoughts focus on one thing, FOOD. After the accident, Ulysses still thinks a lot about food, but he thinks of many other things as well, including poetry.

This story is charming and quirky and full of meaning and hope. I enjoyed every minute of reading it. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars, is because I have a hard time giving 5 stars. Lord of the Rings gets 5 stars, some of the Harry Potter books, the first Hunger Games book...

Bottom line, Kids should read this book!! And adults too, especially if you are fond of squirrels. ;)

Recommended to:
Grades 3 and up. Kids and adults who enjoy animal stories, fantasies, super heroes and really fun adventures.

--I read this book as my award winning book choice for my Information Needs of Children class. :)

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1327934/a-superhero-squirrel-a-natural-born-cynic

Serafina and the Black Cloak - review

Review:

Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there and they will ensnare your soul.
- from the book flap

The sound came closer and closer until the Man in the Black Cloak was right outside the door.... Serafina could hear him breathing. She picked up the foul scent of the cloak as the stench wafted through the crack under the door. 
The Black Cloak began its slow, slithering, rattling motion.
The doorknob slowly turned.
- from the back cover

I loved this book. It just goes to show you that you can get recommendations for a great book from places you might not expect. One of the new 5th grade students in our school is a real reader. I'm sure you guys know what I mean. We could tell he has a passion for books right away. In the beginning of the year, he kept talking about this book, "Serafina and the Black Cloak" and how much he loved it. Well, his enthusiasm was contagious and the librarian bought that book for our library. And, of course, as soon as it came in, I had to take it home and read it. I am so glad I did.

Serafina and her father live in the basement of the Biltmore Estate and the Vanderbilts live upstairs. The residents and guests have no idea that Serafina exists. Her father has always warned her to stay hidden. However, when Serafina sees the Man in the Black Cloak attack a young girl, even though she is terrified, she knows she has to do something. Even if it means exposing her existence and maybe getting kicked out of the only home she has ever known.

Take a look at the words from the back cover (see above). Those words gave me chills and they are the perfect setup for this scary story. Serafina and Braeden are young, but incredibly brave in the face of supernatural evil. The suspense in this story is amazing and there are plenty of scary moments. If the words above scare you or your child, then this book isn't for you. If those words appeal to you or scare you in a good way, then read this book.

Recommended to:
I would say 5th graders who enjoy scary stories, but if Goosebumps scares them, then stay away or you will have company in your bed. ;)

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1322843/serafina-and-the-black-cloak-review

Reading progress update: I've read 70 out of 304 pages.

I started reading this during my hair appointment and didn't want to put it down.

A creepy man in a supernatural black cloak stalking the halls of the Biltmore Estate, stealing children during the time the Vanderbilts lived there...

What's not to like?

I am loving this one so far.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1310937/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-70-out-of-304-pages

Reblogged from: Yodamom Finds her Force

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1309369/post

Ugh, Beauty Pagents...

Review:

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine -- "Dumplin" is guaranteed to steal your heart.
-- from the book jacket

So, I purposely didn't copy the blurb from the back cover for the beginning of my review. The back cover implies that the main character, "Willowdean", is proud of her body and not self-conscious at all. This is not true, but also not realistic. She has a lot of issues, but don't we all...

No matter how old we are, I think most of us have something about our bodies that we hate. For me, it's my belly. No matter how skinny I was growing up, I was always afraid to wear a bikini because of my belly. Of course, I look back now and laugh at myself. I should have taken advantage of my bikini-worthy body while I could. I look at old pictures and I have to laugh at myself. I was skinny and I don't look like I had a belly at all. Then again, our self-image and what other people see tends to be quite different.

Willowdean has issues with her body, and she is heavy. But she still enters herself in the beauty pageant that her mother once won. Her mother is heavily invested in the pageant and participates in the celebration every year. Her mother is also always trying to get Willow to go on one diet or another. The interesting thing about Willowdean is that when a boy shows real interest in her, she only sees the bad. She worries what he will think about her body and sees only the fact that he is "too good looking" for her. And she worries a lot about what other people would think.

This was a fun book to read and I think gave a realistic look at how teenage girls see themselves. I liked most of the characters and enjoyed watching their development.

Recommended to:
Teenage readers, especially girls. This is a YA book, but I think readers of many ages would enjoy it.

Original post: readingismyescape.booklikes.com/post/1307821/ugh-beauty-pagents