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Fascinated by the Tudors, Mac Barnett and illustrator Carson Ellis created a retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale Rumpelstiltskin. Although not a fractured version of the original tale, this retelling highlights the consequences of bragging and the impact of premature celebration. It further carries subliminal messages regarding the power of one’s name and the true source of happiness. As is the case with picture books, much of the story lies in the illustrations.  For example, the emotional lives of the characters, including their motivations, are revealed through the art. Just as Ellis uses scale, shape, and shadow to echo the girl’s vulnerability, she employs symbolismRead More →

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Betita is a nine-year-old girl with a loving family in modern-day America. She enjoys learning new words, spelling, drawing, and playing with other kids her age. What appears to be a rather normal life quickly begins to unravel into fear and uncertainty when her Papi doesn’t pick her up after school one day. After failing to reach her father, the principal drives Betita home. While her mother tries to hide her worry, Betita knows something is wrong, and she soon finds out that the almost-worst has happened. Her father has been deported, leaving her mother, who is newly pregnant, and Betita to fend for themselvesRead More →

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Hi, my name is Sabrina. I live in Arizona. I am 10 years old and in the 5th grade. I have recently read the book Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott. This is my review on it. Personally, I think this is a very good book. It is great for readers in the 5th and 6th grades, so mostly ages 10-13. The story follows an 11 year old autistic girl named Tally who is going into the 6th grade. Can You See Me? helped me better understand what autism is and what it feels like to be autistic. This book includedRead More →

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Born to Austrian and Indonesian parents, Alexa is nearly ten years old and attends Nelson Elementary School in London.  She dreams of having the best job in the world: “being a reporter and getting to solve mysteries and go on adventures” (2) just like Tintin and Snowy, her favorite comic book characters. One day, a boy with lion’s eyes joins Alexa’s class and sits in the back.  Intrigued by the mysterious boy, Ahmet, Alexa and her friends—Josie, Tom, and Michael—set out to discover where Ahmet is from and how he came to be in London.  During their discovery phase, the group learns not only thatRead More →

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Sasquatch are real. So are mermaids and chupacabras. And the Unicorn Rescue Society has taken it upon itself to rescue any of these mythical endangered creatures that need help. Which is why Elliot and Uchenna, elementary-age members of the Unicorn Rescue Society, are on their way to the state of Washington, where the Sasquatch are in trouble. An evil corporation is after the trees in their habitat, and after them, too! Can Elliot and Uchenna stop to the Schmokes Brothers before it’s too late? This humorous and heartwarming story is full of facts about many creatures, both fictional and real; disguises; complicated vehicles; beautiful trees;Read More →

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Duncan and his assistant Emma – or Emma and her co-magician Duncan, depending on which you ask – are preparing to wow their classmates with their magic routine at the  school talent show. Then Duncan accidentally acquires a wand that can do…real magic! Now the local witch is after him to get it back, and she may not be the only person they need to worry about. This book alternates perspectives between Duncan and Emma in a cute if confusing way. It’s fun to realize that one or both of them is an unreliable narrator, but can be hard to remember which narrator you’re readingRead More →

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In Mac B. Kid Spy: Mac Undercover, a humorous children’s book illustrated by Mike Lowery, Mac Barnett tells the story of Mac Barnett who is a kid one minute and the next, a secret agent for the Queen of England. Once he arrives in London, the Queen equips Mac with a secret identity kit and an alias so that he can go undercover to recover the queen’s spoon.  As Hugh Anthony Cregg III, a piano tuner from Kalmazooo, Michigan, Mac travels from London to France and then to Russia on the trail of a thief. In France, he meets the President, who also plays SpyRead More →

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Fairy Mom and Me by Sophie Kinsella is about a girl whose mom is a fairy.The girl’s name is Ella and she will turn into a fairy when she is an adult . Her mom learns a bunch of different spells. It lists some of the spells and then tells you about them in the chapters. I would give this book 4 stars. I like this book because it was really funny. I think kids who like magic would really like this book because there is a lot of magic in it. I think that mostly girls would like this book best because it’s really girly. PostedRead More →

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In A Riddle in Ruby: The Changers Key by Kent Davis, the brave Ruby Teach is back, and has found herself a voluntary captive of the man she was running from. While Ruby is training to be a soldier for an upcoming war, her father and friends are searching for her by means of a special coded journal.  As Ruby is fights to prove her worth, and train to be as good a soldier as the other Reeves, she is experimented on by the scientist in hopes of finding out her secret. She makes new friends along the way, and is confronted with her darkRead More →