Latest Kids Book Reviews

First, I should introduce the main character, Salamanca Tree Hiddle, better known as Sal, who has the pack her bags and move to Ohio. She leaves her farm in Bybanks, a fictional small town in Kentucky, and travels to Euclid, which not only is a real place, it is the birthplace of the author. But that was a year ago, and in the present, she is in the car with her two grandparents, who are driving her all the way to Lewiston, Idaho, where her mother is. As they're driving, Sal tells a story that happened to her when she first moved to Euclid. It concerns a strange girl named Phoebe Winterbottom, a mysterious young man, and has quite a few surprising twists... As the book unfolds, more and more details about Sal's past are revealed. This book alternates, with Sal revealing more of her story, and strange things happening to her grandparents. All in all, there were a few key details that could either make you enjoy it or ruin it for you. There's the whole thing about having a story behind another story, as Sal puts it, and the whole other thing about some things being unclear and potentially confusing until later. Then there are the two weird grandparents and Sal, Gramps, and Gram's weird rural way of speaking. For me, the whole idea of having two stories worked out in the end, and I liked the eccentric habits of her grandparents, but I could see why some people would be a little confused. Additionally, the idea of traveling across the US and going to all these small towns was cool, too. I enjoyed how it had a fair amount of humor, and was mostly very engaging and drew me in from the first chapter. If you like somewhat old-fashioned realistic fiction, like some of Kate DiCamillo's stories, you'll like it too. You might even have a "gol-dang" time, as Gramps puts it.

Tsunami one of the dragonets of the prophecy who are destined to stop the war that has been going on for eighteen years. After the dragonets escape from Queen Scarlets Palace Tsunami finds out that she is the SeaWing queen's daughter. The Dragonets decide to go to the Kingdom of the Sea so that Tsunami can meet her mother, Queen Coral. They can meet Blister, one of the rival SandWing princesses who started the whole war by competing for the throne. Tsunami gets attacked and they find out that someone has been killing eggs. They find out that Orca a daughter of Queen Coral who died, had enchanted a statue to kill the eggs, the last one hatches, and they call it Auklet. But when they want to leave to see Blaze, Blister and Queen Coral Put them in jail. Then Anemone another daughter of Queen Coral has animus powers. She acks a horn to go and get the person that attacked Tsunami, and they find out that it was someone. READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT THE REST.

As soon as I finished reading this book, I immediately went to Dogo to write a review. In the beginning, the book was a bit hard to get into, as it was more slow-paced and uneventful, but soon after, Shannon Hale didn't disappoint. There was action, drama, and suspense! If it were a movie, I'd watch it ten times over, as it is, I'm probably going to read it multiple times. It follows along the basic plot of "The Goose Girl" by the Brothers Grimm but adds breezy and immersive descriptions, beautiful characters, and commendable plot that turns it from a bed-time story to a fantastical, spellbinding tale of betrayal, friendship, and a fair share of magic.

The Vanderbeekers kids; the twins, Isa and Jessie both are 13 years old, Oliver, 10 years old, Hyacinth, 8 years old, and lastly but not at least, Laney who is 6 years old. They lived in the brownstone apartment for whole of their lives, and it's practically another member of the Vanderbeekers family. They have pets, Franz, a dog, George Washington, a cat, and Prangini, a bunny. All were well until their landlord, Mr. Beiderman refused to renew their lease after 6 years of living there for Vanderbeekers. Papa Vanderbeeker as revealed lived in Harlem for all of his childhood, which was actually hoping to have his children to live for whole of their childhood in the Harlem, too. Ever since when the news broke out that Mr. Beiderman refuses to renew their lease, the Vanderbeekers doing as much as they could to save their home. You'll meet people like, Mr. Van Hooten, Isa's violin teacher, Auntie Harrigan and Uncle Arthur, Miss Josie, Mr. Jeet, Angie, the Castlemans, Benny and his parents (Benny is 8th grader and Isa is in 7th grade), etc. In the ending, Benny finally asked Isa out for the dance and the Vanderbeekers also got invited into the Mr. Beiderman's apartment after those long years and the Vanderbeekers barely even know him until they found the truth in the newspapers and people. - Happy Reading!

Have you ever wondered if the people who live in a funeral home were scared or eldritchly? Ash Harrier’s “The Deadly Daylight” will clear up all of your misconceptions as she introduces you to Alice England, a precocious twelve-year-old girl, who lives with her father in a funeral home, and her unwonted clique. Though the unlikely threesome of Alice, Violet Devenish, and Calvin Lee seem harmless enough, the Zombie Queen, Ultraviolet, and Cal’s friendship manifests under the haze of a mystery. Nothing interesting happens in Damocles Cove. Ever. Until the untimely death of Violet’s uncle George. But is his death really a mystery? Alice believes there is more to his death. But why? Harrier’s witty writing of Alice’s attitude to her temporary guests normalizes being surrounded by death and sadness daily while she works with her father in the funeral home. Alice never knew life without dead people whom she always treated with respect. Alice finds solace in working alongside her father and finds she can connect with the temporary house guests. These strong intuitions propel Alice to investigate Violet’s uncle’s death. Unwillingly Violet tags along with Alice in her search for the truth which later becomes an obsession. Would the obsession destroy the new friendship? Was George’s death really related to his health? Was it an accident? Murder? Everyone is a suspect, including his niece Violet, maybe even Cal. The chapter book is an easy read. Comical interactions between Alice, Violet, and Cal keep you entertained as they hang out at school, the funeral home, and some unseemly gatherings at the pier and wharves on the Australian coastline. Alice’s over-the-top vocabulary and keen investigation skills make the mystery fun. But how can it be fun with a rare genetic allergy, illegal exotic animals, and a funeral home all part of the plot? Well, you have to read the book to find out! I would recommend the book for kids ages 13 and older. And grab a thesaurus when you read the book!