I think this is one of those books that would easily charm both children and adults. I know I loved it! Taking place in Africa, it's about the EnormouI think this is one of those books that would easily charm both children and adults. I know I loved it! Taking place in Africa, it's about the Enormous Crocodile and his Secret Plans and Clever Tricks in an attempt to find a child to eat. He tells other jungle animal about his plans, singing out rhymes when they're appalled, and struts through the land full of confidence. What's not to love? It's funny, clever, and just plain well-written. I think this would probably be a fun one to read aloud to kids....more
I read this book so many times growing up, and rereading it now as an adult did not disappoint. Everything that I loved about the book as a kid was stI read this book so many times growing up, and rereading it now as an adult did not disappoint. Everything that I loved about the book as a kid was still there, and it was just as magical. I was especially pleased by this because last year, I read the author's latest book, Test, and hated it, making me question whether Interstellar Pig was actually as good as I remembered.
Sixteen-year-old Barney is spending the summer with his parents at a beach house. Three people rent the house next door, and Barney is quickly drawn to them and into their role-playing game called Interstellar Pig, in which players travel across planets, fighting for control of The Piggy. It soon becomes apparent that these neighbors are actually searching for something at the beach... perhaps the actual Piggy.
This isn't violent or extraordinarily scary, but there's something very Twilight Zone-ish about the narration, which moves slowly but has this awesome creepy factor to it. Plus, there's the game of Interstellar Pig, which sounds like so much fun and so addicting. The action is not overstated and just moves along, drawing you into the story and into the game itself.
Definitely a quick read, as it's just shy of 200 pages, but it's awesome and one of those vividly memorable books. I'm so glad I re-found this book and reread it!...more
This cookbook is awesome. No one ever expects vegan food to taste good, least of all vegan desserts, but the cupcakes in this book are delicious. GranThis cookbook is awesome. No one ever expects vegan food to taste good, least of all vegan desserts, but the cupcakes in this book are delicious. Granted, I haven't tried all the recipes, but the ones I've made have been great. In particular, the Cookies-N-Cream cupcakes are AMAZING. Chocolate cupcakes with crumbled oreos, topped with a vanilla buttercream frosting with crushed oreos, and garnished with half an oreo on top. Wow. It was seriously one of the best cupcakes I've ever had and you would never guess that any part of it was vegan. That cupcake recipe is probably worth the cost of the book alone! I just checked this out from the library but I think I'll be buying a copy and making more of the recipes in it.
Edited: Now that I've bought the book and have made more of the recipes, I've decided this has to be one of the best dessert cookbooks out there. Orange Pudding Cupcakes? UNBELIEVABLY GOOD! Orange cupcakes, filled with orange pudding that tastes like an orange creamsicle, then topped with marmalade and chocolate ganache - yum! And Chai Latte Cupcakes? Wow. So moist, spicy, and tasty!
If you like desserts - if you like cupcakes - you definitely need to try this book out. ...more
Another great book by Monica McInerney! This one is a family saga, spanning decades and continents, as the Faraday family (one grandfather, five daughAnother great book by Monica McInerney! This one is a family saga, spanning decades and continents, as the Faraday family (one grandfather, five daughters, one granddaughter) comes to terms with secrets that have been kept hidden for years. The narration jumped from one character to the next, and all were quite distinct, including the deceased grandmother, who definitely came alive on page despite not actually being present. It was very obvious that her presence was deeply felt in everyone's life and influenced the people they all turned out to be.
I really loved the characters in this book and the various issues they had to overcome. Underneath their facade of being a perfect family, each member had something that he/she struggled with, trying to keep it hidden to keep from rocking the family's foundations; past actions caught up to the present, and the effects of these decisions rippled out everywhere. Problems were handled very sensitively, and the author did an excellent job making me sympathize with all the characters. I especially loved the ending of the book, which I think did a wonderful job of tying everything up in a way that was realistic, believable, and hopeful despite the issues that remained. ...more
This book was wonderful and so thought-provoking. Kate has been raised in her mother's strict faith, living her life according to the (fictitious) HolThis book was wonderful and so thought-provoking. Kate has been raised in her mother's strict faith, living her life according to the (fictitious) Holy Divine Church, but after her father dies and they move to a new city, Kate begins questioning the religion she once accepted as the one true way and finds her assumptions challenged and her beliefs more confused than ever.
What I really liked about this book is how much it made you ponder beliefs that we may just accept as fact. Kate, her uber-religious mother, and all the other characters are well drawn. Kate's arguments with her mother, who is terrified of Kate exploring the rest of the world because it could interfere with her beliefs, do not shy away from important issues, nor do they feel one-sided; Kate's mother is every bit as vocal about her opinions as Kate is questioning them, and while I do not sympathize with her mom's actual beliefs, I do feel a little bad for her because of the hurt she's clearly feeling.
I love the numerous friends and acquaintances Kate makes at her new school. Each of them is so different, and the interactions she has with each rings true. She grows as a person through the book, and it is in no small part because of these individuals who make her think about why she feels the way she does about things, though her upbringing crops up (as expected) now and then when it comes to her thoughts on matters.
Another thing I loved about this book is that despite how Kate feels far away from her church and devoid of a true belief system, she finds the strength to stand up to her mother and do things like attend another church in town, where the pastor encourages her to question life instead of just believing blindly. Some of my favorite parts in this book are conversations between the two of them; you really get a sense of how important the pastor's words are to her in her quest for faith.
I'm so glad I randomly saw this book at the library because it's one of the most thought-provoking books I've read in a long time and one of the better teen books out there. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone willing to question why we believe the things we believe and think about how this affects our actions....more
Roald Dahl books are always so wonderful. This one, a collection of stories from his childhood, is just as good as his fiction for children, which I'vRoald Dahl books are always so wonderful. This one, a collection of stories from his childhood, is just as good as his fiction for children, which I've read many times. In Boy, he tells stories about being caned at school, getting into a car accident and how surgery was performed, and how he became a "bog-warmer" at boarding school (my personal favorite - I couldn't stop laughing!). The stories themselves are good, but the way he tells them is what makes them VERY good. There are few writers who can brings stories to life the way he does. ...more
4.5 stars. This was such a cute book and one that I think would be awesome to read in an actual mother-daughter book club. The book even has questions4.5 stars. This was such a cute book and one that I think would be awesome to read in an actual mother-daughter book club. The book even has questions for a real mother-daughter book club to discuss at the end! How perfect is that?
The story centers on four sixth graders, all quite different, whose mothers have decided to get them involved in a monthly mother-daughter book club where they spend the year reading Little Women. The book is split into four seasons, and each girl narrates once during each season. Through the year, the girls become closer instead of continuing to hate each other, and they also learn life lessons from both Louisa May Alcott's life and her tale of Little Women.
I liked all the characters, and I thought the whole story was really sweet. I could totally see young girls reading this book and being able to relate to the characters. I certainly did! The friendships were well drawn, and the girls all faced different problems with friends and family that were easy to imagine. And, I learned a lot about Louisa May Alcott while reading this and it made me want to reread Little Women myself to see how that book may inspire my own life!
My only complaint is that the ending seemed almost too neat and tidy, but then again, this is a book aimed at girls aged 8-12 or so, and so the ending was fitting. I'd highly recommend this to moms and daughters to read in their own book club!...more
I loved this book. Sara and Tobey are high school seniors destined to be together but, of course, as in most books, they have to overcome obstacles toI loved this book. Sara and Tobey are high school seniors destined to be together but, of course, as in most books, they have to overcome obstacles to be together. Sara's focused on her schoolwork and getting into the college of her choice while Tobey's concentration is on winning a band competition and making it big with his music. There are also minor subplots about Sara's friends that tie in nicely to the rest of the story and add depth to the supporting characters.
I loved the characters. I thought they were very well drawn, and I could totally imagine them being real. The narration went back and forth between Sara and Tobey, which actually worked well and gave me the ability to see problems and secrets from both of their perspectives. The pacing was perfect, and I had trouble putting the book down, constantly wanting to know what would happen next. Some of the scenes even made me laugh out loud - always a good thing in a book! The ending was awesome as well, and I felt very happy when I reached the last page, though also sad that it was over. I love it when books have good endings!
My only complaint about this book is the same complaint I had about the other book by this author that I read: she narrates in phrases such as, "So she's like, '___'" or "Then I go, '___'". This is how people talk, yes, but it didn't make for good writing and it completely broke up the narrative, especially at the beginning when I wasn't yet fully involved in the story. But, despite this complaint, I still really enjoyed the book overall. It's a feel-good romance story that left me smiling....more
A friend gave me this book, saying he thought I might enjoy it, and wow was he ever right!! I laughed my head off throughout!! This is written by a joA friend gave me this book, saying he thought I might enjoy it, and wow was he ever right!! I laughed my head off throughout!! This is written by a journalist who worked as a foreign correspondent, basically a collection of essays about his travels through some of the world's worst places. He's quite brash in his descriptions of places and most decidedly un-PC, so I know this is not a book for everyone, but if you're okay with occasional generalizations for the sake of humor, this is one to pick up. As the author described in the preface, if he was a tourist on another planet, he'd want to see its principal features; he's stuck on earth and the principal features here are chaos and war... so off he goes to see it all!
Each chapter in here was about a different place and the author's experience there. There were a few chapters I found ho-hum, but the majority of them were absolutely hysterical in their depictions of the ridiculousness of life. I also found it funny that in this collection of stories about being in the world's worst places, he included going to a Harvard commemorative ceremony and also a trip to Epcot Center. I howled with laughter at parts and kept wanting to share snippets from each chapter with others.
I'm not saying this book is perfect by any means - there were a few chapters that didn't especially resonate with me, and the author himself doesn't necessarily come across as particularly likable in his writing (nor does he seem to care); as previously stated, it's FAR from politically correct. However, what it is is funny. So funny that I kept pausing to share entire paragraphs with friends so they could be entertained as well. I want to type out some of my favorite ones in this review, but that'd just be spoiling some of it for those who haven't read this. And this absolutely deserves to be read. I've already loaned my copy along to a friend, imploring them to read it ASAP so we can laugh over some of the sections together. ...more
I found this book at the library and loved it! The story revolves around 15-year-old Sparrow, who comes from a psychic family and lives in the medium-I found this book at the library and loved it! The story revolves around 15-year-old Sparrow, who comes from a psychic family and lives in the medium-friendly community of Lily Dale, New York. She's embarrassed of her abilities and has continually told her family and that has never felt a single spirit - in actuality, she's seen them since she was 5 and has the rare ability to see, hear, touch, and smell spirits; most people only can do one. But despite her abilities, Sparrow wants to break free from this type of life and jumps at the chance to attend a different high school than her older sisters and reinvent herself somewhere no one knows her or her family or their abilities. There, she makes a best friend, meets a boy in her class, and is followed by another boy (this one a ghost) who wants her help, though Sparrow is determined, as usual, to not acknowledge the spirit or offer assistance.
What I loved about this book is that everything flows so well. The opening scene is great and pretty much told me all I needed to know to understand Sparrow's life and sympathize with her, and it keeps moving forward. All the characters are great, from Sparrow's 6 sisters (all named after birds!), to the friends she makes at school, to the ghosts that haunt her. Furthermore, the author makes the town of Lily Dale seem fascinating, truly bringing it to life, and makes me want to learn more about the place that actually exists but is, of course, used fictitiously in this novel.
I loved that the mystery in this book was blended together with your typical teen angst and a touch of romance. The author carried this off so well - amazingly well - and made it hard to put the book down! I thought the whole plot was great, and even though not every single question raised in the book was fully answered at the end, it didn't matter all that much to me. The ending was very satisfactory, and the small loose ends left were just the way life is sometimes.
I highly recommend this book to all YA lovers or those looking for a good teen book to read. I enjoyed it so much that I almost want to read it again - and I just finished it yesterday!...more
I loved this book when I was in elementary school, and I just reread it for the first time as an adult. It's still great! So clever, an intriguing stoI loved this book when I was in elementary school, and I just reread it for the first time as an adult. It's still great! So clever, an intriguing story, and fabulous characters. A group of seemingly unrelated people are gathered as heirs named in the will of Samuel Westing, a rich man, and are given clues to discover the mystery of who killed him in order to inherit his vast fortune. The book is confusing at the beginning, as you have no clue who everyone is or what exactly is going on, but it all ties up in the end and makes you want to go back and reread it to pick up on clues you missed along the way.
As I reread, I was struck by the similarities this book has to the new series, The 39 Clues, in that both revolve around a rich person dying and the heirs being asked to figure out a mystery in order to inherit a fortune in the end. They are different, too, but the similarities are there, so I thought I'd make note of it.
This is one of those books that can be enjoyed by everyone - aimed at kids but still holds up to a reading as an adult, which not all books succeed at doing. The book has fun wordplay, clever puzzles, and the mystery itself is fun (as is the end). What a great book, one that I think everyone should read and enjoy at some point....more
I am not sure quite what to say about this book other than I think the story is powerful and that this is a novel that high schoolers will soon (if noI am not sure quite what to say about this book other than I think the story is powerful and that this is a novel that high schoolers will soon (if not already) be reading as part of their English classes. Set in Germany during WWII, The Book Thief is narrated by Death and tells the story of a girl named Liesl who lives with a foster family, collects books, and tries to make sense of the world. It's told in a strange way, with the narrator occasionally informing the reader of what's yet to come and making short lists of things that relate to what is going on in the book.
It took a little while for me to get into the story, but once I did, it really took off. Though the book is over 500 pages long, it's easy to read and definitely sucked me in. There are terrible events (it is, after all WWII in Germany), the story of a Jew hiding in Liesl's family's basement, and all sorts of war-related horribleness, but there are also interludes of happiness and ways that Liesl and others make the best of the situation they've been thrust into.
The main message I got out of this book is about the power of words, how much harm and good they can do, and how words can influence and motivate people to act in certain ways. I think there were a lot of points raised in this book that would make for good discussions (hence my thought that students will eventually be required to read this). It's not the happiest book I've read - far from it, in fact - but definitely memorable and thought-provoking. ...more
I love this book! Even more than the movie! I love how the author frames the story as an abridged version of a love story from history books, and I loI love this book! Even more than the movie! I love how the author frames the story as an abridged version of a love story from history books, and I love how he takes moments every so often to say, "I cut ten pages of description here because..." It is absolutely hilarious and so much fun to read. ...more
I had never heard of this Roald Dahl book before. Apparently, it was written for charity, for the Dyslexia Institute, and the story is about a pastor I had never heard of this Roald Dahl book before. Apparently, it was written for charity, for the Dyslexia Institute, and the story is about a pastor who used to suffer from dyslexia but now, due to stress and worrying, suffers from a stranger condition where he occasionally reverses entire words (ie, doog for good). It's a very quick read, but it's so cute and the ending is hilarious. Expect lots of giggling!...more
Another totally awesome, totally random find at the library! This book covers the fall-out after a compromising photo of Audrey, a high school senior,Another totally awesome, totally random find at the library! This book covers the fall-out after a compromising photo of Audrey, a high school senior, is sent by text and email to practically everyone in her school; it's not so much about the photo itself and what it represents but about the way it affects her life and how she finds strength and friendships that she never knew existed. I would compare this to Sara Zarr's Story of a Girl, as both focus on the aftermath of an embarrassing event, but this book is so much better; I don't quite know why that one won awards and this one didn't (that I know of, anyway).
What I loved about this book, besides the great writing, descriptions, and characters, is how thought-provoking it all was. Audrey reflects on things a lot, and she (and I) saw how people turn out to be different than expected. The characters were all so wonderful and supportive, and I loved the friendships in the book instead of it being filled simply with catty fights (though there were those too - it takes place in high school, after all). And I loved the (subtle) message of empowerment!
This was phenomenal. It didn't sugarcoat issues, nor did it deal with things unrealistically. It seemed to me like the author understood teens very well, and I loved how balanced and frank everything was. Loved the friendships, loved the book.... but makes me glad, as usual, that I'm not in high school anymore!...more
I don't know if I read these books when I was little; I remember seeing the books in the school library and flipping through them, but I don't remembeI don't know if I read these books when I was little; I remember seeing the books in the school library and flipping through them, but I don't remember actually reading them. So, after this series came up in conversation, I decided to read (or re-read; I'm not sure which one!) the series.
I can see why the series holds such appeal. This book paints a very vivid picture of what life was like in the mid-19th century for Laura's family in the woods of Wisconsin. The author doesn't dwell on details about ages or looks but instead brings everything to life with the surroundings and details about everyday life.
The book was very sweet overall. It's obvious that it was a hard life - especially compared to all our luxuries today - but that seems to magnify all the small joys they experienced. I really enjoyed this and agree with what seems to be the consensus, that this series is an excellent way in which to bring pioneer life to life for kids. ...more
The 4th book in the Little House on the Prairie series and another wonderful read. Laura and her family have now moved to Minnesota, where they first The 4th book in the Little House on the Prairie series and another wonderful read. Laura and her family have now moved to Minnesota, where they first live in what can only be described as a dugout, then move into a house that Pa builds. Everything's idyllic at first, especially with a beautiful creek nearby to play in, but unexpected hardships quickly arise, such as a plague of grasshoppers that destroys most of their wheat crop and a long blizzard that separates the family for days. Laura also starts school and finds a nemesis in a city girl, Nellie, who thinks Laura and her sister are only simple country girls with nothing.
I really loved the way this book brought the settings to life; everything was so vividly described, and it is told in a pitch perfectly suited for younger readers who have only an inkling about how charming yet difficult life could be years ago. Reading this as an adult, it's easy to see that despite the author's cherished memories of her time there, life was a lot harder than she understood at the time, harder than her parents probably ever let on. Still, it was nice to read about how they made the most of their time there and the fact that their family was so closeknit despite the problems. I'm hooked on the series for sure and really don't think I ever read these as a kid, but I'm on my way to finish the series now as an adult!...more
This is the follow-up to Boy, filled with tales from the author's time working in Africa for the Shell Oil Company and then as an officer during WWII.This is the follow-up to Boy, filled with tales from the author's time working in Africa for the Shell Oil Company and then as an officer during WWII. There are funny stories, witty stories, and just plain amazing stories in here; he was even able to find some amusing parts of his service during WWII to poke fun at, which was pretty cool. I am stunned by all the horrible things Roald Dahl witnessed and went through during the war, yet he was still able to come out of it alive and be able to write humorous stories for kids. Wow.
While I enjoyed this book, I must warn that it's definitely not as kid-friendly as Boy. There is, as expected for a book taking place during a war, a lot of violence in it - not dwelled on, but still there - but it was also very eye-opening for me, just thinking about what all went on. What a full life he led! I have even more appreciation for Roald Dahl after reading this. If you like his books, read Boy first, then continue on to this. ...more
This book was great! For years, Janie has been sucked into other people's dreams whenever they fall asleep around her - even if she's awake. This concThis book was great! For years, Janie has been sucked into other people's dreams whenever they fall asleep around her - even if she's awake. This concept in itself was enough to draw me in, but the author carried off the story even better than I expected. Though the book isn't super long, we got to see Janie in all sorts of situations, from when she first discovered this dreaming talent, to making friends at school, to volunteering at a nursing home, to falling in love, and trying to understand what power she holds with this talent.
I really, really enjoyed reading this. The ending was every bit as good as the rest of the book (always a good thing), and I am looking forward to the author's next book....more
One of the best YA books that I've read in a while. It's written back and forth in time with alternating viewpoints (he said, she said), and this set-One of the best YA books that I've read in a while. It's written back and forth in time with alternating viewpoints (he said, she said), and this set-up totally works. I got drawn into the characters and the plot and couldn't put it down. Very well done!...more