Fancy Nancy

Fancy Nancy By: Jane O’Connor and Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser  

 Nancy loves everything fancy!  Fancy words, clothes, shoes, food everything!  She tries to make her family fancy by teaching them words that are fancy and making their clothes fancy.  I just love this for the fun that it has!  The words that the author chooses as fancy words also help teach great word choice.  Keep reading the Fancy Nancy  series because there are quite a few books now, and a series of readers.  I love them all! 

 I purchased this book at Target. ISBN: 978-0-06-054209-2 

Cinder and Ella

Cinder and Ella By: Melissa Lemon

                Do you think you know the story of Cinderella? Well you don’t! This is the story of Cinder an Ella, sisters who are about to embark on a strange and interesting journey.  There are actually four sisters who have a father who has slowing disappeared, leaving their mother in no shape to care for them. Cinder and Ella work together to care for the two other sisters and their mother, but Cinder is the kinder one while Ella is not. One day Cinder tells Ella that she will be leaving to live at the castle, Ella cannot stand to be alone and so she runs away when she finds out that no one even sees her anymore.      She is brought back to the castle against her will by a knight, it seems the prince has a evil plan for her and her family.  Will the knight be able to save Ella? Will Cinder see the prince for who he really is?  All these questions are answered in this delightfully refreshing story of Cinderella. This book is perfect for upper elementary and junior high readers. It draws you into the story because the writing is so enticing.  A great new twist to an old fairy tale, a recommended read for sure.

This is an advanced readers copy from www.netgalley.com Bonneville Books, Springville, Utah ISBN: 978-1-599555-906-3  

A Pocket Full of Kisses

A Pocket Full of Kisses By: Audrey Penn Illustrated by: Barbara Leonard Gibson

Chester Raccoon is not happy about having a little brother and wants to give him away.  He thought it was fun until his little brother started taking his things and sharing other things that Chester wants for just himself. He is especially upset when his Mother gives the baby a kissing hand too.  But Chester’s Mom is able to make Chester feel special too by giving him a pocket full of kisses.

This is a touching story and perfect for every kid who maybe does not like or understand how even when there is a new baby around Mom still loves you both.  The illustrations are beautiful and full of detail.  I think that this would be a perfect gift for any child, but especially for a child who is a new big brother or sister.  My children loved this story.

I received this story from www.netgalley.com in the Kindle form, from Tanglewood Press. Inc.            

 ISBN: 978-1-9337180-2-6

Sarah's Key

Sarah’s Key By: Tatiana De Rosnay

This is a story of Sarah, who was taken with her parents by the French Police during a round up of Jewish people in France during July of 1942.  And the story of Julia Jarmond, a journalist who is doing a journal article about the event 60 years later.  Sarah has no idea why the police are at her door and barging in, all she knows is that her father is hiding in the basement and she needs to hide her brother.  So she tells her brother that she will be back for him and locks him into the closet they like to hide in.  Her mother is scared but believes that her husband will stay hidden and come and get the boy.  When the father comes running to meet the family, Sarah tells him it will be okay they can come and get the brother when they are allowed to return. As the story unfolds it is clear that they will not be back and Sarah is desperate to go back and claim her brother even after being sent to a concentration camp. She just hopes it will be in time.

Julia is an American who moved to France and married a Frenchman.  She is writing for an American newspaper in France and is asked to cover the anniversary story for the sad day called the Vil’ d’Hiv’. She is surprised when not many people really know what happened and those that do don’t want to talk about it.  As the story of this sad day unfolds she is desperate to find out more about the girl named Sarah, who she finds out, was living in the apartment of her husband’s family. As Julia tries to make amends to this little girl she is so enthralled with, her marriage is falling apart. What choice does Julia have to make but to try to help the family of this girl? 

This story will mesmerize you. It will make you cry, but it is totally worth it.  I couldn’t put the book down wanting to get to the end hoping for the best for these two girls’ generations apart.

I purchased this book at Bookman’s, a local used book store. ISBN: 978-0-312-37084-8

Bible Animal Stories for Bedtime

Bible Animal Stories for Bedtime By: Jane Landreth Illustrated by: David Miles
What a fantastic collection of Bible stories for children.  This book is a great one to share with anyone with children who love animals and the Bible.  A true treasure.  I loved how each story started with a verse, told a story about that verse, and then they ended with a prayer. I read some of the stories to my children and the loved them and kept asking to hear more, we can't wait to read all of them.  The way the stories are told just draw them in, and they are learning something at the same time about God which is fantastic. 
I read this book in the Kindle edition from www.netgalley.com  ISBN:978-1-61626-339-3

Bossypants

Bossypants By: Tina Fey  Tina Fey is an interesting character!  In her book Bossypants she explains events in her life that have lead her to where she is today.  So why read it?  Because the way in which she explains her life is hysterical. It is filled with humor and jokes.  I liked it because she tells it how she sees it and doesn't hold back.  She tells about events that hurt her, made her happy, and nearly killed her.  My favorite chapters include the two that she tells about how people should just not comment on other people's weight, one is about being to thin and the other is about being to fat. So why not just leave people alone as long as they are healthy.  And there is a section on how her mom explained her period to her that was funny, because her mom really didn't tell her anything just gave her a book to read.  I recommend this book not only for just an interesting story of a really funny lady but because it is funny and just a laugh out loud book.

Can't Wait

Okay so I will admit it! I LOVE the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series by Jeff Kinney!! And I just saw on the Scholastic Site that Diary of a Wimpy Kid Cabin Fever #6 is coming out November 15!  These are the funniest books and I am so excited!!  www.wimpykid.com