The Real Boy (2013)

The Real Boy. Anne Ursu. 2013. HarperCollins. 341 pages. [Source: Library]

I absolutely LOVED Anne Ursu's The Real Boy. This fantasy novel was wonderfully charming. I definitely loved the characters. My favorite being Oscar and Callie, of course. I thought the world-building was wonderful. It was just different enough to be strange and delightful without being overwhelming. I liked discovering the differences between The Barrow and the city of Asteri too. I thought the premise was mysterious and compelling. Secrets. Lies. Monsters. Magic. There are so many reasons to recommend it, but, the most powerful reason of all is Oscar's narrative itself. I think Oscar alone should prove powerful enough to hook readers.

 © 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Across A Star-Swept Sea (2013)

Across A Star-Swept Sea. Diana Peterfreund. 2013. HarperCollins. 464 pages. [Source: Library]

I think I enjoyed this one more than the For The Darkness Shows The Stars. The two are companion books. Across A Star-Swept Sea is a futuristic retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel. (In this reimagining, it is THE WILD POPPY; Galatea = France and Albion = England, of course.) Lady Persis Blake was a delightful heroine. I really enjoyed all of her personas. Readers see her as silly, vain, and gossip-driven. Readers see her brave, resilient, strong, and compassionate. Readers also see her doubts and fears, her vulnerability was touching. The romance, I felt, was well done. I thought the book captured the essence of Percy and Marguerite's troubled attraction. I thought the book also went to great lengths to be thought provoking in terms of gender roles and expectations. For example, in Albion women absolutely cannot inherit. So the Regent, Princess Isla, is just standing in for her brother--a mere toddler. Lady Persis also knows that all of her family's wealth will go to her husband; he will rule and manage it all. The world-building is complex, more complex than you might imagine. I would definitely recommend this one!

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Do you know Pete?

Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Pete the Cat was walking down the street in his brand-new white shoes. Pete loved his white shoes so much, he sang this song:
"I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes,
I love my white shoes."

I love, love, love, REALLY REALLY love Pete the Cat. He is my kind of cat. You should definitely download the free song(s) as well, so you can really sing right along with the book(s). True, you could make up your own tune, but, the song is so perfectly catchy.

So. Pete the Cat has white shoes which he loves. But, when he steps in some unpleasant things: strawberries, blueberries, a mud puddle, a bucket of water, does Pete cry?! Goodness no! He just keeps on walking and singing his song! Is this a concept book about colors (white, red, blue, brown)? Is this a book teaching necessary coping skills to preschoolers and kids? A bit of both. But. It is also just a really fun, very entertaining story about a groovy cat! I absolutely LOVE the repetition, and the fact that this is a book everyone can participate and join in on!

To get the full experience, watch this video with the narration/song!

Pete the Cat: Rocking In My School Shoes. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2011. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Here comes Pete strolling down the street, rocking red shoes on his four furry feet. Pete is going to school, and he sings this song: I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes, I'm rocking in my school shoes."

I really liked this one. I loved seeing Pete go to school. I loved seeing him read in his school shoes (the library), eating in his school shoes (the cafeteria), playing in his school shoes (the playground), etc. (There is also singing, painting, adding, and writing). I loved the descriptions of the school environment, the participatory way in which it's written so it gets everyone involved, and most of all the repetition. DOES PETE WORRY? Goodness no!!!

Here is a fan video of the book, I loved seeing the Pete the Cat doll.

Pete the Cat And His Four Groovy Buttons. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2012. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Pete the Cat put on his favorite shirt with four big, colorful, round, groovy buttons. He loved his buttons so much, he sang this song: 
"My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons.
My buttons, my buttons,
my four groovy buttons."

This one was the first Pete the Cat book I read, and I must say it is probably my favorite. I love, love, love it so much!!! If I Love My White Shoes was "teaching" colors, then Four Groovy Buttons is "teaching" subtraction. For, Pete the Cat loses each of his four buttons one by one. But does Pete cry?! Goodness no! I absolutely love the end of this one!!! And the moral this time: "I guess it simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go. But do we cry? Goodness, NO! We keep on singing."

I'll share two videos this time. One with the HarperCollins narration, and the second of a teacher reading it aloud.

Pete The Cat Saves Christmas. Eric Litwin. Illustrated by James Dean. 2012. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Twas the day before Christmas and Santa was ill. In the cold winter wind he had caught a bad chill. Will Christmas be canceled? Will it come to that? "NEVER!" cried Santa. "Let's call Pete the Cat!" Santa asked Pete to deliver the toys to all the good girls and to all the good boys. "I'll do it!" says Pete. "And though I am small, at Christmas we give, so I'll give it my all."

I definitely liked this one! In this adventure, Pete the Cat helps Santa and thereby "saves" Christmas. It's a cute story. Not my favorite from the entire series, but, it's got a redeeming message all the same.

A video read aloud.

Pete the Cat And His Magic Sunglasses. Kimberley and James Dean. 2013. HarperCollins. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

Pete the Cat did not feel happy. Pete had never, ever, ever, ever been grumpy before. Pete had the blue cat blues. Then, as if things were not bad enough, along came Grumpy Toad. Grumpy Toad was never happy! He always wore a frown. But Grumpy Toad was not grumpy today. He said, "These cool, blue, magic sunglasses make the blues go away. They help you see things in a whole new way." Pete put on the cool, blue, magic sunglasses. He looked all around. "Right on! The birds are singing. The sky is bright. The sun is shining. I'm feeling alright!"

If only it were this easy to get rid of bad moods! Pete the Cat has the blues, but, a friend soon shows him a new way of looking at things. Not content to keep this to himself, Pete the Cat is soon helping everyone he meets cheer up. Lots of folks need magic sunglasses....

I enjoy this series very much. This book doesn't have an official song, but, this video gives you a tune to sing with it.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom (2012)

The Hero's Guide to Saving the Kingdom. Christopher Healy. 2012. HarperCollins. 448 pages. [Source: Library]

Perhaps I was not in the right mood to appreciate Christopher Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom. The things that delighted me in the first two or three chapters, became exceedingly annoying by halfway through the novel. I persevered perhaps when I should have set the book aside for another time. The premise is fun and playful. Readers are introduced to four princes all named Prince Charming. Cinderella's prince, Rapunzel's prince, Sleeping Beauty's prince, Snow White's prince. All have proper names and distinct personalities. That being said the princes mostly blended together for me with the exception of Snow White's prince and Cinderella's prince. These two weren't exactly memorable because I loved what Healy did with their stories. I didn't see characters being developed so much as quirks being displayed again and again and again and again. I never really connected with the princes on their (long) journey.

What this MG fantasy has is plenty of action and adventure...also a great deal of humor. For readers who love fairy tales and action/adventure quests with plenty of humor, this one may prove quite pleasing.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Boy on the Porch (2013)

The Boy on the Porch. Sharon Creech. 2013. HarperCollins. 160 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

I really loved Sharon Creech's The Boy On The Porch. I loved it for many reasons, but, I'm not sure I can put into words just why. I loved how this childless couple, this out-of-the-way couple, this on-the-outskirts couple were transformed by the presence of a young, quiet boy in their lives. Marta and John were surprised--pleasantly surprised--when a young sleeping boy appears on their front porch with a note. The note reveals his name, Jacob, but, little else. Whoever left him may come back for him, but, there are no guarantees, no answers. The presence of the boy changes things, perhaps, they don't want to admit HOW much from day one. But their love for him, and their amazement and joy they find in watching him, caring for him, nurturing him, changes them deep down as well. Yes, some changes are surface: John going into town more often, trading more often, buying LOTS of jelly beans. But other things are quieter and subtler, I believe. One thing about the novel is the big question that no one really wants to dwell on: will the boy stay forever, is he theirs to keep and love forever and ever, or, will they have to let him go at some point. But the "ending" is really only the beginning. I absolutely loved some of the imagery.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Magic Marks the Spot (2013)

Magic Marks the Spot (Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates). Caroline Carlson. 2013. HarperCollins. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Ever since the letter had arrived from Miss Pimm's Hilary had spent more and more time talking to the gargoyle. 

I loved, loved, loved Magic Marks the Spot. Hilary, our heroine, has spent most of her life wanting just one thing: to be a pirate. Unfortunately, young ladies are not allowed into the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates. And when she makes the application, well, the league itself steps in to "do the right thing" and enroll her in Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies. And it is to finishing school she goes, for a while at least, but she has no plans of staying there. She is waiting for the right opportunity to escape. And that moment does come, she sneaks away to answer an advertisement:

WANTED: PIRATE CREW

Established, respected freelance pirate seeking experienced crew members for upcoming voyage. Must be able to swashbuckle, swab decks, swill grog, fire cannons, and climb to the crow's nest. Successful applicants will sign contract for one round-trip voyage, with opportunity for further collaboration if merited. Voyage details to be divulged upon acceptance. Applicants trained in treasure location are of particular interest. Please apply in person to 25 Little Herring Cove, Wimbly-on-the-Marsh, at ten o'clock on Saturday morning. Eye patches and hooks OK. Please--no parrots. (75)

Magic Marks the Spot is historical fantasy. Magic is very real in the world Carlson has created. It is not equally distributed, however. Magic plays a definite role. Hilary's gargoyle is magic. And he is a delightful part of the story! The action and adventure center on finding magical treasure, and the mystery on finding the thief who has been stealing magical objects from the elite ruling class.

I enjoyed this one so much! The characters are quite fun. The story is just delightful with plenty of surprises! Would definitely recommend!

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Fortunately, The Milk (2013)

Fortunately, The Milk. Neil Gaiman. 2013. HarperCollins. 114 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

Fortunately, the Milk may just be my favorite Neil Gaiman book. I loved it because it was odd and fanciful. I loved it because it was a fantastic tall tale that stretches in all directions: pirates, aliens, dinosaurs, ponies, vampires, time travel via hot air balloons, etc. It felt like a chapter-book spin on And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street, if that makes sense! It was just pure fun with a few doses of insanity! I loved every single minute of it, from start to finish. It was just PERFECT. I think this one could easily become a classic!

First paragraph: There was only orange juice in the fridge. Nothing else that you could put on cereal, unless you think that ketchup or mayonnaise or pickle juice would be nice on your Toastios, which I do not, and neither did my little sister, although she has eaten some pretty weird things in her day, like mushrooms in chocolate.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

The Year of Billy Miller (2013)

The Year of Billy Miller. Kevin Henkes. 2013. HarperCollins. 240 pages. [Source: Library]

I liked some things about The Year of Billy Miller. I did. But. I didn't quite "love, love, love" The Year of Billy Miller. I liked that it balanced school stories with family stories. There would be scenes set in the classroom, with the teacher, perhaps, or with his classmates. There would be scenes set at home with Billy interacting with his dad, his mom, his sister, his best friend. 

I thought Henkes did a much better job with the home scenes, the family stuff, than the school stuff. I did get a good sense of Billy Miller's home, what his family was like, the dynamics of those relationships. I really liked seeing Billy challenge himself here. For example, his love-hate relationship with his younger sister. Sometimes he HATES her (like when she "adds" glitter to his school project), and sometimes he LOVES her (like when he goes to her bedroom and wakes her up because he's scared and doesn't want to be alone). I thought there were some sweet and tender scenes between Billy and the individual members of his family. 

I was not as impressed with Billy's school life, however. I thought the book started off promising with Billy trying to impress his new teacher, his biggest desire earning her love and respect, wanting to be thought one of the "good" kids in the room, etc. And in the few scenes we see with the teacher, well, it works well enough, I suppose. But what this book lacked that other books for this age group don't is memorable classmates. The school stuff just didn't work for me as well. The characterization just wasn't there, the descriptions just weren't there. Part of me liked the fact that the book was so rushed and that it was more a series of novellas than an actual novel, the other part of me wanted more continuity and less jumping about in time. (The first chapter starts with the first day of school; the last chapter finishes off the school year.) 

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked (2013)

Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked. Jarrett J. Krosoczka. 2013. HarperCollins. 226 pages. [Source: Library]

I absolutely LOVE AND ADORE Jarret J. Krosoczka's new novel, Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked. It was love from the very start!

"This is the city, Kalamazoo City. Population: 75,000. By day, it's a bright, vibrant metropolis, the kind of city where dreams come true... Those who don't live here dream of making it here. And those who do, well, they know that there's just no city like it."

It goes on, "On one particular evening, a rather dapper-looking frog stood looking very much out of place among the rifraff who nightly roamed the docks. He was dressed like a teacher. In fact, he was a teacher. Professor Hopkins."

It just doesn't get better than that! Who would not want to read this book? That is, if you like or love detective stories!!! This book has atmosphere and attitude and is practically perfect in every way. The stars of this book are Rick Zengo (a rookie) and his partner Corey O'Malley. They are essentially trying to solve a few mysteries: 1) where did Professor Hopkins go? He hasn't been seen in a few days and I believe his jacket was found in suspicious circumstances along with a few tire tracks. Is he dead or alive? Has this frog croaked? 2) who is responsible for bringing in illegal fish and selling it at the school and school sponsored events? Illegal fish is dangerous, don't you know?!

Loved it from cover to cover! Highly recommend.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Four Nonfiction Biographies (2013)

Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell. Tanya Lee Stone. Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman. 2013. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

I'll bet you've met plenty of doctors in your life. And I'll bet lots of them were women. Well, you might find this hard to believe, but there once was a time when girls weren't allowed to become doctors. Back int he 1830s, there were lots of things girls couldn't be. Girls were only supposed to become wives and mothers. Or maybe teachers, or seamstresses. Being a doctor was definitely not an option. What do you think changed all that? Or should I say....WHO?

I love this picture book biography of Elizabeth Blackwell. I love the narrative! It isn't just sharing simple information with readers; it is telling a vibrant, exciting story. Elizabeth Blackwell has PERSONALITY in this one. And that is what I love most in this one. History comes alive in this one! The illustrations by Marjorie Priceman are just perfect: so bold, so colorful, so expressive! (Especially the illustration showing Elizabeth Blackwell with her acceptance letter.)

This picture book biography would make a great read aloud.

Louisa May's Battle: How the Civil War Led to Little Women. Kathleen Krull. Illustrated by Carlyn Beccia. 2013. Walker Books. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

For older readers, Louisa May's Battle is an interesting biographical story starring Louisa May Alcott. (The book is not a complete biography; it focuses specifically on Louisa May Alcott's life in the 1860s as she first becomes a nurse during the Civil War, and then becomes an author first publishing Hospital Sketches and later Little Women.)

Before the Civil War, there weren't many women nurses. But the war gave women the opportunity to fill an urgent need, and also the opportunity to prove themselves capable and skilled. For women who met these qualifications: at least thirty, very plain, unmarried, strong, and two reference letters proving their moral quality, there was an opportunity to serve their country well during a time of great need. Louisa May Alcott was one woman who answered the call.

After several months nursing, Louisa May Alcott became very ill. She was unable to keep nursing; it took her months in bed to recover her health. After she recovered, she wrote Hospital Sketches. This was her first publication. This book was very significant. And its success in part led her to write another book: Little Women.

I enjoyed Kathleen Krull's newest biography.

Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer. Robert Burleigh. Illustrated by Raul Colon. 2013. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Night after night, Henrietta sat on her front porch, gazing up at the stars. How high? How high is the sky? She wanted to know everything about the wonderful bigness of all she saw. The more she looked up, the bigger the sky seemed to get. It seemed endless!

Look up! is a picture book biography of the astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. The story is of a little girl who loved the night sky, who loved the stars, who followed her dream and persevered academically in a man's field. Most astronomers, at the time, being men, of course. But she knew what she wanted, and she knew she could do it. Henrietta's job--she got paid thirty cents an hour--was not to gaze through the telescope. Her job was to examine, to study, the photographs taken by others. She was good at her job, and through her measuring, through her detailed study, she made an important discovery, a discovery having to do with measuring distances and the vastness of galaxies.

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909. Michelle Markel. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. 2013. HarperCollins. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

A steamship pulls into the harbor, carrying hundreds of immigrants--and a surprise for New York City. The surprise is dirt poor, just five feet tall, and hardly speaks a word of English. Her name is Clara Lemlich. This girl's got grit, and she's going to prove it. Look out, New York!

Brave Girl is a picture book biography of Clara Lemlich, a young woman who led women factory workers to strike. This picture book focuses on the social injustices of the times, and how important it was for workers to be able to form unions, and make a stand together for what they believed to be right and fair. Clara's story is inspiring. Her determination and strength seem incredible. "She wants to read, she wants to learn! At the end of her shift, though her eyes hurt from straining in the gaslight and her back hurts from hunching over the sewing machine, she walks to the library. She fills her empty stomach with a single glass of milk and goes to school at night. When she gets home in the late evening, she sleeps only a few hours before rising again."

Definitely recommended.

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Eight Picture Books from 2008

The Odd Egg. Emily Gravett. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages. 

All the birds had laid an egg. All except for Duck. Then Duck found an egg! He thought it was the most beautiful egg in the whole wide world. 

The Odd Egg may not be my favorite Emily Gravett picture book, but I still liked it. (I really loved, loved, loved Monkey and Me! And I thought Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears was fabulous!) Duck may not have been able to lay an egg, but that won't keep Duck from being "Mama" by the end of the book. Even if her offspring is...well...a little odd.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

President Pennybaker. Kate Feiffer. Illustrated by Diane Goode. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

On a not too sunny but not too cloudy, not too hot but not too cold Saturday afternoon in May, Luke Pennybaker asked his father one question because Luke Pennybaker wanted just one thing. "Dad," he said. "can I watch TV?" His Dad didn't say yes, as Luke thought he should have. And he didn't say no, as he usually did when Luke asked him if he could watch TV. Instead, he answered Luke's one question with five entirely different questions.

Luke has just realized that life is unfair. He decides to do something about it, something other than complaining. He will run for president. He won't be in the Republican party or the Democratic party. No, he'll be in the BIRTHDAY PARTY. The "political party" that treats everyone like it is their birthday! He has definite ideas on how to improve the quality of life for the ordinary citizen. But can he win the election? He might just be able to do it, even if he can't vote for himself.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew. Zachary Pullen. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

One Saturday I searched...and my dad's old Radio Flyer surfaced. That Sunday we went for a stroll. Then on Monday morning I got motivated. Maybe that old Flyer could really move.

A little boy spends a week working on his dad's old wagon, and with a little help, by the end of the week, he is ready to FLY.

I really loved some of the illustrations. Some spreads I just loved; other spreads I didn't like at all. But the story is simple and fun.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Madeline and the Cats of Rome. John Bemelmans Marciano. 2008. Penguin. 48 pages.

From an old house in Paris that was covered with vines
Left twelve little girls in two straight lines,
Their bags were packed, a camera stowed;
They were ready to escape the cold.
The train it leaves at half past nine--
Hurry, hurry, Madeline!

This will be no ordinary excursion to Rome, not with Madeline. After a busy day of seeing all the sites, a day without any mishaps, the worst happens: a thief steals Miss Clavel's camera. Madeline begins a very long, very complicated chase. A chase that reveals dozens of homeless cats--all in need of good homes. What's a girl to do?

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10

Utterly Otterly Day. Mary Casanova. Illustrated by Ard Hoyt. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.

Little Otter wakes in his safe, snug den, ready to play in an utterly otterly way. He tugs Sister's whiskers, wrestles Mama's tail, then slides out the tunnel--whippidy, slippidy, sail!

Little Otter has a mind of his own. Now that he's a "big otter" he thinks he can look out for himself, that he doesn't have to stay close to his family. But is that really the case? On this Little Otter's "utterly otterly" day, a big crisis is averted and great fun is had. But has he learned any lesson at all? I'm not sure.

The language was very playful, very figurative, I suppose. And I liked the illustrations. But I didn't quite love this one.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Harry Bliss. 2008. HarperCollins. 56 pages.

Chapter One
Louise At Sea
Louise longed for adventure. She left the henhouse and went to sea, where the water was deep and dark. Louise stood alone on the deck of the ship and let the wind ruffle her feathers. 

Louise is not your ordinary chicken. She longs for adventure. She dreams of adventures. She's a very restless chicken. Now, she's had plenty of adventures, as you learn in this picture book. She's been at sea, even survived being captured by pirates, even survived a shipwreck. She's joined the circus and survived a lion's attack. And that's just the start...

It was interesting to see a picture book broken down into chapters. But I didn't exactly love this one. I found some of the illustrations a bit disturbing--like the drowning pirate.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10

Monsters on Machines. Deb Lund. Illustrated by Robert Neubecker. 2008. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.

 Construction crew monsters arrive on the scene. They don hard hats before they go near a machine. Leather work gloves, some earplugs, and big heavy boots are required for safety by all builder brutes. Stinky Stubb's the mechanic. He checks out the grader, the tractor, the cranes, and the big monster-vater. Once engines are greased and the gears start to spin, he shrieks to the others that work can begin.

If your little one loves monsters and construction vehicles, this one is for you. If you don't particularly like monsters or construction vehicles, well, you won't miss much by skipping this one. 

Text: 2 out of 5
Illustrations: 2 out of 5
Total: 4 out of 10

Off to First Grade. Louise Borden. Illustrated by Joan Rankin. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages. 

Twenty-one poems celebrating the first day of first grade in Mrs. Miller's class at Elm School. Twenty-one poems celebrating different perspectives; in addition to the perspective of students, we get the perspective of the teacher, the bus driver, and the principal too. The students' views are all different too. They like different things, are excited about different things, are nervous about different things. Some take the bus. Some come by car. Others walk. Some have older siblings that attend the same school. Others have younger siblings who are not ready to start school just yet. I liked the poems. I thought they were very natural.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

A Dash of Magic (2013)

A Dash of Magic. Kathryn Littlewood. 2013. HarperCollins. 384 pages.

Well. I liked it more than the other book I recently read with a talking cat and rat.

A Dash of Magic is the sequel to Kathryn Littlewood's Bliss. Rosemary, our heroine, is trying to redeem the situation. The family's oh-so-magical cook book was stolen by "Aunt" Lily in the first novel, and this second novel is the family's attempt to get it back. Rose has challenged their nemesis Lily to participate in a world-famous French bakery contest. The family first flies to Mexico to meet their great-great-great-whatever grandfather who has another copy of the cook book, only in a language no one else seems to be able to decipher. Along with a talking cat, the Bliss family heads to Paris...

It's a playful fantasy with some coming-of-age themes. Rose does lack in confidence in both books. If I can remember to skip the recipes, I enjoy these books.

Read A Dash of Magic

• If you enjoyed Bliss
• If you enjoy children's fantasy novels
• If you enjoy children's books with a cooking theme
• If you enjoy children's books set in Paris

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Bliss (2012)

Bliss. Kathryn Littlewood. 2012. HarperCollins. 374 pages.

I enjoyed reading Kathryn Littlewood's Bliss. This middle grade fantasy was quite fun. Bliss is set in a small town where the Bliss family has a bakery. The parents have named their children: Thyme (Ty), Rosemary (our heroine), Sage, and Parsley (Leigh). The Bliss family has a secret, a secret that Rosemary hasn't always known. The family is magical, their is a bit of magic in each recipe. These magical spells help the town run smoothly. Soon after the novel begins, the parents are called away to another town to handle an emergency. The parents leave their children and Chip in charge of the bakery. Though Rosemary has recently been trusted with a key, she's also warned by her parents NOT to look into the family's secret cookbook. "Aunt" Lily has been waiting for such an opportunity. Rose's parents haven't been gone very long at all when this new relative appears ready to help them all. Is she trustworthy? Well, Rosemary doesn't really think so. But. She sure does know how to flatter every single member of the family. NO one has ever made Rose feel so special...

Most of the book is the misadventures resulting when the children are disobedient and try to do magic on their own. Things get quite messy!

Read Bliss

• If you enjoy children's books with a cooking theme
• If you enjoy children's fantasy novels 

© 2013 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews