Dear Miss Lake by A.J. Pearce

 

The third installment of the adventures of Emmy Lake, intrepid advice columnist for Woman's Friend, once again features her efforts to keep spirits up despite the lengthening war. It's July 1944, and the staff have decided to make a temporary camp in the country at Rose House, thanks to the kindness of a friend's grandmother. The paper sails along with nary a blip while staff members navigate living and working together. And one of the best collaborations ends up being a wedding. With resourcefulness, creativity, and force of will, Emmy is determined to make the day memorable in spite of rationing and so much scarcity. 

A wedding isn't the only project Emmy undertakes. When her husband gets sent to places unknown, she carries on valiantly until she gets a telegram about his assumed capture. This sets her on a new course that puts her in the path of other women whose husbands, brothers, or boyfriends are missing as well. Emmy is determined to do all she can to raise spirits and keep up morale not only through her column in Woman's Friend and by sharing more about the remarkable work women are doing in the war.  

As coworkers and friends pour their hearts into their work and their families, Emmy keeps tackling the next project, helping to distract her from the loneliness of her husband's absence. With one friend married and a coworker soon to be, Emmy finds some bright spots to focus on until the best laid plans go awry. But with each new challenge, Emmy continues to carry on--exactly what she's been encouraging other women to do. And as the political war seems to drag on and on, the people in Emmy's world face one type of war or another: some publicly and some privately. With each new hurdle in her life or a friend's, she discovers hidden reserves she didn't know she had. 

The whole Dear Mrs. Bird series is a cozy experience--like joining a good friend over a cuppa and facing life head-on with courage and resolve and never giving in to despair. While these particular characters may be fictional, they are modeled after so many women who made it through the war years with grace and pluck. Who wouldn't want to be like them? Bravo to Ms. Pearce for creating such a satisfying and meaningful series. I highly recommend it!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Dear Miss Lake from Scribner through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.  

The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall

 

Anyone who has enjoyed Jeanne Birdsall's enchanting Penderwicks series will be pleasantly surprised by another story of a childhood perhaps not quite as idyllic as the Penderwicks. But while the story tackles the more sobering subject of an unhappy home life, that fact is balanced by the literary magic infused throughout the pages of The Library of Unruly Treasures.

I have no idea what inspired that title, but I couldn't help thinking that everyone at some time in their life feels somewhat unruly, but I think the message that Birdsall aptly portrays is that treasures can come in interesting packages, such as kindly uncles, friendly librarians, and little creatures called Lahdukan. 

Gwen, whose parents are divorced (and not always the most predictable), has been sent to spend a few weeks in the summer with an uncle she doesn't really know. Facing the fear of that big unknown is the first hurdle Gwen has to tackle. She is greeted warmly by her Uncle Matthew, and she can hardly believe her good fortune as he welcomes her into his home. It's just him and his dog, Pumpkin (having lost his wife and an empty nester with his daughter away at school). As Gwen navigates making friends with Pumpkin, a very friendly neighbor, Julia, and facing a roomful of unknown kids at the library story time, she begins to blossom and find her world slowly expanding. It lessens the sting of the neglect she has faced at the hands of her parents. Her hard experiences are addressed matter-of-factly and without a great amount of detail. Enough for children in similar situations to feel seen and understood, but not enough to add to their pain. Having a kind uncle able to care for her offers a fairy tale element--sort of like a modern day fairy godmother. 

Gwen's summer is full of new and exciting experiences: gardening, cooking, and playing lots of imaginative games with Julia--like the one about the invisible creatures with wings who inhabit the Children's area of the library (and are unable to be seen by humans over the age of 6). Children often have imaginary friends and see creatures that don't exist, don't they? Her uncle is even willing to play along. But all that changes when Gwen sees them for herself. And imagine her surprise when she finds out that her cousin, Nora, also knows about them!  

Readers will be drawn into this upper elementary story in which Gwen balances life between her distant parents and her wonderful uncle; between the world as we see it and the world behind a veil; between her disappointments of the past, and her wild hopes for the future. Through it all, Gwen discovers the ways that even a child may be called upon to be courageous enough to help someone in need. The Library of Unruly Treasures is a beautiful picture of the blessings just waiting to be discovered, no matter how unruly your life may seem. Grab your copy today to journey with Gwen through the magic and mishaps of pre-adolescence. Best of all is the message that magic happens whenever family and friends love and support you!  

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Library of Unruly Treasures from #RandomHouseChildrens through #NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Children of the Book by Ilana Kurshan

The title of Ilana Kurshan's latest book piqued my interest. Although I am a Christian and the author is Jewish, both of our faiths have a mutual appreciation for the Torah (the first 5 books of the Old Testament Bible). Kurshan's book is divided into five sections that parallel the main ideas of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I appreciated the author's intentionality of raising her children in the knowledge of her faith's sacred writing. This is a challenge that any person of faith could take to heart. And I love how she uses parallels of the Jewish people with beloved children's literature. 

While Christian and Jewish people both honor the Torah, I had not realized how different the Rabbinic interpretation is from what I have learned within my own faith teaching. And while I may not have always been in agreement, the explanations were fascinating, and did offer an opportunity to learn more about Jewish tradition. Kurshan wove many personal stories of family life and the ups and downs of childhood growth throughout her book. And those experiences are universal to parents of any faith. I really enjoyed the candor and honesty the author shared when allowing readers a peek into her family's life.

Readers will learn not only about the Jewish faith, but also about life in Israel. In spite of the miles that may separate the author from my own life in America, I was surprised at how many titles the author shared with her children that mirrored the titles I read with my own. The author included a wonderful list of recommended books at the back, which provide an excellent resource for parents wanting to begin a tradition of reading aloud to their children. 

The author's lament, "So much of the books we read at bedtime are about the fleetingness of time and the impossibility of holding on forever," reminded me of Karen Kingsbury's book, Let Me Hold You Longer. I love how the sharing of literature with our children is a gift that keeps on giving as you share a joint pool of memories and virtual experiences lived through story. My own life as a parent has been significantly marked by the books I read with my children. And by having an older set of children and a younger set, some books were read more than once. My kids are all adults now but still have fond memories of those days of being read to.

One little side note is that I loved how positively the author spoke of one of her friends who is an evangelical Christian. I loved learning about the connection these children from different faiths had formed. What a great model we can all learn from! Whether you are Jewish or not, whether you are a person of faith or not, Kurshan's book offers a beautiful glimpse into the life of her family and how reading enlightens, comforts, and draws families together. 

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Children of the Book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. No other compensation was received and the opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

The Tower at the End of Time by Amy Sparkes

 

The Tower at the End of Time picks up the adventures of Nine and her strange companions where they were left in The House at the End of Magic. Having been freed from its curse in book one, the second book opens with the house traveling at high speed within the World Between Worlds while experiencing hiccups.  As if that were not strange enough, the message urn, previously silenced by the curse, has started delivering messages from some interesting entities, including a witch and a magician-turned- turnip (intent on revenge).

The residents of the House have differing goals: Flabberghast wants to travel to the Hopscotch Championship (to win and then thwart a rival wizard from reaching the Tower at the End of Time). The Spoon is wondering why they aren't looking for Dish and Nine is hoping that perhaps the Asking Stone  can possibly give her some answers about her life. 

Flabberghast's goal wins out and Nine soon finds out that the Hopscotch Championship is unlike anything she has ever witnessed.  And Flabberghast is defending more than a title--he is fighting for his very life!  Readers will be on the edge of their seats wondering how--or if--Nine's life will ever be "normal" again! Just when she thought she had finally found a family--however weird it might be--she's faced with the risk of losing them. 

Will Flabberghast triumph in the Hopscotch game-to-beat-all-games? Will he reach the Tower at the End of Time and find out how to stop the House's hiccups? And will Spoon finally be reunited with Professor Dish to reveal the secrets of alchemy? You'll have to grab a copy to find out! Author Amy Sparkes has created a highly imaginative, topsy-turvy world where magic runs wild and friendships are pushed to their limits. The mix of magic and anthropomorphic elements offer hints of Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter that will bewitch and entertain readers of all ages. Don't miss this exciting literary journey full of mischief and magic!

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Tower at the End of Time from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Return to Sender by Vera Brosgol

Oliver and his mother have just moved from Queens to Manhatten because they inherited the apartment of a great aunt. Having to switch schools mid-year is never easy but it's even harder when his new school is full of rich classmates who judge Oliver on everything from his hair (long), his tie (pink instead of red), his shoes (drug store sneakers), and his lunch (packed from home). Add to that his lack of technology--every other student seems to have a cell phone. But poor Oliver will be issued a tablet just like every student at this elementary school--yes, you read that right, elementary.

By this time, I'm having my doubts about the book. The school was built to have a zero carbon print--some may consider laudable. But they also want to be the highest tech-savvy school possible and offer classes on being an influencer?! Please tell me that this is a commentary on how ridiculously insane schools have become when they chase after technology. When a classmate tells Oliver about the "dark net" that an older student has created for kids to interact outside the school's "spyware" I was ready to write the book off completely. I only continued in the hopes that there might be some redeeming aspects of the story.  It certainly made me thankful that I had homeschooled my own children because, sadly, the book hits very close to the truth of schools nowadays.

When a girl sat with Oliver at lunch, I was relieved that she admired Oliver's ability to cook (and use a real knife!). Her chef cuts up her meat because her parents think knives are too dangerous. But when she asks Oliver to make her cookies (because her school ID prevents her from getting sugar at school), I was a little nervous about where that friendship was also headed. More sneaking around and trying to subvert authority?

Then there was the obligatory bullying by older classmates. Why are schools such a cesspool of deviance and undesirable characters? But wait, that's not even when things get totally weird. Up to this point, there is no hint of anything supernatural, but suddenly a magic mailbox is thrown into the storyline. Say what? Oliver tosses in a wish and an envelope spits out a message with the steps to take to make the wish happen.

Here, too, I was nervous about where this storyline was going as his wishes became more and more unrealistic and costly. And the fulfillment of his wishes were at the expense of others (including instances that fit the definition of theft). I kept hoping there would be a moral reckoning and a point at which things would be made right. Nope, nada, nothing.

As the wishes get out of hand, Oliver discovers his outwardly mild-mannered neighbor is not what she appears and he's soon in a cosmic battle between good and evil (with some graying of the lines because I wouldn't classify all of Oliver's actions as "good").  The story behind the mailboxes was a rather creative and imaginative one, but seemed so far-fetched from how the story had started. 

But the biggest disappointment was that once the world all came mostly right, there was absolutely no accountability or restitution for the wishes that had negatively impacted others' lives. If there was some sort of universal "reset" that erased the past, that certainly was not made clear.  I kept hoping he would just wake up and find out it was all a nightmare. 

So while the story was imaginative and unpredictable, the negative elements of peer interactions along with so many bad choices that came with apparently no consequences, I cannot recommend this book. Younger readers will be spooked by some of the content and older kids will be taught that magic trumps morality. Not the kind of food I would recommend to hungry young minds. 

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Return to Sender by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through NetGalley. No other compensation was received.

 

 

The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke

Cornelia  Funke is an author enjoyed by my children and whenever I discover a new book, I know she will not disappoint.  Lets's first talk about that gorgeous color awash in shades of green (nicely partnered with its art complement, red).  The cover adds a bit of mystery as the reader wonders about the plants on the cover. 

Caspia has mixed feelings about spending the summer in Brooklyn. Her father took a construction job and her mother hopes to finally write a cookbook. And poor Caspia is wondering how she'll survive 12 weeks without her two best friends. They rent a quaint place that looks like it belongs in a different century with floral wallpaper and embroidered items all throughout. While Caspia was putting her things into the ancient dresser in her room, she discovered a ribbon-wrapped stack of letters. She was surprised to find out they were written in the 1950's and were a series of riddles about plants ("The Green Kingdom"). 

Those letters open up a new world to Caspia as she explores Brooklyn in order to solve the riddles. As she frequents various local businesses to find the answers, she also makes friends: young and old, with a variety of backgrounds. The friends she adds are like the varieties of plants in a garden--each with their own beauty and strengths. And each friendship teaches Caspia more about the Green Kingdom and, more importantly, more about herself.  

The treasure hunt using plants is a genius way to interest young people in the fascinating history and little-known uses of common plants. I loved how Caspia's mother's love of cooking becomes part of the adventure as she finds recipes using the featured plants (if only the recipes were shared in the book!). 

I loved how so many old-fashioned skills were interwoven into the book: gardening, cooking, embroidery, sketching & painting and letter-writing.  I can see this book being a fabulous springboard into trying out all of those skills. 

I really enjoyed the story and highly recommend with only a couple minor cautions. The topic of same-sex attraction comes up with one of Caspia's friends--felt like an unnecessary detail thrown in. And the other small disappointment was when one of the 12-year-old characters uses a swear word near the end of the book. The character was a very polite and well-behaved boy; it seemed totally out of character to swear, especially in front of Caspia's father (and presented as just normal dialogue). Why throw in one swear word for no apparent reason?  

I am a huge advocate of reading aloud to children and in this case, I would definitely suggest doing so. This allows a parent to either talk about the elements mentioned above or edit them out. In the case of swearing, I am THAT parent that skips over cuss words in books--kids hear enough profanity everywhere else and I believe books should elevate the mind, not debase it. 

It was truly a magical book in almost every other way. I did feel the book ended rather abruptly--sort of felt like a conversation was cut short. I think readers will feel a bit let down that there isn't more to the story. Perhaps that was to leave open the possibility of a sequel or to allow the reader to speculate on what Caspia's next adventures might be. 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of The Green Kingdom from DK Children through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received, and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

Pencil by Hey-Eun Kim

For anyone who may remember the iconic Harold and the Purple Crayon, this is a re-imagined wordless version in full color.  Wordless books draw children into a thousand different versions of a story illustrated on the pages. A child can enjoy a wordless book on their own because they are not "missing out" on any words they cannot pronounce. Instead they are creating the story as they go. Having a caring "reader" to help guide discussion or ask a child what they think is happening is an excellent way to bond and reinforce oral language skills.

The opening shows a young girl leaving an art store with a pencil in hand. And how she uses that pencil is pure magic. Children will eagerly anticipate what comes next. There are so many beautiful details to explore visually. Children can imagine what came before the story began and what might happen after the book ends. There are elements of "I Spy" in the book with animals peeking out of a forest and I love the ending that defies logic. While whithin the pages of Pencil, a child's imagination and sense of wonder will be awakened.  Older children will enjoy grabbing their own pencil and trying to copy the illustrations, making this a wonderful art study as well. 

I highly recommend wordless books as a way to encourage children to narrate their own story and perhaps be inspired to create their own wordless books. I highly recommend Pencil for every public, school, or home library. This would make a fabulous gift in combination with colored pencils and a sketchbook--for those blank pages are the invitation to create another story!

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Pencil from Astra Publishing House through NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.