Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Review: The Bunnicula Collection

The Bunnicula Collection The Bunnicula Collection by James Howe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When checking out my random collection of Halloween books for kids, the librarian mentioned this audio version as an annual favorite tradition at her house. I am enjoying having someone read it to me.

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Friday, December 17, 2021

Review: Lunch Walks Among Us

Lunch Walks Among Us Lunch Walks Among Us by Jim Benton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

2005 December 30
2009 January 12

The PandaBat got the boxed set of Franny K. Stein books for Christmas. She's not quite able to read them on her own, but she's certainly enjoying having them read aloud.

As am I.

How much do we love Franny K. Stein? Mad science, a "lab" assistant, bats in her attic room in the otherwise pristine and pastel house? Oh, very much indeed.

Although I hadn't realized it before, we love stories about a kid who doesn't feel right in the family, but that the family that loves and indulges anyway.

***
2013 April 13

It's been a while since I've red any Franny, but she holds up quite well. Just the thing to read aloud to a kid who's feeling cranky and illish.

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Review: The Great Gatz

The Great Gatz The Great Gatz by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Review: Mercury

Mercury Mercury by Hope Larson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The Capybaras

The Capybaras The Capybaras by Alfredo Soderguit
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The Gentleman Bat

The Gentleman Bat The Gentleman Bat by Abraham Schroeder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The Night World

The Night World The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a night person, so I love pretty illustrations of night. Plus there's a cat. I went away for four days, and considered seeing a cat walk into a store a high point. As did my traveling companion, so don't judge.

Library copy

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Sunday, December 12, 2021

Review: Julia's House Goes Home

Julia's House Goes Home Julia's House Goes Home by Ben Hatke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story

Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story Victor and Nora: A Gotham Love Story by Lauren Myracle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: I Am Bat

I Am Bat I Am Bat by Morag Hood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed

Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Lesléa Newman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: A New Home

A New Home A New Home by Tania de Regil
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Opposites Abstract

Opposites Abstract Opposites Abstract by Mo Willems
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: More Classic Old House Plans: Authentic Designs for Colonial and Victorian Homes

More Classic Old House Plans: Authentic Designs for Colonial and Victorian Homes More Classic Old House Plans: Authentic Designs for Colonial and Victorian Homes by Lawrence Grow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Rectangle Time

Rectangle Time Rectangle Time by Pamela Paul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Pretty Kitty

Pretty Kitty Pretty Kitty by Karen Beaumont
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: If Ur Stabby

If Ur Stabby If Ur Stabby by Kaz Windness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Thursday, December 09, 2021

Review: Wolves

Wolves Wolves by Emily Gravett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Part of my 365 Kids Books challenge. For a fuller explanation see my review for 101 Amazing Facts about Australia You can see all the books on their own shelf.

Without the opportunity to browse the shelves in the usual way I've been just thinking of an author I like, looking them up at each of my usual sources, and thus, acquiring as many as possible. So now: Emily Gravett.

15 May 2021

I don't know how or why, but somehow I had gotten the review for Again posted on the Wolves page. So now I'm correcting that.

This is a book about libraries and books, more than it is about wolves, but there's a fun metafictional book reading here: on one level a rabbit goes to a library and checks out a book and reads it and we get to see what it is.

But on another level we learn that wolves love to eat...

With an alternate ending for sensitive readers.


***
4 February 2007

We like twisted tales, so this was a big hit all around.

Library copy

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Review: The Night Gardener

The Night Gardener The Night Gardener by Terry Fan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: A Place to Read

A Place to Read A Place to Read by Leigh Hodgkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Review: Frankie & Bug

Frankie & Bug Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Thursday, December 02, 2021

Wednesday, December 01, 2021

Review: The Twisted Ones

The Twisted Ones The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Too creepy to read much of at a time, since I live here, and that was my father's mother, and I have had enough of cleaning the detritus of other, cluttered lives, and I don't believe, but Kingfisher has just captured real life too well for me to be comfortable. She has also managed to delineate my personal nightmares with the kind of precision the General Assembly brings to electoral maps.

I should maybe adopt a dog, though.

At one point we were listening to the same pledge week. Genuinely frightened me so much that I couldn't read as much as an entire chapter at a time, and couldn't read if I expected to be alone in the house within four hours.

After finishing it my biggest fear was that it wouldn't disturb other, non-local readers, but it made it onto the running for the GoodReads awards, so either everyone within 200 miles has read it, or my fears aren't as rare as I would have guessed.

Library copy

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Review: The Twisted Ones

The Twisted Ones The Twisted Ones by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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