Pippi Longstocking Month!!!

I am Pippi Longstocking,
If you say it fast it's funny!
Pippi, Pippi Longstocking,
How I love my happy name.....

Kids Book Korner is declaring September....

Pippi Longstocking Month!

Spend the month going on one adventure after another with a character who has her own way of doing things.

Week 1: Pippi Longstocking

Week 2: Pippi Goes On Board

Week 3: Pippi In The South Seas

We invite you to join us as we spend the month with a beloved girl! Get ready, because you never know what will happen when Pippi Longstocking is around...

Favorite Character Book Release!

Library Mouse A World to Explore

By: Daniel Kirk

Ages 6-8

One night in the library, Sam meets fellow mouse Sarah. Sam learns that Sarah is quite the explorer. She loves to scurry to the tops of shelves and explore the darkest corners of the building. Sam never climbs far up—he’s too afraid! He prefers to research subjects—such as exploration—and write about them. Sarah doesn’t know much about writing or research, but could reading and research help her learn more about the places she wishes to visit? Together this duo shows that, with teamwork, anything is possible.

According to bn.com, the book's release date is in September. However, it was on my local Barnes & Noble's bookshelves last night. My oldest daughter LOVED the other 2 Library Mouse books, so I'm sure we'll be buying this one very soon. Enjoy!!

Ages 11+

The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow

Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are best friends with one goal: to crack the code of popularity. Through careful observation of the fifth-grade class and brave experiments throughout the year, they plan to start junior high at the top of the social order. But somehow Lydia and Julie's bold tests don't translate into instant popularity. And even worse, as the school year passes they seem to be drifting farther and farther from their goal....and each other.

Amy Ignatow's hilarious debut novel introduces the intrepid fifth-graders Julie and Lydia, whose quest to understand popularity may not succeed in the ways they want but will succeed in keeping readers in stitches.

I really enjoyed this book. It is done in a diary style, handwritten with lots of pictures. This format is really popular right now, mainly because of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. (Which I absolutely loved). This will appeal to all those middle grade girls, who like Wimpy Kid but also want a story more girl oriented. I thought this book explored a lot of topics that I can remember were really important to me right before entering middle school. I remember I wanted to make more friends and "be cool", whatever that is. For me, more friends ended up translating into more drama, which is exactly what happens to the two main characters in this book. So yes, although I am now 27 years old, I found a lot to relate to in this story.

One thing I really liked about this book was that as the quest to become popular begins to tear apart their friendship, they learn that popularity isn't all that it's cracked up to be. I thought that this book had a really sweet ending. Another thing that I loved about this book was that neither of the characters have a traditional nuclear family structure at home, but they both still have a really good home life. I don't think you see that as often in young readers books as you see the kid having trouble with a step-parent or their parents' divorce. I think there is a need for both kinds of books.

The only thing that I thought maybe wasn't well planned about this book was that the author chose to have the girls be in fifth grade. As I was reading the book, I really felt what the story was about and what the characters cared about were more sixth grade level. Maybe I'm just thinking back to my own experience of those ages, because I never cared about popularity or social things until at least sixth grade, and it was the end of sixth grade. Well, I guess the kids grow up faster these days.

My overall verdict on this book is it's perfect for a girl who is starting middle school.

Rating: Check it out from the library or buy it.

Ages 6+

Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall

Stories by Emily Bearn

Pictures by Nick Price

Deep inside the broom cupboard of Rose Cottage, two mice live in great style.

Tumtum and Nutmeg lead cozy and quiet lives, secretly looking after Arthur and Lucy, the disheveled human children of the cottage, never dreaming that so many exciting adventures will soon find them. But when evil Aunt Ivy, a squeamish schoolteacher named Miss Short, and pirating pond rats threaten the safety of those they hold dear, the courageous pair will stop at nothing to save the day.

In three thrilling tales with charming illustrations in every chapter, Tumtum and Nutmeg--along with the valiant efforts of veteran hero General Marchmouse, Ms. Tiptoe's bouncing ballerina army, and a team of caged gerbils--prove that small-size mice can have world-size hearts.

I loved this book. I mean, really really loved this book. It made me want to be a little kid again so my mom could read it out loud to me. There are several books she read to us that will always stick with me. Among these are Mother West Wind by Thornton W. Burgess and The Mouse and His Child by Russell Hoban. I would say as far as qualities of a great read-aloud go, Tumtum and Nutmeg is right up there with these two. The stories have so much charm and low-key humor to them. They're not knee-slapping, laugh out loud funny so much as very quirky. I really liked the fact that the good and bad characters have very well-defined roles, and they stick to them. Aunt Ivy, Miss Short, and the pond pirates got what was coming to them in the end- nothing grisly of course, but enough for the reader to feel the satisfaction that justice has been served. And I, for one, love happy endings!

This would be a really great read-aloud for any parent to read their child from age 5 up. (Depending on the particular child's attention span, of course). It may just be too wordy for some of the younger kids. I think a child up to age 10 or 11 would enjoy this book, so if you have kids between ages 5 and 11, this is the family read-aloud for you. But let me warn you right now, watch out for General Marchmouse. He is always getting into trouble! He's also one of the characters that made me laugh the most.

Rating: Buy it!

Amelia Bedelia

Amelia Bedelia**

By: Peggy Parish

64 Pages

Ages 6-8

**this is a Step 2 reader book**

Summary:

Amelia Bedelia is hired by Mr. & Mrs. Rogers. They leave a list of things they would like her to do that day. What they didn't know was that Amelia has her own way of doing things. Be careful how you say things when Amelia Bedelia is around...

I LOVED Amelia Bedelia when I was a kid and I love her even more now that I'm an adult! She was such a wonderful character and I loved getting to revisit her. She is the house cleaner with the heart of gold who's heart is always in the right place, but doesn't exactly do things the normal way.

Take her version of dusting the furniture, for example. Instead of removing the dust from it, she dusts the furniture with dusting powder she finds-- though it smells nice!! Or when she's asked to draw the drapes. The Rogers' are trying to keep the sun out of a room, but Amelia thinks they want a picture of their drapes drawn, so she draws them one! What saves her from being fired, you ask? Her yummy lemon-meringue pie!

Children will love reading how she interprets things and goes about doing them. You can't help but chuckle and laugh! Amelia Bedelia is a childhood treasure and I can't wait to read her to my girls! I hope they love her as much as I did growing up!!

Ages 9+

The Night of the Solstice by L. J. Smith

When Claudia Hodges-Bradley meets a fox, she knows it will be an extraordinary day. Not just any fox, this vixen is the magical familiar of the sorceress Morgana Shee. For years Morgana has guarded the solitary gate between Earth and the Wildworld, a shimmering parallel universe where legends still live. She alone holds the secret of the mirrors that serve as the last passage to enchantment. But Morgana has been betrayed and imprisoned in the Wildworld, and the fox is determined to recruit the Hodges-Bradley kids for the rescue mission.

Armed only with courage and determination, Alys, Charles, Janie, and Claudia must save Morgana before the winter solstice, when the evil sorcerer Cadal Forge plans to escape Wildworld and conquer Earth. And with December 21 only 2 weeks away, there is no time to lose...........

There is quite a story behind this book for me. I've been looking for it for years, because I read it when I was 10 years old from the library, then could never find it again. I remembered it was called Night of the Solstice, and I remembered it had something to do with the winter solstice and there was a grotto in it. That was all I could remember, and of course I had no clue who the author was. I had searched for it in the computers at work before, and figured it was probably out of print. So when we got this book in about 2 months ago, I immediately bought it. The summary didn't sound much like what I remembered, but the winter solstice was in there and it sounded good, so I figured it was worth the risk.

Now that I've read it, I am positive it's the same book I read as a kid. I remembered virtually nothing from the story, and the things that I did remember were really minor parts, but there were a couple of things that jogged my memory. It's hard to measure something you read as a kid against an adult interpretation. I think that usually some of the magic of the story gets lost. That being said, this was still a really good book. Definitely a great one for kids that like fantasy and adventure. My favorite characters were Alys, the winged serpent, and the vixen. I think most kids could find something to relate to in this book, because the 4 main characters-the Hodges-Bradley kids- range in age from 7 years old to 16 years old. There is a sequel that I haven't read yet, and didn't know about as a kid. I will definitely be reading that!

Rating: Buy it!

Ages 3-7

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker

Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Bear is quite sure he doesn't like visitors. He even has a sign. So when a mouse taps on his door one day, Bear tells him to leave. But when Bear goes to the cupboard to get a bowl, there is the mouse- small and gray and bright-eyed. In this slapstick tale that begs to be read aloud, all Bear wants is to eat his breakfast in peace, but the mouse-who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places- just won't go away!

-from barnesandnoble.com

This book is awesome! Ruth and I read it for storytime a couple of weeks ago, and the kids really liked it. It was the last of 4 stories, and they paid attention through to the very end. (Usually by the fourth story you've lost half of the audience). My favorite character is the mouse, and lucky for me (probably because I insisted), I got to be the voice of the mouse at storytime! This story is destined to become a classic.

Rating: Buy it! This would make a great birthday or baby shower gift.

Ages 8+

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day by Meg Cabot

When Allie's parents announce that the family is moving, Allie's sure her life is over. She's not at all happy about having to give up her pretty pink wall-to-wall carpeting for creaky floorboards and creepy secret passageways.....not to mention leaving her modern, state-of-the-art suburban school for a rundown, old-fashioned school just two blocks from her new house.

With a room she's half-scared to go into, the burden of being "the new girl", and her old friends all a half-hour car ride away, how will Allie ever learn to fit in?

-from scholastic.com

When I first started this book I wasn't enjoying it very much, and I was finding the main character to be kind of annoying. I was thinking that maybe it was one of those books that would appeal to kids but adults wouldn't like. Since I am a huge fan of Meg Cabot, I didn't give up three chapters in like I wanted to. I'm glad I didn't give up on this book because it improved greatly about halfway through. After Allie's so-called best friend Mary Kay (who is really lame, by the way) stops speaking to her, I enjoyed the book a lot more. Then I realized that it actually wasn't Allie that I didn't like, it was all the parts about Mary Kay. She's supposed to be annoying, but it was hard to understand why Allie was friends with her at all, since they had basically nothing in common. I guess it was just a friendship of convenience, since Mary Kay is the only girl her age who lives on her street. Luckily, for the sake of the story, Allie realizes pretty soon that her and Mary Kay are better off parting ways. Although Mary Kay is super annoying, I think young girls could relate to having a friend like that, who you don't really like but still hang out with for whatever reason.

One thing I really liked about this book was it has a really good message about change. Allie thinks that her life will be ruined by moving, but it actually turns out to be a good change in the end. I also liked the part where Allie saves the turtle. (You'll have to read it to find out what happens!)

After I finished the book, I felt that this would be a great series to start a 3rd to 5th grade girl on. I think Allie Finkle is a relatable character for that age group. I'm glad I kept reading!

Rating: Borrow from the library or buy in paperback

Good-Night, Owl Review

Good-Night, Owl

By: Pat Hutchins

Reviewed By: Bethany Nusbaum, 5 yrs old

Summary:

What does an owl have to do to get some sleep? Well in a tree full of day time birds, this can prove to be quite tricky. See who is responsible for keeping the owl from a good daytime of sleep.

1. What is this book about?

A silly owl just trying to sleep.

2. If you could be anything in the story, who or what would you be?

I would be the dove, she has the best feathers and she coos.

3. What is the best part of the book?

When the owl wakes up all the birds at night time!!!!!!!!!!

4. Is this book something you would want to keep forever?

Yes, and I will read it to my baby owl.

Beezus & Ramona Review

Beezus & Ramona

By: Beverly Cleary

159 Pages (my hardcover book)

Summary:

Starting with a fairly mild encounter with the librarian, which is harder on Beezus than anyone else, Ramona goes from strength to strength, winding up by inviting her entire kindergarten class to a part at her home without mentioning it to her mother. The riot that ensues is probably the most hilarious episode in this extremely funny book, which proves that Mrs. Cleary's imagination is almost as lively as Ramona's. -- bn.com

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Never having had a sister ( I was the youngest in my family) I was spared all of this. However, my 2 daughters will probably relate to this book once they are older.

Ramona is such a little fireball of energy. From embarrassing her sister with the bunny ears to "writing" her name on every page of a library book, the first chapter was entertaining. When Ramona crashes her older sister's art class more hilarity ensues. However, I got exhausted just reading what happened when Ramona decides she wants to have a party and proceeds to invite all her friends-- without telling her Mom first.

Beezus is an amazing character. She thinks of ways to handle whatever her sister throws at her. This book is only the first in the Beezus & Ramona series, and I think I'll be reading more of them. You never know what will happen when Ramona is involved.

Rating: Buy It!!

Favorite Character Book Release!!!

Coming Soon To A Bookstore Near You.....

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth

By: Jeff Kinney

224 Pages

Ages 8-12

Releases: November 9, 2o10

A Summary for the book was not available

Online bookstores are currently taking pre-orders

The Mysterious Benedict Society

The Mysterious Benedict Society
By: Trenton Lee Stewart

512 Pages* (actual story is shorter)

Ages 8-12

Summary:
4 children are the only ones who pass bizarre tests advertised in the newspaper. All are orphans and all are chosen for a specific reason. Now they must go undercover to find out the secrets that lie in Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened. What is going on and can they save the day in time?

My first impression is that this book is meant for the higher range of the ages it's directed to. This story itself is over 400 pages long- a bit long for younger children. While it's a good read, even I was ready to be one half way through the book.

The tests the children take were interesting and fun to read about. Each child uses their own reasoning and methods for accomplishing the tests and it was fun to see how they did it. I have to say I liked the character Constance the least. Like the other 3 children in the book she worked my nerves with her attitude. Reading how they each bring their unique thinking to the table to solve this mystery was my favorite part of the book.

This book is the 1st in a series that is currently 3 books strong. And while it's says 8-12, I think the older kids from that range would get more out of it than the younger ones.

Rating: Borrow From The Library

Favorite Character Book Releases!!!

Attention All Pinkalicious Fans! 2 new Pinkalicious books have been released & readyfor you to read!!

Pinkalicious Tickled Pink

By: Victoria Kann

24 Pages

Ages 3-8

Summary:

When Tiffany challenges Pinkalicious to a laugh-off, the pressure is on to create the most pinkerrifically funny joke of all time. Even if Pinkalicious doesn't win the contest, she's going to have a lot of fun trying!

Pinkalicious School Rules**

By: Victoria Kann

32 Pages

Ages 5-8

Summary:

When Pinkalicious brings her imaginary unicorn, Goldilicious, to class one day, she learns that with her companion by her side, school rules!

** This book is for beginner readers. **