Sunday, July 14, 2013

Goddess Girls: Athena the Brain

Athen has always been above average. She's never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact. When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life. But in some ways, school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on Earth, and Athena is going to have to deal with the baddest mean girl in history- Medusa!
Authors Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams put a modern spin on classic myths with the Goddess Girls series. Follow the ins and outs of divine social life at Mount Olympus Academy, where the most privileged godboys and goddessgirls in the Greek pantheon hone their mythical skills.
This is a good start to a series that I'm really excited about. It provides a fun way for kids to learn about Greek myths, and puts it on their level. I love that it's pretty much all these gods a goddesses in junior high, and junior high in Ancient Greece was about the same as it is now. There are nice girls and mean girls, popular guys who know all the girls like them (in this case, Poseidon), and embarrassing situations for the main character. How would you feel if the whole school found out that your mother was a fly? I think we can all relate to the circumstances of the story. 

I really liked how the authors chose to write the character of Athena. I think she is a good role model for young girls, and she makes good choices throughout the book. This book might just get some of those girls who aren't interested in the Percy Jackson series into Greek myths as well.  

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Amelia Bedelia series

Jen and I read these with her two daughters, ages 3 and 7, the other night. They were a bit too long to hold the 3 year old's interest, but they had the rest of us in stitches.


Imagine Amelia Bedelia in your homeroom! Everyone's favorite zany lady finds herself teacher for the day- and what a day it turns out to be!

This was my favorite Amelia Bedelia as a child. There is some outdated terminology in it, so I had to stop reading at some parts so Jen and I could explain some of the words to the kids. I think for beginning readers some of the newer Amelia Bedelia books might be better. This is a classic, though.




When Amelia Bedelia went to the station to meet the conductor, Mrs. Rogers did not expect her to bring back a man who worked for the railroad. The concert could not start until the orchestra leader arrived- which he finally did, no thanks to Amelia Bedelia. 
But neither the conductor nor the school orchestra was prepared for Amelia Bedelia's contribution to the musical event. The master of literal interpretation, Amelia Bedelia is just as happy with a flat bee as with a B flat. And if you want a wind instrument- well, what blows more wind than an electric fan? 
Amelia Bedelia is as funny as she has ever been in this musical extravaganza. Do you wonder what she plays in the orchestra? She plays havoc!

Wow, this one was pretty crazy! By the end of the book, she had really gotten under the conductor's skin. (And I don't mean the train conductor!) Kids will like this one.  Ages 5 and up.





She's back! Amelia Bedelia,  America's favorite housekeeper, has returned. Armed with a driver's license, Amelia Bedelia hits the road! 
Amelia Bedelia listens to what people say. She believes they know what they are talking about. If someone tells her to watch out for a fork in the road- well, she's heard of needles in haystacks, so why not a fork in the road? Readers will find her exploits hilarious.

I think this was the funniest one yet! The part about the fork in the road had us all cracking up. And Mr.  Rogers learned his lesson- never go driving with Amelia Bedelia!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift: The Platinum Edition
By: Liv Spencer

Summer has arrived and with it the opportunity to learn more about people you admire. My two girls have become fans of the ever popular Taylor Swift, so I took this chance to learn more about the object of their affection. After all, this Mommy would like to know about the singer/songwriter behind the car ride concerts. 

In Liv Spencer's book, you get TONS of pictures. You get tons of surface information. Liv walks you through how Taylor Swift became the household name she now is. You'll learn how Taylor dealt with her share of naysayers and bullies. Taylor Swift will show you how a young girl with a dream took a well-known American song and turned it into a career.

Liv Spencer's book gives you a brief peek at the world Taylor created as she tore conquered one obstacle after another. You won't get an in-depth story of the famous Taylor Swift. Her much talked about love life is only mentioned in track listings. Still, this book is a great starting off point in learning about a strong, determined woman who didn't compromise herself to achieve her dream.

I have respected Taylor for not being what the industry wanted. She made a name for herself by standing out and giving pieces of herself through her music. She isn't a gimmick who lip-syncs to music while dancing up a storm in barely there costumes. She's a wholesome person who sets a great example for the kids looking up to her. She shows how you can achieve what you want in life through hard work and strong ethics.  

Personally, I loved reading about all the songs on Taylor's albums. Each album is broken down by track. Along with it is the story of how the song came to be, the inspiration behind it, and other fun information. I always love how creativity comes to people. 

Enjoy getting to know about Miss Taylor Swift!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

OMG (Oh My Godmother): The Glitter Trap

OMG (Oh My Godmother: The Glitter Trap
By: Barbara Brauner & James Iver Mattson
240 Pages

Lacey Unger-Ware isn't the most popular 12 year old at her school. But life is about the change for her. While delivering food for her parents' restaurant, Lacey accidentally makes off with the Fairy Godmother assigned to make Paige Harrington's dream come true. How could this happen? Let's just say glitter should be used with caution.

Promptly returning the Fairy Godmother to Paige would be the sensible thing to do. But sensible gets a new definition after Lacey's cat eats the fairy. Now with a sprained shoulder, the Godmother is unable to fulfill her duty. This spells out dire consequences for everyone: Paige's dream won't come true; Lacey will spend her whole life with none of her dreams coming true; and the Fairy Godmother will get demoted- possibly to a dryer fairy! There's only one thing to do: Have Lacey take the Fairy Godmother's place and act as Paige's Godmother. Hilarity ensues as Lacey learns how to be a Fairy Godmother. Note: Use a wand with caution! 

Readers will enjoy this story. Funny scenes are throughout the whole book. You've got mass pigeons flying overhead- doing what they do on poor Lacey. You've got World War Pea in the kitchen- the blue wears off at midnight. And you have an overwhelming task to be accomplished in 8 days. What could possibly go wrong? The Chapters aren't very long and they have pictures throughout. Fairy Tale fans will love this spin on the beloved Fairy Godmother.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

MIssy's Super Duper Royal Deluxe Picture

Missy's Super Duper Royal Deluxe: Picture Day
By: Susan Nees
Ages: 5-7

Attention all beginner readers!! I have a fun new character to introduce to you. Please meet, Melissa Abigail Rose- but, please call her Missy. She is little girl who loves all the things fun and dressy, and super duper. Take her school picture day, for example. This is a BIG event in little Missy's life, and she's been looking forward to it all week. Visions of different outfits are dancing through her head. However, her Mom has a different plan.

The normal outgoing, energetic Missy doesn't go to school that day. But the grumpy, brooding Missy goes.  Gone is her overflowing excitement for picture day. Gone are her outfits. She has no plans to talk to anyone. But while she isn't talking to anyone, she'll chat with quiet classmate, Oscar. In fact, she talks to him so much they get in trouble while waiting in line to take their pictures. Being separated from the class gives Oscar the chance to think of a genious idea for he and Missy to do for their pictures. Missy goes from mad to ecstatic! 

This book was cute! It has tons of pictures on each page. Missy is a character young children can enjoy- especially girls who love dress up. I had a great time meeting Missy and reading about her picture day adventure. I know there are 2 other books already set to come out in this series, and I look forward to reading them. 

Friday, March 1, 2013

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car

Alright adventure seekers of all ages! Fasten your seat belts and get ready for the ride of your life! Guess who's back....

 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car
By: Ian Fleming
Ages: 9+

She's back and taking you places you've never been before! Join the Potts family as they restore Chitty back to her old glory. With her in charge, never fret when your favorite beach picnic spot is full. Instead of sharing your lunch at an overly crowded beach, Chitty takes you to an island in the middle of the English Channel! However, just mind the tides and don't stay too long.

Once you're picnic afternoon is done, you won't believe what Chitty has in store for you next! 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car is a cute, fun read. It's perfect for bedtime reading. Going on all the adventures will be a wonderful addition to any family story time. I had so much fun exploring the cave and having a picnic on a remote island. Ian Fleming is known for his 007 writing, but he's great at children's works, too!


The Cupcake Club: Winner Bakes All

The Cupcake Club: Winner Bakes All
By: Sheryl Berk & Carrie Berk
118 Pages
Ages: 9-12

The third book in The Cupcake Club series has Saddie Harris, Kylie Carson, Jenna Medina, & Lexi Poole facing a challenge like no other: can they win a baking contest?

With business drying up a little, the girls are looking for a way to bring in money. Enter the contest Battle of the Bakers. With the grand prize being $5,000, the Cupcake Club is aiming to win. What they didn't count on was going against seasoned professionals. Nor would they expect the surprise guest judge to be a recent disgruntled client. Can they pull it off and win?

While the club battles professionals  Saddie is fearing her parents are heading for a divorce. Money has been tight, and the stress has her parents fighting a lot more. Is Saddie worried about nothing, or is she fated to be the newest addition to the divorced family statistics at her school?

This book is the 3rd in the series, and the first one I ever read. Having said that, it doesn't affect the story line at all. The authors give you all the information you need, so you don't go through the book feeling like you're missing key details. Had it not been for a couple of instances in the book, you wouldn't know it's the middle of a series. 

I found the book to be cute and charming. I enjoyed meeting each of the girls. Mrs. Lila Vanderwall was a character written to be dis likable  and she is. I was mad when she refused to pay the girls for baking a ton of cupcakes at the last minute for her. Yes, they made a mistake with the decoration, but they fixed it. 

This is a series I would love to read more of. I'll definitely be seeing if my library has the first two books in the series. Very cute and enjoyable.