Twell Town by Harriet M. Winter

 

Genre:  Children, Middle Grade, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I absolutely loved this book.  It was fun and full of humor. The author created an alternate world that is so interesting. All the characters of Twell Town are made from fabric, yarn, and other recyclable items.

Bunny Thread is a very unique character. Bunny lives with her mother at the back of her mother's button shop.  Bunny has no school friends.  She doesn't exactly fit in with them.  She makes all her own clothes.  They are very unique to say the least. One day she comes home from school and decides to make herself a friend. She gathers up her materials and sews up a friend. Her first few tries are rejected as they aren't quite good enough. Finally she grabs some yarn and knits herself a bear. She goes to bed with him that night and when she wakes up in the morning he is gone. She finds him sitting in her window. When she goes to him he speaks to her. He makes sure she knows his name is Dexter, not Buttercup, like she had named the bear she created. He tries to explain where he is from. Finally he takes her hand and off they go to where he lives, Twell Town.

Bunny is given a tour of the town which is quite fascinating.  Everyone accepts her there. Then they get to his house. She is impressed, but he is not. Someone has been in his house. She doesn't understand how he figures that since everything is in place. That is when we learn he is definitely not a neat freak.  He is sure he know who was in his house and what they are looking for.  He tries to explain that to her but she doesn't quite understand. But she will. Dexter must get her back to her land and then try to stop the fiends from getting what he has hidden from them. But, what happens when they find Bunny and the item?

Fun adventure from the very beginning.  I loved the author's play on words.  When they visit a clothing store in Twell town the owner of the store starts listing off clothing designers whose names are very similar to those we know today. She also used a lot of figurative language that made the images jump off of the page.  Everything was well thought out and planned.  At the end I wondered if maybe there would be a sequel to this book.  It was wrapped up nicely. However, there could be more adventures down the road. 

Student Saturday: Boys of Blur by N.D.Wilson

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure
Student Reviewer: Dominick O.

This mystery fiction book is a book about Boys in Taper, Florida. These boys only like one thing and that is football. But when they aren't on the field they are running through the miles of muck. But when they go at night, they are not the only ones there. Things roam at night. Things that cannot be explained, and these boys are about to find out why. In my opinion this is a pretty good book. I would recommend this book to people who like suspenseful books or movies. I would also recommend this book to people who like the author N. D. Wilson.

Cameron and the Shadow Wraiths by Mark Cheverton

 

Genre:  Children, Middle Grade, Fantasy

Source:  I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is the second book in the series: Order of the Stones.  This is a fabulous series.  I read the first book, Facing the Beast Within, and loved it.  In this sequel a year has passed and the kids are back at camp. Leonard has learned to stand up to his father when it comes to his love of History, Bobby is his same jovial person. Elise who loved archery comes back not wanting anything to do with it. Karl comes back a new person. He is no longer a bully. When Cameron steps off of the bus he hears kids chanting "The Hero of Pontchartrain."  He feels like a fraud. The school year was rough. His anxiety is back in force.  Then a childhood friend and bully show up. Twins Jessie and Jamis show up at camp.  Jessie and Cameron were best friends. Jamis does his best to torment Cameron.  When Jessie is taken by a shadow wraith it is up to these heroes to rescue her.

This journey is not going to be easy. Lord Malphas wants Cameron. He has a reason for all of this. Will he succeed? We learn a lot more about Mr. Watson the grounds keeper.  He is more than just a grounds keeper. He will play a major role in shaping the person that Cameron becomes.  The tension in this book was very high. Just about the time we think things are going to work out, something else is thrown in their path and we see Cameron's Beast come back, This time he doesn't only have to battle his own beast, but also Malphas who has found a way to get into Cameron's head.  This was such a wonderful book. The third book in this series, The Gargoyle's Revenge comes up sometime in 2025.  I will definitely be reading it.  Go ahead, read it. I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, kids who overcome their fears and find belief in themselves.  This one is a keeper

Facing the Beast Within: The Anxiety of Cameron Poole by Mark Cheverton

 

Genre: Children, Middle Grade, Fantasy
Source: I own a copy.

Mark Cheverton has written a book that children today will be able to connect.  He has taken his main character Cameron, who suffers from anxiety, and placed him in a summer camp. This isn’t any ordinary summer camp. That would make anyone anxious. This camp has monsters and it is up to Cameron and his friends to try to stop them from entering their world.

The world building is well done. Any kid who has gone to any type of summer camp or watched movies with summer camp will understand that for an outdoorsy person this is the best place to be. For a kid who suffers with anxiety, maybe not so much.  They will be able to identify with kids, especially Cameron, being bullied. After all, they deal with or see things like this all the time.  What this book does is shows what happens when someone steps up and faces their monsters. It shows how strong they can be, especially with the help of some friends. It shows that they don’t have to do things alone. What better lesson can one learn and in such a charming, and fantastical way.  Well done. I look forward to reading the second book in this series.

Student Saturday: Guts by Raina Telgemeier

Genre: Middle Grade, Biography, Graphic Novel
Student Reviewer: Zoey L.

The book I read this month was called Guts. This book is about a young girl named Raina. She always did great in school and never had a problem with anything. Until, one night she wakes up with a terrible stomachache. Later, she returns to school with normal school days, drama, and bullying with the other stuff too. Although everything is back to normal, Raina is not. She can't take her mind off her stomach bug. She just keeps thinking about it. Now it is starting to get into the way of everything. Will Raina be able to fix this problem? Overall, I like this book. I have read similar books by this author. They are always fun to read. I relate to this book because I get stomach aches too. I would recommend this book to my little brother because he likes comics. I give this book a 10/10 and I would definitely read it again. 

They Came From the Shadows by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is book four in the series. Unlike a lot of prequels, this one serves two purposes. For those who have read the first book in the series, you will understand the characters better.  We open once again with the alien's first visit.  We are shown a glimpse of what happened before the second wave came.  We still see the same bubbly, smart, and talkative Margaret, her best friend Bailey and Sheldon who has always been their protector.  This book not only tells us what happened with the first wave of aliens, but what happened after. We learn about area thirty-two and how those who were infected are now surviving and where they are today.  We learn so much, yet at the same time this book is written in a manner that the author could continue the story. Consider it a flashback in time with benefits. The benefits of learning something we didn't in the first book. Like all of this author's other books, it draws you in and holds you, forcing you to continue reading until the last page. But that isn't all it does. It leaves you craving more.  So I say, we all beg the author to add more to this story.  I would love to see this series made into a movie.  I believe it would be a blockbuster.  Well done Christopher Francis.

Student Saturday: Dead Lake by Darcy Coates

 

Genre: Adult, Horror, Suspense
Student Reviewer: Franklin G.

Sam, a young artist, got an invitation for her art to be shown at the Heritage Gallery, which was a huge deal for her. But her mom sadly passed away shortly after, so for the next few months, instead of preparing artwork for the gallery, she forgot about it completely until about a week before it was happening. Sam's uncle let her stay in his cabin, which was completely off the grid, and only a few people knew about it. As she was there, she thought she was alone. Her uncle wasn't there, but there was no cell reception, and there wasn't anyone for a few miles. Then she started painting these strange images in her sleep. These images were of a man, and he looked strange, but she slowly realized that the man had been watching her and started to attack her. He would sit and look over the dock and watch her from the woods. These woods had always had disappearances, and it turned out he was the one killing them, and Sam was in grave danger. She had met a ranger from a nearby park and wanted his help, but things went from bad to worse the longer she stayed at the cabin. What happened to Sam and the ranger? Did the strange man kill them? Did Sam's art go to the gallery? 

I loved this book, and I thought it was great. It is a shorter read and Darcy Coates put two other short stories in the back. This story, though was great. I love the action and the mystery, but most of all I like the little horror details in the story. This is a great book if you like mystery combined with horror and action. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 10 because this book might be scary for younger readers, but all in all, this was a really good book.

I can't fully relate to the characters in this book but I can say if I was in this situation I would try my hardest to survive.

Student Saturday: Killer Species: Ultimate Attack by Michael P. Spradlin

 

Genre: Middle Grade Adventure

Student Reviewer:  Elizabeth R.  

 

      This book is about two scientists named Emmet Doyle and Calvin Geaux that created this killer species but in that time Dr. Catalyst was making a creature called swamp cat to hunt Emmet. But that is most of it with a little twist and turns but you will have to find out for yourself. If I had to recommend this book to someone it would be people that like watching or reading about exotic creatures because this book has other series about creatures that are not even created but fascinating. Overall, I honestly like it, it is remarkably interesting and cool.

Pigs Have Wings by Kathleen Welton

Genre:  Children's Picture Book

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Available June 16 on Amazon

My husband would be the first to tell you that I love all things about pigs. I grew up on a farm 

raising pigs. I had a collection ofpig figurines, I have stuffed pigs.  So, when the opportunity to read and review this book came along I was all in.

This is an inspirational book. For any child who loves to do something, but has been told that they can't because of the way they look, walk, talk, etc., this is the book they need to read, or have read to them. 

Miz Peg is a short, chubby pig. she loves to dance and sing. She tries to jump and leap and always falls. She wishes she was like a bird and could  fly high.  Her friends always tell her that pigs can't fly, meaning that because she is short and chubby she can't sing and dance.. While walking in the woods she sees a couple of birds who encourage her. They tell her if she believes hard enough she can do anything. That little bit of belief in herself is all it takes to show her friends that she can sing and dance.  This is a lesson we need to teach all children young and old.  Awesome book that every parent and every teacher should read to their youngest child.

 

Student Saturday: Cold Hearted by Serena Valentino

 

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairytales

Student Reviewer: Jaiden W.  

In this captivating retelling, we are immersed in the life of Lady Tremaine, the iconic stepmother from the Cinderella story. Widowed and raising her two headstrong daughters, Anastasia and Drizella, alone, Lady Tremaine unexpectedly encounters Sir Richard, a dashing knight seeking a stepmother for his own young daughter. Their paths intertwine, leading to a marriage that takes Lady Tremaine to the shabby chateau of Cinderella and her father. However, all is not as it seems. Sir Richard harbors ulterior motives—he married Lady Tremaine solely for her fortune. Deep in debt, he expects her and her daughters to serve as cooks and cleaners. I recommend this book to anyone who knows the story of Cinderella and her wicked stepmother. This captivating retelling sheds light on the origins of her cruel treatment of Cinderella. I always loved the story of Cinderella so when I found this book I was instantly intrigued.