Muffet:Miss Muffet by Elizabeth Rose

           It wasn’t bad enough that Raven Birchfield was controlled by Mary, Mary Quite Contrary for a while. It all started when she found an old nursery rhyme book and a crystal in her back yard. The battle to keep Mary from over-taking her life was real. Now Raven has something more to worry about. Her best friend Candy is being controlled by Miss Muffet.

Candy is the best candidate for Miss Muffet. She has a lot of anger toward her step-father. He is abusive in many ways. Miss Muffet feeds off of that anger. Can Raven help her best friend overcome this terror known as Miss Muffet?
          This was another wonderful by Elizabeth Rose. I have always loved nursery rhymes. I was in high school when I learned there was a completely different reason for the nursery rhymes I grew up with. They were not originally created to entertain children. They were there to teach and to express feelings about what was going on during the time period.  This was the second book in the series so I am looking forward to reading the next one.

Mary, Mary (Quite Contrary) Nursery Rhyme Series by Elizabeth Rose

      

            Raven Birchfield is not real thrilled to move into a house once owned by her dead aunt. The house hasn’t been opened up in a long time. When Raven, her brother and mother arrive they realize how strange their aunt was. Raven begins school only to find herself bullied by one of the most popular girls in the school. She is placed in a horticulture class, which is not something she really had an interest in. After almost letting her flower for her horticulture class die, she brings it home and clears out an area in the back yard to plant it. In the process she makes a couple of discoveries. The first discovery is an old cemetery at the back of their yard along with a creepy raven. The second is an old book she digs up while digging the hole for her flower, and a quartz necklace. Both of these things will have a major effect on her life.

            Raven suddenly finds herself in the body of Mary from the nursery rhyme, but she learns how nasty this person was in real life. When Mary is in control of Raven’s body and mind she is not the most pleasant person. The battle to remain Raven and not Mary is real. The question is, who will be the strongest and win the battle?

            I loved that this was based on a nursery rhyme instead of a fairy tale. Most people don’t realize that nursery rhymes were an accepted way of talking about real people who were not the most pleasant. Everyone knows that bad-mouthing a queen could get your head taken off. Write a nursery rhyme that has a hidden meaning and you could spread your thoughts about that person all you want. This was the first book in the series. I loved it so much I purchased it and the other two books for my classroom.

            I loved that this book had a message about loving and accepting who you are. Maybe this will be the vehicle used by teens to learn this lesson.

Three Cute books by Arline Cooper

Be Brave,Little Puffy
Puffy is a pufferfish who doesn't like his spikes. He pulls them out and pricks his friends with them. He decides to go out and try to find some new friends because no one else wants to be friends with him.  He meets many wonderful fish, but none of them want to be his full-time friend.  When danger comes their way Puffy must rely on the thing he hates the most to save himself and his friends.

Enjoy, Slow Little Puffy
Little Puffy swims very slow. When all of the other fish go flying past him it makes him sad. It also makes him wish he was like the other fast swimmers. Then he meets the lionfish and several other fish that teach him that sometimes it is bests to slow down and look around. Puffy will use this lesson to help save a friend.  What a great lesson to teach children.  Great lessons in a colorful yet simple book. What a great book to teach self-esteem.

Be Friendly, Little Puffy
Puffy and another fish greet each other one morning. However, it soon becomes a contest about who is the most beautiful fish. They swim off to see the all wise octopus. The octopus teaches them that they are each special in their own way. She teaches them that their looks don't matter. She sends them off to find a gift for the other. Through this lesson they learn much.