Tag Archives: recommended read

Graffiti Knight by Karen Bass

I love historical fiction but often I feel like I read a different spin on the same time and place over and over and…

Mind you, I’m not complaining, I still love it.

But a book written about post WWII soviet controlled Germany, from a German view point ? That was something entirely new.

Would I recommend it? This is a young adult novel and, as most young adult novels do, it contains a main character of an age that is full of angst, invincibility and self importance.  He is crafted so well that I could imagine sitting in a room and talking to him – except I wouldn’t want to.  However, he is so perfect in his irritating-ness that I’m still planning on shoving this book at all my friends and family that I know enjoy a young adult novel because it was really that good.

 

 

Moo! by David LaRochelle and Mike Wohnoutka

 

We are absolutely spoiled in our house.

Mike Wohnoutka is the brother-in-law of a good friend of mine and many of the books he has illustrated have shown up on our doorstep complete with cute inscriptions to the kids.

See…Moo!

…spoiled.

Moo! is funny, the pictures are, of course, adorable and it made me laugh. But when it really got good was when the kids started reading it to each other!

Would I recommend it? Yes. I know it sounds crazy but, trust me, there is nothing like listening to a kid talk “cow” to a policeman to brighten your day and and put a smile on your face!

An Englishwoman’s Guide to the Cowboy by June Kearns

For the first time ever I was given a copy of a book to review by it’s author. (Actually what happened was Rosie Amber put out a call for volunteer book reviewers and I stuck my virtual hand in the air and said “Me! Me! Pick me!”  – and then the author gave me a copy.)

But when I got the book, I’ll admit, I was a little nervous. Cowboy and Englishwoman romance- it could be awesome, it could be terrible. I’ve exchanged words with a few authors via book reviews before but never before I read the book. What if I hated it? What would I say? What had I agreed to?

Nothing for it, I took a breath, dove in and on the second page surprised myself by snorting out loud in laughter. Worries banished I settled in, ignored everyone I was on vacation with and spent the remainder of the afternoon giggling, snorting and laughing as I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

Would I recommend it? Had you told me that someone could successfully combine Louis L’Amour and Janet Evanovich I would have rolled my eyes. I would have been so, so wrong.

Is the ending a bit too perfect? Yes.

Did it stop my enjoyment of it? Not even a little bit.Rosie's Book Review Challengers 1

Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman

Once again I find myself shoving a book under the nose of everyone who walks in the door.

Forcing them to look at the amazing illustrations, the literary references in picture, the mad bear eyes, the story and the last page – oh, I love the last page. Waiting expectantly for them to gush over it as well, not caring if they have kids at home to read to or not, because this book is amazing people – it’s amazing!

Probably my friends hate it when I find a new picture book I love.

 

Would I Recommend it? Absolutely. All five of us give it a thumbs up!

Thanks to What is ML Reading Now? for the excellent recommendation!

Edwina The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems

Say it with me now, Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie.

Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie!

Best.

Name.

Ever.

Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie

Would I recommend it? Yes, there is much in this book to love beyond Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie’s name not the least of which is the fact that Edwina reminds me of my own favorite dino, Rarasaur.

…Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie…

… makes me smile every time…

…Reginald Von Hoobie Doobie…

Round Ireland With a Fridge by Tony Hawks

Prologue

“I’m not, by nature, a betting man. However, the pages that follow in this book do not bear testimony to that. In fact they exist wholly as the result of a bet.

I’m not, by nature, a drinking man. However, the making of the bet which led to this book does not bear testimony to that. Because I made it when I was pissed.

Everything you read from this moment forth is a tribute to what can be achieved as a result of a shabby night of booze.”

The prologue above made me snort.

The next pages made me smile and soon I was laughing so hard I couldn’t see to read what came next.

The rest of my book club thought it was fun and amusing, but gave me a  bit of an odd look when I told them how hard I laughed.

Would I recommend it? I would.  When responses range from fun to hilarious what do you have to lose?

Fix It by Grayson Queen

I’ll be up front here.  Short stories, they aren’t my thing. I’ve always been more attracted to the thousand page stories that have at least two more tomes waiting in the wings. Conversations I had after reading a book of short stories that I didn’t care for almost got me thinking that I just don’t like any short stories.

But that’s not true.

It’s just that there is no time in a short story to play nice.  You can’t dissect what you loved away from what you hated when it’s over before you’ve really settled into your favorite reading chair. Even so, my personal favorites lean toward the shorter side of short. That way I can marvel at the depth and history an author can put into a single sentence. And sit spellbound by the way a plot line can unfold so slowly and so quickly all at once.

I love the way a good short story makes my head spin as every sentence unrolls another facet of the world. And I love how a good short story rolls about in my head for days, or weeks, or forever afterwards, taunting me with all I know, can guess and will never know.

And this short story, this is a good short story:

Fix It by Grayson Queen

Would I recommend it? Yes.

You can find links to this story as well as a number of others (and I enjoyed all that I’ve read) by Grayson Queen on his website http://graysonqueen.wordpress.com. Some of them are free, like this one, so you’ve really no excuse for not reading it.

Go on.

Try it.

Here is the direct link: http://graysonqueen.wordpress.com/free-ebooks/

I”ll wait here.

Come back and let me know what you think!

Now shoo!

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble

Ivy: “Why did the girl turn into a horse?”

Me: “Oh, it’s an old, old, story and all kinds of magic things happen in old stories.”

Ivy: “Yeah, I think that can happen at Disney World.”

Would I recommend it? Despite (or because of?) Ivy’s odd connection between Native American folk lore and Disney World (where she has never been) this has been one of her chosen library books many times. The pictures are beautiful, the story captivates the kids and it’s got a pile of awards including the Caldecott Medal. I have a vague memory of John thinking it was a boring story but all of us girls would recommend it.

And yes I realize I just wrote a whole page on mini-book reviews not having spoilers but that totally doesn’t count when talking about children’s books! Why? Because I’m the Mom and I said so. That’s why!