Just Fine the Way They Are by Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "Mr. John Slack, keeper of a tavern beside a rutted road in the early 1800's, thought things were just fine they way they were. So did Lucius Stockton, who ran the National Road Stage Company in the mid-1800's. So did the owners of the railroads when the first Model T appeared in 1908. The need to move around the United States more quickly, more comfortably, and, now, more "greenly" means things will never be just fine the way they are."

I did not read that summary before I read the book (maybe I should have). I opened up the book and fell in love. The illustrations are amazing. The story is fun, educational, and historical. I love it when children's books authors add history and make it interesting. I don't know if all the people the book highlights really lived, or if they are just fictional, but the historical facts are supposed to be accurate. It's a fun way to portray the evolution of transportation in the United States. I thought it would be a great tool for parents and teachers. I loved it! I was very excited to read it to my kids.....

....Until I got to the second to last page. And then I got so sad. And a little angry. The book takes a sad turn when it goes political on the second to last page. Oh, I can't tell you how sad it made me. After looking at all these happy, light, airy illustrations, this page is dark and ugly.

Sorry, just let me stand up on my soapbox for a minute: I do not care what political affiliation you are. I don't care who you vote for or campaign for. I don't care what side your opinion of the political arena falls in. As an adult, I don't care. I'm a big girl and I can listen to what you have to say and weigh the issues. I can take that information and make up my own mind. Unfortunately, children do not have that power. Children are influenced by everything around them, for good or bad. They do not have the power to look at the facts and make up their own minds. That is why politics should be left OUT of all children's literature and movies. I find it very distasteful to try and slip a political agenda into a picture book. And it doesn't matter if it's a political agenda I agree with or disagree with, it should be left out. I would have been completely fine with Ms. Wooldridge skipping the second to last page and leaving in the last page. Both those pages are heavy in sarcasm, which children do not understand, but the last page is ok. Concluding with how the transportation we have now will probably not be what we always have is fine, and true. Even saying how we should not be the ones holding back the innovation would be fine. Unfortunately, she did not do that. She had to ruin this great book by adding her political views.

Will I read this to my children? Yes because 97% of it is fabulous. However, I will be skipping the second to last page, and most likely the last page as well. I will just skip over to the timeline in the back, which is a very good resource.

Rating: G Good, clean book, except for the last two pages filled with sarcasm and a political agenda.

Recommendation: 1 and up! The little kids will love the illustrations of the trains and other forms of transportation. My recommendation: skip the second to last page and maybe the last page. Teachers, especially, should stay away from the politics in this book. If my child came home from school touting something political he had learned from a picture book I would not be very happy.

I wish I had a better review for this book because the beginning is so great!

The Adventures of Dod

The Adventures of Dod by Thomas R. Williams

(Summary taken from the back cover of the book) "Years ago, a father went missing. Recently, a grandfather died. Now, fourteen-year-old Cole finds himself inexplicably transported to the world of Green, a place where he must use his special abilities and unique friendships to solve mysteries and, ultimately, try to stop an evil villain named The Dread."

First let me explain how I came about this book. The elementary school my children used to attend received a few boxes of this book, intended for each student in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. A few people in my book group work at the school and the principal asked if our book group would review it before they handed them out to the children. Interesting. So, of course, we decided we better review it.

I'm torn with this one. Usually I know exactly what I want to say. I just finished all 507 pages and I don't know. I'll start with this.....it was okay. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Do I want my 4th grader to read it? I don't know. The first few pages are quite violent, and there are some violent scenes in it following that (poisonings, sword fights, scary creatures, characters dying), but the whole story is not that violent. My problem with this book is that I kind of don't get it. I know it's part of a series, but there are so many unanswered questions, so many things that just don't make sense to me. There are a ton of characters and places and I couldn't keep any of it straight. Things are not explained very well in the book. For example, Cole, the main character, ends up in this other world. He's never been there before, but yet he "remembers" some things. Huh? He has memories of some events and places and people that he's never been to or met. How? Why does he know some things but not others?  How does he know anything at all? Maybe I shouldn't try so hard and just enjoy the read, but I can't. It really bothers me. I don't understand how he can just take some one's place and no one notices. Also, what are coosings and pots?  There are a lot of made up words that just are not fully explained or clarified. Another thing that bothered me was that the first chapter ties into the book, but it's not easily apparent. When I finished I went back and read it again and it still took me a minute to figure out how it played in.
The story itself is okay. It's interesting and could be really good, I think. There are twists and turns and surprises. There's suspense, drama, action, and a little flirting. It's just that there is so much to it that isn't fully explained, and it's so long that it takes away from the plot. My 4th and 3rd graders kept asking me if they could read it and they could, I think. My 4th grader has read all the Harry Potters and Fablehavens, and together we've read all the Percy Jacksons, so I think, in that sense, it would be okay for them to read. I just don't know if they could keep it all straight, since I couldn't. If I hadn't been reviewing it I don't know if I would have finished. I think they may lose interest because it's so confusing. I do think it is better for 4th grade boys....girls may not like it as much. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to put it all together, but it shouldn't be that hard. It's too bad because I think it could be really good. I wish he had left out a lot of the extras that ended up taking away from the storyline. Or, I wish he had just clarified and defined things a little better. An index in the back with character names and a map would have helped a lot!

I did really like the morals and lessons in the book, though. Dod doesn't pick fights, he just fights the ones he needs to. He sticks up for and respects women. He makes good decisions based on memories of his family members teaching him those things. He shows respect for elders and most authority figures and he is humble in his accomplishments. I like those things a lot and liked that part of the storyline.

Rating: PG (almost PG-13) Violence, death, but no language or "physical intimacy"

Recommendation: I guess I'll stick with 4th grade and up. If your child has read books like "Harry Potter" or "Fablehaven" then he or she should be fine reading this, if they can keep up with the characters and places.

A Gift of Love

A Gift of Love by Dr. Claus

(Summary taken from the press release) "[A gift of Love] is a children's picture book written through the eyes of a second grade student not far from ground zero on September 11, 2001. As this story unfolds, you will discover how one brave New York City firefighter, father and husband, can inspire a nation and show us all how love for each other is as strong as any form of destruction. A Gift of Love highlights the love of a father for his family, his love for his community, the love of a nation and the ultimate in love. Follow a little girl as she goes from pajamas to pancakes and as she gets ready for her first day of school. Discover the events that happen at breakfast as the family prepares for the coming day."

I received this book awhile ago, but I thought I would highlight it right before the ten year anniversary of September 11, 2001. This book is not happy, but neither was anything else that happened on that day. I am not from New York or Washington D.C., and I did not know anyone that died on that day. But as an American I felt sadness, fear, confusion, anger, panic, and many more emotions.

This book follows a second grade girl on September 11, 2001. It discusses the events that occurred in a very personal, intimate, and child friendly way. This book definitely requires a parent reading with the child. It serves as a good introduction to what happened and allows for discussions to begin from there. It will be easy to adapt the discussions from there to the maturity and level of each individual child. It teaches that love is more powerful than hate, and it teaches the importance of family. I think it also teaches that we should not take those that we love for granted, and that we should enjoy each moment we have with each other. You never know what will happen.

The illustrations in this book are not my favorite, but they are okay. The content and story make up for the illustrations.

I can't say I'm excited to read this book with my children, but I think it will help a lot. With the ten year anniversary on Sunday (My oldest is not quite ten yet, so none of them were alive on September 11, 2001.) I know there will be stories about it everywhere, and I want to discuss it with my kids before they hear it elsewhere.  I will for sure read it with my two oldest, and I'm still trying to decide if I should read it to my third. My youngest is still little so I probably will not read it to her yet.

Thank you, Dr. Claus, for writing a story to help us parents discuss some difficult things with our children. It focuses on hope, not hatred or destruction, so it doesn't leave parent or child with feelings of fear or hopelessness.

Rating: PG (The events of September 11, 2001 are discussed, and there is the death of a main character.)

Recommendation: 5 and up. This totally depends on the maturity of your children. My third is 5 and I'm not sure with her yet. For younger children (who can't read) you could change the story a little to make it a little more on their level.

The Ruin

The Ruin by Kenneth Fenter

(Summary taken from the last page of the book) "Kenneth Fenter's The Ruin is part coming-of-age novel, part Robinson Crusoe, part history lesson, and wholly deserving of an audience of both adults and teenagers. The novel follows Clifton Kelly, a bullied 8th grader in the early 50's, and him as an adult celebrating his last day of teaching. Cliff's retirement day turns tragic when a fellow teacher is murdered by her own son, who then goes to Cliff's sister school and kills students there. The boy's bloody response to bullying triggers Cliff's memories of being bullied during school, and his own response to it."

I really liked this story. It isn't a really fast read, but it is thought-provoking and interesting. It kept me reading. I liked the characters in the book and thought they were well developed. They were believable and I felt I could relate to many of them. I think almost everyone has dealt with bullying on some level, and so the scenes with Cliff and Hector will relate to a lot of people. I could relate to Mrs. Campbell as a teacher, and as a mother I could relate to Cliff's mother.

I had mixed emotions with Cliff's reaction to Hector's bullying. From Cliff's standpoint I see it as a good thing for him. I see how he needed to heal, and how he was able to. From a teacher's standpoint I would think of myself as a failure for not doing more to help the situation. From Cliff's mom's point of view I was furious with him. I could not believe he did that! If one of my children did that I would be furious! I would also be upset with myself for not doing more to prevent the situation to begin with. I felt so bad for her the entire time.

I liked the descriptions in this book. Not being familiar with the area, I needed a lot of description, and that is what I got. Mr. Fenter's descriptive language is beautiful. His descriptions of Cliff's daily activities were so vivid I felt as if I were watching the story through binoculars.

I did have one problem with this book and that was all the typos. There were a lot of typos in the book and it really bothered me. There were some sentences that I just had to guess on. Hopefully he will fix that for future editions. Other than that and a few swear words, I really enjoyed this book.

Rating: PG-13 (Some language, a high school shooting with a teacher and students dead, details about Santa Claus that younger readers may not know, and details about surviving in the wild.)

Recommendation: 14 or 15 and up. I think by this age teens will be able to learn from the story, read it, and enjoy it, without being overwhelmed.

Matched

Matched by Ally Condie

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket)"Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one...until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow--between perfection and passion."

It was Tuesday and my Book Group was on Thursday. I still didn't have the book. I headed to the book store and they were out. Then I went to another book store. Phew, they had it. I got home and started reading......and I didn't stop until the next afternoon (Wed.) when I finished. I really liked this book. It's a fast, easy read. It is reminiscent of "Hunger Games" and has a hint of "Uglies" in it as well. Ms. Condie's writing style is close to Ms. Collin's style in "Hunger Games," but it is much lighter. The premises are similar in that the people in this book live in a very controlled society, which seems to be a popular theme right now.

I felt an instant connection to the characters in this book. The character development is very good, and you feel like you live in this neighborhood and the characters are your long-time neighbors. I felt deep loss when Cassia's grandfather passed away, and I felt anger when events happened at the end of the book. This book just drew me in and I couldn't put it down. I also loved that it was clean. There was no language, no "physical intimacy," besides kissing, and very little harsh violence. You do see some violence but a lot of it is hinted at, and it is related to the controlled society. I also liked that this book made me think. A lot. I thought a lot about the lines I would draw between safety and freedom, between having a "perfect" life (no sickness, a perfect marriage partner, the perfect job for me, dying at the perfect time, etc.) and a perfect life (the life I make for myself, the choices I make, and learning and growing from trials). The thing I couldn't handle was them destroying the library!!! No! And it may seem crazy that she didn't know how to write the letters, but with computers and texting, that one isn't too far off....

Rating: PG There is some kissing and some violence connected with the controlled society.

Recommendation: 13 or 14 and up. I'm going to say this right now, but it will depend on the next book in the series. If the next book ("Crossed" comes out Nov. 1, 2011) gets more violent or she adds language or something, then this may change. For right now, yes, I can say it truly is a young adult book!

And yes, I can't wait for Nov. 1st to come!

City of Ashes

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments Book Two) by Cassandra Clare

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal.  But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go--especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil--and also her father. To complicate matters, someone in New York city is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings--and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?"

I was really excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. It kept up the high-paced action and drama of the first book and added a few twists and turns. There were some things that really surprised me and some things I wondered about. A few questions were answered, but more are asked. There is no closure and you're left hanging once again. I really like Ms. Clare's style of writing except that sometimes she'll end a paragraph and then start the next paragraph at a completely different place. I had to go back a couple of times to make sure I hadn't missed anything, but that is just how she writes. So there are some transition issues but overall it's a fast and easy read. It is, once again, quite violent. There are some graphic scenes and quite a few deaths. There is love, betrayal, fighting, friendship, and magic. The characters are well developed and I like her descriptions a lot. I really feel like I'm in the middle of the action. There are some "physical intimacy" innuendos, with some kissing, but they never actually do anything more than kiss. I'm hooked for sure, so look forward to my review of the next book soon (hopefully).

Rating: PG-13 Violence, gory deaths, fighting, "physical intimacy" innuendos, kissing. There are also the homosexual characters (Once again, I know and love people who are homosexual--it just kind of feels forced, like a statement rather than a storyline, in this particular book.) and some innuendos from them. There is also language in this book as well.

Recommendation: I'm sticking with high school seniors and up.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next one!

City of Bones

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments Book One) by Cassandra Clare

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "When Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder. Much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with odd markings. This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons--and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It's also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...."

I didn't know what to expect with this book. I do not usually read the summary beforehand so I did not expect it to be about werewolves, demons, Shadowhunters, etc. I don't know why. Anyway, the book immediately captured my attention. I have read a lot of good books lately, but none of them have really grabbed me. I'll read at night and that is usually it. This book, however, grabbed me enough in the first page to keep me reading. I read all the next day and then every second I could after that. (My house and children suffered, but....oh well. It was only one day, right??) I really liked the characters in this book. They were all believable. Ms. Clare did a very good job with the character development. I really liked Clary. I liked her a lot more than I liked Bella in "Twilight." She is a strong, independent character and doesn't just whine or need a man all the time. I liked Jace as well. I felt a connection to Simon because he seems kind of nerdy, and that is what I was in school. I was not into Dungeons and Dragons, but I was nerdy.

I liked the plot and thought it was well done. There is a twist at the end, and I did somewhat anticipate it, but there was still some doubt in mind. I liked Ms. Clare's style of writing. It was fast-paced from the beginning and really kept me reading. There were some "lazy" writer moments, like when she just stops a paragraph mid-thought and then puts two or three spaces in between the next paragraph, which may or may not continue where the last paragraph ended. This didn't really bother me in reading it. There was also an unresolved question I had with a fight scene. The main characters are fighting a demon and are in trouble. They can't get out because the door is locked, but then someone comes and busts open the door from the outside. Huh??? How did that happen? Anyway, it still didn't slow down my reading.

I did not like the language in the book. For a young adult book it had a lot of language in it. A lot more than I expected. There is also a homosexual character in the book. I thought it seemed out of place and awkward. Don't take me wrong, I have people I know and love that are homosexual, but in this particular book I thought it seemed forced. It seemed more like a statement than a part of the storyline.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read number two!

Rating: PG-13 (almost an R) There is a lot of language in this book. There is also the homosexual character, violence (killing demons), and death.

Recommendation: High School Seniors and up. I know, it's kind of harsh, but I don't think it's appropriate for children any younger. I wouldn't want my 13 or 14 year-old (if I had one) reading it.

Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German War Bride

Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German War Bride: Collection of Acts of Kindness in War and Peace by Ingeborg M. Johnston

(Summary taken from the back book cover) "'Unbelievable Adventures of a WWII German War Bride' by Ingeborg M. Johnston is a gripping, heroic, and at times humorous memoir of one girl's survival in war-torn Berlin and the extraordinary life she created for herself and her family in post-war America. From nursing wounded German officers to making fools of Russian soldiers, to talking her way through situations that would have resulted in prison for many, Johnston's courage and chutzpah will leave you wide-eyed with amazement. How could one young woman break all the rules, take on Germany's top industrial leaders...and win? How does one young woman marry an American and make a life in a country that was recently the enemy...and immediately become an important part of her new community? This is the story of hope and dreams, of courage and risk-taking, of falling in love and following her heart, a bigger-than-life story that cannot be missed."

Ms. Johnston is an amazing woman! She has lived a life full of adventures and a wide variety of experiences. She is an inspiration to all. She is a good story teller and vividly brings her life to life on each page. I especially enjoyed her descriptions of what it was like growing up in Berlin and then what it was like during the war. Her tale of leaving Germany is nothing short of miraculous and I was amazed at her courage and bravery. After arriving in America her "adventures" continue. She may not have considered all of them adventures as she was living them, but she has lived her life to the fullest and has tried to find the good in everything she has experienced. I enjoyed this book, though, at times, I felt like an intruder into some intimate family details. For example, learning about her daughters and one of her daughter's divorce made me feel a little uncomfortable because it is so personal, but she must have given her permission. She also tells where her daughters live now, and that too, made me feel uncomfortable. Overall, though, I learned a lot about how to live and enjoy life, and how to make the most of bad situations. I love that she took combat training on a T-34 at age 79! What a great example she is! And I love her theme of always finding ways to perform acts of kindness.

Rating: PG-13 (Some WWII war descriptions)

Recommendation: High school and up. I think the parts of her during the war would be great to read to a high school classroom learning about WWII. I recommend this book to all who need an inspirational story and who would like to learn how to live life to the fullest.

Birds Can Fly and So Can I

Birds Can Fly and So Can I: A Giraffe Soars from Dream to Reality by Noa Nimrodi

(Summary taken from the back cover) "A delightful giraffe has a lofty dream--to fly in the sky with the birds. Will her dream remain a vision, or will it--along with her other undiscovered talents--soar to reality?"

This is a fun little story with a big lesson to be learned: you can make your dreams a reality if you work hard and keep a good support group around you. This lesson is sometimes hard to teach because you don't always see an end result as quickly as you might like. Ms. Nimrodi's book allows children and adults to talk about achieving their dreams while reading together. Children can see that sometimes we may have dreams that really are impossible (like a giraffe flying), but it is still okay to dream. While dreaming we may find other talents we have and we can use those talents to help others and to make our other dreams come true.

I recommend this story to parents, children, teachers, and anyone else who has ever dreamed of doing the impossible.

Rating: G (Clean!)

Recommendation: Great for all ages, birth to 100+!!

Alice I Have Been

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

(Summary taken from the inside book jacket) "Alice Liddell Hargreaves's life has been a richly woven tapestry: As a young woman, wife, mother, and widow, she's experienced intense passion, great privilege, and greater tragedy. but as she nears her eighty-first birthday, she knows that, to the world around her, she is and will always be only "Alice." Her life was permanently dog-eared at one fateful moment in her tenth year--the golden summer day she urged a grown-friend to write down one of his fanciful stories. That story, a wild tale of rabbits, queens, and a precocious young child, becomes a sensation the world over. Its author, a shy, stuttering Oxford professor, does more than immortalize Alice--he changes her life forever. But even he cannot stop time, as much as he might like to. And as Alice's childhood slips away, a peacetime of glittering balls and royal romances gives way to the urgent tide of war. For Alice the stakes could not be higher, for she is the mother of three grown sons, soldiers all. Yet even as she stands to lose everything she treasures, one part of her will always be the determined, undaunted Alice of the story, who discovered that life beyond the rabbit hole was an astonishing journey."


What a clever idea for a book! To take a story we all know so well and to try and determine what happened after the book was written. I really liked the premise of the book, and I ended up really enjoying it. I was concerned at the beginning because it was so creepy. This 30 year-old man, Mr. Dodgson (his pen name was Lewis Carroll), spends way too much time with this young child. He takes her picture, and her sisters' pictures, and one afternoon he spends a whole afternoon alone with her. He has her change into this threadbare gypsy costume and takes her picture. As a mother I was completely creeped out. I would not want my children hanging out with this man at all! Then one afternoon there is an "incident" that you don't really find out about until the end. This "incident" fractures the ties between Mr. Dodgson and the Liddell family. The story then follows Alice in her early twenties and then jumps to the end of her life.

There are so many lessons to be learned from this book. First, do not let your children hang out with creepy older men. From there I learned that we should not define ourselves or anyone else by one action, especially if that action occurs as a youth. After the "incident" Alice's mother says she is ruined for the rest of her life. How sad to tell an 11 year-old that because of one action her life is over! I also learned the importance of being a good mother. Alice yearned for her mother's attention. When her mother was sick, she did give Alice that attention, but when she recovered she pushed Alice away even further. If Alice had had a good relationship with a loving mother her life may have turned out differently. Spending time with our children when they want it, not when it is most convenient for us, is another lesson I learned. I also learned the importance of a good father to children as well. Very little is said about Alice's father, except that he is busy with his job as a Dean at Oxford. He is always busy and doesn't give Alice any attention either. Maybe if she had been able to spend more time with a father who cared about her then she would not have sought love from another man. I also learned to not play favorites with my children. How sad that Alice grew up knowing that her mom thought she was a disappointment while her sister could do no wrong. The last thing I learned from this book is to not look back and live in the past. Live right now. Enjoy and love what you have right now. Alice spent years wishing she were with her first love, and consequently was not able to enjoy the time she did have with her husband. He was with her, he loved her now, and she missed a lot of love and contentment because of that choice.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much information in the book was accurate. A lot of the people and places and things that happen in the book did happen in the life of the real Alice Liddell. I did not know much about the story surrounding "Alice in Wonderland," but now I do thanks to Ms. Benjamin. I would definitely recommend this book! I love it when I can learn so much from a work of fiction.

Rating: PG-13 (I added the "13" because even though it is clean--no language or "physical intimacy" or violence, there are some adult things that happen. The whole bit with Mr. Dodgson and then later with Mr. Ruskin just isn't appropriate for younger readers. A couple of Alice's sons do die in war and that is a difficult part to read. )

Recommendation: High School and up.