Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin

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Title: Click, Clack, Boo!: A Tricky Treat

Author: Doreen Cronin

Illustrator: Betsy Lewin

Length: approx. 38 pages

Publisher: Scholastic (reprint)

Classification: Children's Book, Halloween

Release Date: September 2014 (First edition:2013)

Source: Paperback Scholastic reprint

GoodReads

Will the barnyard animals trick—or treat—Farmer Brown? Find out in this Halloween tale from the #1 New York Times bestselling creators of Click, Clack, Moo. Farmer Brown does not like Halloween. So he draws the shades, puts on his footy pajamas, and climbs into bed. But do you think the barnyard animals have any respect for a man in footy pajamas? No, they do not. For them, the Halloween party has just begun. And we all know these critters far prefer tricks over treats. There are big surprises in store for Farmer Brown! (From GoodReads)

Cutie Pie’s Rating:

What is this book about?
About Halloween. It is about the animals having a Halloween party in the barn. And seeing all kinds of costumes.

What was your favorite part of the story?

At the end when they show that Farmer Brown going to the barn. 

Why did you like it?

Because he was thinking "what in the world are my animals doing?"

Is there anything you didn't like about this book?

Nope. I love it all. It is perfect.

Do you like the illustrations?

Yes, they are awesome.

Who do you think will like this book?
Everyone that likes funny books. Because it is funny.

My Rating:

This is a fun story to read. I found it to be very cute!

We have our lovable farm animals and Farmer Brown returning to us in a fun Halloween tale.
Farmer Brown is afraid of Halloween. He does not like it. So he puts out a bowl of candy and a Do Not Disturb sign and turns in for the night. Then he hears creepy, spooky noises coming from outside. Meanwhile, the barn yard animals are having a Halloween Party in the barn. Dressed up in costumes, they are arriving (making noises) to the party.

The pictures are wonderful. I love the watercolors. And I think that they do an awesome job showing the story.

I think that this story is best for younger children, probably Pre-K through 3rd grade. But most elementary students would probably find something to enjoy. My daughters found the book to be cute and funny. They laughed a lot (especially at the ending.) I like that this is a fun Halloween story that is not too scary for younger kids. 

Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osbourne

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Title: Mummies in the Morning
(Magic Tree House #3)

Author: Mary Pope Osbourne

Illustrator: Sal Murdocca

Length: 65 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Classification: Children's Book, Chapter Book, Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery, Time Travel

Release Date: August 1993

Source: Paperback

GoodReads

Jack and Annie don't need another mummy.
But that's what they get when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to ancient Egypt. There they meet a long-dead queen who needs their help. Will Jack and Annie be able to solve the puzzle, or will they end up as mummies themselves? (From GoodReads)

Cutie Pie’s Rating:

"I like this book a lot. Like a lot, a lot."

What is this book about?

About Jack and Annie following the cat and getting the Book of Dead.

What was your favorite part of the story?

 When they followed the noise (the cat's meow) to the entrance of the pyramid. 

Why did you like it?

 Because they followed the noise and found what they were looking for. They did good.

Is there anything you didn't like about this book?

No, I like all of it.

Do you like the illustrations?

Yes.

Who do you think will like this book?

Everyone that likes Magic Tree House.

My Rating:

I personally like this book series. Cutie Pie and I read the second book in the series last school year and decided that we wanted to continue reading them.
In this story, Jack and Annie travel back to the past to the time of the Pyramids. They get to go in the pyramid and quickly involved in solving a mystery.
I really like this book because I think it is a nice glimpse and introduction to a bit of Egyptian history. I especially love that it has so many educational facts about mummies, the Pyramids and other Egyptian history. Also has some fun vocabulary words.
Not only does this book contain an educational value, but it is a fun adventure for kids to read about.
We love the ongoing mystery with the series as well as the puzzle that Jack and Annie have to solve.
I highly recommend this book to fans of this book series.
Best read either to, with, or by elementary school children. Full of fun and entertainment for the family, so I think Pre-K children can enjoy the story as well.
I am looking forward to reading the next adventure. 

Skippyjon Jones, Class Action by Judy Schachner

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Title: Skippyjon Jones, Class Action

Author: Judy Schachner

Length: 32 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Classification: Children's Book

Release Date: September 2012

Source: Paperback

GoodReads

Skippyjon Jones really wants to go to school. School is for dogs, his mama tells him. It's where they go to get trained. But nothing can stop Skippy-once inside his closet, he finds himself on the playground of his imagination, surrounded by dogs of all kinds. He bays with the beagles, learns French with the poodles, and checks out a Chihuahua book from the library. And when a bully starts sending shiver-itos down the spines of the little yippers, Skippy saves the day and earns the biggest gold star. (From GoodReads)

Cutie Pie’s Rating:

What is this book about?

Skippyjon Jones going to school with dogs but his mommy doesn't want him to.

What was your favorite part of the story?

 When the principal threw the ball but Skippy didn't go for it.

Why did you like it?

 Because he was pretending to be a chihuahua. 

Is there anything you didn't like about this book?

No, I loved it all. 

Do you like the illustrations?

Yes. A lot. I love them. I really like the chihuahuas in the mirror.

Who do you think will like this book?

Everyone that likes Skippyjon Jones. 

My Rating:

Both of my girls seemed to really enjoy reading this book. We have read a couple other Skippyjon Jones books.
Overall, I think it is a good story. My 3 year old really liked the little songs.
It is a cute story. Skippyjon wants to go to school with the dogs. Not understanding why cats can't go to school. So he dresses up and disguises himself as a chihuahua. He gets to do all the fun things involved with going to school, like riding the bus, going to art class, music class, math, the library and French class.
When riding the bus before school, Skippyjon learns that there is a bully, and it seems to me that he decided he will confront and stand up to the bully.
The part dealing with the bully confused me a little bit. But overall, it is a fun story that involves the use of your imagination. And it covers a little bit about school.
I like that there are a lot of rhyming words. It makes the story fun.
I also like that there are Spanish words used throughout the story. It is a good way to introduce a second language to my children.
The illustrations are full of color and a lot to look at. They are stimulating. We really like the pictures and how well they interpret the story that is being told.
We read this book because school was starting.
I recommend reading this with elementary school aged children and younger.
We are looking forward to reading more books involving Skippyjon Jones. 

Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey

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Title: Blueberries for Sal

Author: Robert McCloskey

Length: 57 pages

Publisher: Scholastic

Classification: Children's Book Caldecott Honor

Release Date: March 1987 
(Original copyright 1948)

Source: Paperback (own)

GoodReads

What happens when Sal and her mother meet a mother bear and her cub? A beloved classic is born! Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter.  Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one? (From GoodReads)

Cutie Pie’s Rating:

What is this book about?

Little Bear and Little Sal getting mixed up with each of their mothers while eating and picking blueberries.

What was your favorite part of the story?

 I liked all of it.

Why did you like it?

 Because it was about them finding their mothers once they had switched.

Is there anything you didn't like about this book?

No.

Do you like the illustrations?

Yes. 

Who do you think will like this book?

Everyone that likes blueberries. 

My Rating:

I remember reading this story when I was a little girl. And when I found it at a book sale, I didn't hesitate to pick it up. I really enjoyed reading this with my two daughters. They both were captivated by the story and the illustrations.

This story focuses on a mother and daughter going to pick blueberries to can for winter. The mother is picking the blueberries and putting them in the pail to bring home. And little Sal is doing what most toddlers would do and picking the blueberries and eating them.
While they are picking blueberries, a mama bear and baby bear decide to go to eat blueberries to prepare for winter.
The mothers are busy picking/eating and the little ones end up getting separated and mixed up.

I liked that it had the views of both the humans and the bears. It shows that bears are a bit like us, they prepare for winter and are afraid of us.

But I also recognize that this could be a dangerous situation. I definitely wouldn't want to get mixed up with a bear.

Overall, it is a cute story and it ends well. I love the writing and the illustrations.

I really love the illustrations. They are simple but detailed.

I think that children of all ages could enjoy reading this book. And if you or they love blueberries, be prepared to want to eat some when you are finished reading this one!

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

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Title: The Raven Boys

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Length: 468 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Classification: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy

Release Date: September 18, 2012

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them--until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.His name is Gansey, a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul whose emotions range from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher who notices many things but says very little.For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She doesn't believe in true love, and never thought this would be a problem. But as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore. (From Amazon)

My Rating:

This is not my first Maggie Stiefvater book, I have also read the first two books in her Shiver trilogy. And I love her writing. Love her books.

I think I waited on reading this book because I figured I would end up liking it and it would be painful to wait to read the following book, since it is a series. So I kept putting it off, thinking "I'll just wait until all of the books are out and then I can read them all."

But obviously I caved. I decided I wanted to read this book this month and added it to my February List.

I am glad that I did, but I am also upset that I did. Because now I am wanting more.

The Raven Boys ended on a bit of a cliff hanger! There are so many questions that I want answered. But I will share more on this later in the Spoiler section of my review.

Let me just say I love the characters! I think that Maggie did an awesome job developing them.
I felt like Gansey and Blue were the two main characters of the book. But I also felt that all of the characters were very important and we also knew a lot about the characters.


SPOILERS AHEAD. 



STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BOOK.
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I found Blue's future fortune pretty interesting. When she kisses her True Love, he will die. What a HORRIBLE prediction! Not horrible because it is wrong and won't come true, but HORRIBLE because she has to live in fear about the possibility of kissing a boy that she likes will kill him!!!! I feel so bad for her. I can't imagine her having to live with this.
I like Gansey. I feel bad for him because he feels so much pressure from having family money. He often says things that are taken the wrong way. And I feel like he struggles with trying to get people to see him for him rather to define him by the money that he has.
(Even though I haven't read The Great Gatsby, I kept thinking how Gansey makes me think of Gatsby in some way. Maybe just because they both go by their last names and they both start with G?)

Adam. I was and still am a bit confused by Adam. I felt like he had a good friendship with Gansey, but he struggles with the fact that he thinks if he lives with Gansey it means that he owns him. I felt bad for Adam a lot. He is poor and has a domestically violent father. He works hard and helps Gansey a lot with the search.
And he likes Blue.
Which is one area I was a little confused.
Blue sees Gansey's spirit on St. Mark's Day Eve. And by doing this it means he is either her True Love or that she kills him (which if he is her TL then she would probably end up doing that other part too...)
So this made me think that she is going to fall in love with Gansey.
But it seems like she has or is developing feelings for Adam.
Which makes me wonder if there is going to be a love triangle between the three of them.
I am pretty interested in how the feelings between Blue and Gansey grow. And what happens to the relationship between Blue and Adam.
Then Adam at the ending is the part that pretty much confused me. I don't know if I overlooked something when I was reading the end, but when Adam goes into the pentagram and sacrifices himself, I thought that meant he was sacrificing his life. That he was going to die. Whelk shoots him, but he doesn't get shot. It doesn't do anything to him. And the trees are what kills Whelk.
So I am confused about what happened to Adam. What am I missing?
Is he filled with magic now?
He does it to be his own master, to be in control and have free will.
So does it now mean he controls the trees in Cabeswater?
Hopefully I will find out more in the next boo, The Dream Thieves. 
Noah. I realized that Noah was different from the beginning. But his real identity was a surprise to me. And it also made me heartbroken. Poor Noah. He is so sweet. I am so glad that they were able to make it so he could reappear and stay with them!
Ronan. I found him to be a pretty interesting character. So complex. And I am really interested in what happened to his father. There is more to that part of the story I think. And oh my goodness, the end of the story. Ronan's cliffhanger. I didn't see that coming either. And I think he is going to have a much bigger part in the next book. Since it is called The Dream Thieves.

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END OF SPOILERS!!!

So I am really looking forward to reading the next book. I almost ran out and bought it right away. But since I have the first book on the Kindle, I am debating which why I want to buy The Dream Thieves. Also, I am kinda waiting a little bit though too, because I am worried it might end on an even BIGGER cliffhanger. So I think I am going to wait until it is closer to book #3 coming out.
Guess I'll just wait and see, probably won't be able to wait that long.

Inhuman by Kat Falls

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Title: Inhuman

Author: Kat Falls

Length: 384 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction and Fantasy  (I also believe that this book is a Dystopian type book, so fans of different dystopian books might like this book.)

Release Date: September 24, 2013



My Rating: 

Loved It! (I Would re-read it and would highly recommend to a friend!)



I received a copy of this book for free from the GoodReads First Reads program. I got the book in the mail and read it in less than 24 hours. I loved this book.

Inhuman takes place after a deadly virus called "The Ferae Naturae virus" plagued the United States of America. The virus killed forty-percent of the population. There is now a huge wall (serving as a quarantine line) that separates the West from what is now known as the Feral Zone. No one in the west is supposed to go past the wall for any reason.

Main character Delaney "Lane" McEvoy, a sixteen (almost seventeen) year old girl who has never seen the other side of the wall. All she knows is what she is taught. After finding out shocking news she goes on her own adventure across the quarantine line and into the Feral Zone.

**The following part of the review will contain spoilers, so if you don't want to know more details about the book, please stop reading**

I really liked this book because I found the concept new and interesting. After some time the virus no longer causes death right away, but instead it turns the infected into a mutated animal. There fifty different strands of the virus now. And there is still no cure or vaccination.

Shortly after starting the book we meet the main character Lane. She is taken from a party and brought to the Head of the Biohazard Defense. She is told that her father is in fact not an art dealer, but a fetcher (a person that goes out into the Feral Zone to get items for others). She is told by the Head of Biohazard, that if she gets her dad to do a fetch for her, then her father will not be arrested. So Lane goes into the Feral Zone.

Her father used to tell her all kinds of bedtime stories that he made up. When she was outside of the wall she was able to make the connection that the stories her father told her were true. She was able to use these stories to help keep her (sorta) out of danger and they gave her information that she would have not otherwise known. I really liked that the author did this. I found it interesting.

She first meets Everson Cruz (a love interest) who is a guard. Instead of arresting her and turning her in, he helps her get to the Dr. who knows her father. She finds out her father isn't there and that he has moved on after warning him that the Biohazard defense is after him.

We are then introduced to Rafe. He has snuck onto the island to steal things from the arsenal (like medicine). Lane happens upon him and he grabs her as leverage when Everson later walks in. Rafe cuts her arm and then makes her and Everson get in the closet and locks them in there so he can escape.

Lane has also had a glimpse at her first Feral, which is a human that has been infected with the virus.

Lane eventually leaves the arsenal alone and once again happens upon bad boy Rafe. They get into a bunch of different dangerous situations together.

This is only the first part of the book. There are a lot of action packed scenes. Different characters to meet. There are a lot of discoveries that Lane makes. There are some twists that I didn't see coming. And there were some reveals, where I thought to myself, "I should have picked up on that!" And we do learn some more things about her father, including where he is.

Now I have been getting tired of love triangles. Especially when they fill like they are forced upon us the readers. And when you hate the other person in the triangle and you keep saying "there is no choice, why do you keep making there be a love triangle!" There is a love triangle between Lane, Everson and Rafe. I happen to like both of the guys for different reasons. And both of the guys are complete opposites of each other. I am looking forward to see what happens. I also feel like this love triangle isn't forced. And I can see why Lane likes both of the boys (and it is besides the point of her finding them attractive).

Why did I like this book so much? 

I liked it because it is set in a future different from what we live in. (I enjoy reading books that take me do a different place). I think the author did an outstanding job creating this fairy tale type place for us to venture into with our Main Character. I liked the action. I liked that the book kept me interested. Even now that I am done reading the book, I am still thinking about it and how I wish it didn't end.

I cannot wait to read the next one, but since the book hasn't even been released yet, means that I have a while to wait for book #2. But trust me, I am looking forward to it, and I will be excited to get it when it does come out!

I DO recommend this book!