The Mysterious Benedict Society

I just finished this one the other day. At first I was listening to it on CD, but it was going a little bit too slow, so I finished the book. It was a pretty creative story. The main characters all have very entertaining talents and skills that, when working together, they can accomplish anything. I have already started the second book and will keep you updated on that one soon!

Alcatraz Verses the Evil Librarians

This book was recommended to me by my sister-in-law, Danielle. I thought that it was a fun book. There are a lot of really creative things that this author had come up with for this story. How creative! I love reading books that introduce a new way to look at the world around us. This was definitely a fun one and I look forward to the books to come from this series!

Whirligig

Alicia also recommended this book. I had read Joyful Noise by the same author. I liked this book. It really shows how our actions - no matter how big or small - can have an affect others all along the way. I think that any teen would appreciate this one!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Alicia recommended this book to me. I immediately put it on hold at the library (and was number 11 or 12 on the list!) Surprisingly, I got a call and my book was in for me. It was excellent! I would recommend it to anyone. I read it so quickly because I just couldn't put the dang thing down! I had never even heard of Guernsey (it's an Island in the English Channel - by the way) and now I just want to go check it out. Guernsey, anyone?

The Door in the Wall

The Door in the Wall was a sweet story that takes place in medieval England. A young boy, Robin, is left by his parents during wartime and has to travel to his uncle's to become a page. He is crippled and is helped by a priest and a family friend as he travels to meet his uncle. Robin grows as he experiences many things. I liked the story and enjoyed it a lot.

Lincoln: A Photobiography

This was a really interesting book to read. Not too long ago, I read Team of Rivals, also about Lincoln. Reading this book for a younger audience was really great because of all the pictures. (That's one of my favorite parts of biographies anyway!) Not only was it an interesting book, but also very comprehensive. I would recommend this one for sure.

Joyful Noise Poems for Two Voices

I really enjoyed these poems by Paul Fleischman. They were really fun to read. Each one is about a different insect - and they each really portray the insects so well! Again, I really liked the illustrations in this book as well. This was a really fun one to read! (From what I understand, he has another one about birds - it'd be interesting to see if he captures the birds as well as the insects.)

A Visit to William Blake's Inn Poems For Innocent and Experienced Travelers

I read this short book of poems late last night. (Jed was snoring) I liked it, however I'm not sure I ever really understand poetry. With this especially, I wondered if I'd appreciate it more if I was more familiar with William Blake's poetry. I"m not really sure. I really liked the illustrations too.

Wanderlust

Wanderlust was actually a bit better than I expected. It is a series of emails from Kate Bogart, a travel writer, to her friends, family, and love interests. At first I thought that it was going to be a little bit dirty, but it really was pretty clean. In the end, I found that I was rooting for the love interest that I liked best. It was a fun, enjoyable book.