Book Review: Phoebe and Her Unicorn

Title: Phoebe and Her Unicorn

Author: Dana Simpson

Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕  (5)

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a little girl who fell in love with the movie The Last Unicorn. Fast forward 20 odd years and the now grown-up girl shared this love with her own daughter. Her daughter was even more in love with the movie than her mother and had several t-shirts featuring the beautiful unicorn. This past Saturday was the first day of the Summer Reading Program at the library I work at, so I brought my kids in to sign up and pick out some books. My daughter, Nora, was wearing her favorite “Last Unicorn” shirt. One of the Children’s Librarians saw her shirt and gushed to the point of frightening my very very shy daughter. To smooth it over she told us about this new graphic novel she had just read, Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson. Nora has found her new favorite librarian.

After waiting patiently for my daughter to go to bed the other night, I snuck into her room and grabbed the book to read it for myself. I knew I was going to like it when I opened to the first page and saw that Peter S. Beagle, the author of The Last Unicorn, had penned the introduction. At that point I was sold before even reading the first panel. After some mild internal fangirl screaming, I started reading.

The story begins with Phoebe skipping stones on a pond. One of those stones strikes Marigold Heavenly Nostrils the Unicorn on the head, freeing her from being held captive by her glorious reflection in the water – apparently this is a common problem for Unicorns. In return for saving her, Marigold offers to grant Phoebe any wish that is in her power to grant. Phoebe wishes that she and Marigold could be best friends, Marigold reluctantly grants her wish.

Marigold, like all Unicorns, knows that she is beautiful, intelligent, skilled….basically she’s perfect in every way. And she makes sure that Phoebe understands how amazing and wonderful she is. Phoebe knows that Marigold can do amazing things, but sometimes her attitude needs an adjustment, which Phoebe is more than happy to provide. Phoebe can be a little on the weird side, which baffles the perfect Marigold, but over time she grows to love her new friend, even if she is an ugly pink human.

To say I loved this is probably an understatement. Peter S. Beagle himself compared Phoebe and Marigold to Calvin & Hobbes, which in the beginning seemed like an overly ambitious statement. But after reading it, I can see why he came to that conclusion. The book is funny, sarcastic, and appeals to both children and their adults. There were plenty of moments where I would laugh out loud to the bewilderment of my husband. I can’t wait to read more of Phoebe and Marigold’s adventures! Lucky for me Nora, volume 2 was released on May 26th.

Book Review: The Swallow: A Ghost Story

Title: The Swallow: A Ghost Story

Author: Charis Cotter

Publish Date: September 9, 2014

Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕

I know I keep saying this but I’m going to say it again – I have gotten so many excellent middle grade books this summer. And here is another one! The Swallow is a wonderful story about friendship and love. First we meet outgoing Polly and learn about her large family and noisy house. There are two things twelve-year-old Polly wants more than anything: 1. To get her room back from baby Susie and 2. To see a real ghost. Next we meet the quiet Rose. She rarely speaks and glides through life invisible to everyone – except for the ghosts that have haunted her since she was a baby. It was a shared attic wall that brought them together and a mysterious tombstone in the cemetery next to their houses that changed their lives forever.

Polly is such a great character. She is completely honest about her feelings and you can feel her excitement over ghosts and cemeteries. Sometimes her enthusiasm can be annoying and I clearly felt that during the sections where Rose was the narrator. Rose is my favorite character. She is quiet, introspective, and she is not happy that she can see ghosts, in fact it terrifies her. Her serious nature makes it hard for her to keep up with Polly’s enthusiasm for everything, but soon she becomes caught up in Polly’s pace and begins to rely on her for support while they work to discover the secret behind the tombstone.

I really enjoyed reading this. The story is told through alternating viewpoints. Sometimes this can stall a story or make it confusing but each section clearly labels the narrator. Although both girls are so different that it would have been easy to tell who was narrating without being told. The mystery at the center of the story was well executed, although a bit drawn out at times. I’m not going to pretend that I didn’t see the twist coming – this is, after all, a ghost story; but a younger reader who hasn’t read many mysteries or ghost stories may be surprised. Overall it was a lovely ghost story (You don’t see many of those!) and I can’t wait to read more from Charis Cotter.

**NetGalley provided me with an advanced reader copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.**

International Literacy Day!

Sorry folks it's been a long day but I didn't want you to think that I forgot September 8th is International Literacy Day. Recently there have been quite a few children's books appearing on my desk so I'm in a picture book kind of mood tonight. So here are some fun videos of people reading children's books!

 

Book Review: Nancy Knows

Title: Nancy Knows

Author: Cybèle Young
Genre: Picture Book

Rating:  ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕

Nancy Knows is a short little book about an elephant who has forgotten something and tries different ways of remembering what she forgot. The story is simple and cute – great for preschoolers. What makes this book a 4 instead of a 3 is the illustrations. Nancy is a simple pencil drawing, but each time Nancy is reminded of something, beautiful paper sculptures become visible in her body. They are so intricate and beautiful I could look at one page for several minutes and not be bored.

For such a beautiful work, it’s a shame the story is lacking. I felt like the end was thrown in there and had little to do with the pages that came before it. Cybele Young is a very talented illustrator and I can’t wait to read some of her other works to see what techniques she has employed. 

**A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Book Review: Nest

Title: Nest

Author: Esther Ehrlich

Publish Date: September 9, 2014

Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕

My Thoughts:

Once again the folks at Random House Children’s Books have sent me a gem. This is oral historian Esther Ehrlich’s first novel and after reading it (twice) I’m left wondering where has she been hiding? In Nest we meet Naomi “Chirp” Orenstein, an eleven-year-old bird watching enthusiast living in Cape Cod with her father, a psychiatrist, her mother, a former dancer and thirteen-year-old sister Rachel. Chirp is such a pure soul who loves nature, birds, and her family. She is particularly close to her mother and would do anything to make her smile, something that was becoming rare. As her world starts to change, Chirp grows closer to Joey, the strange boy that lives across the street. As she and Joey try to make sense of the changes taking place, Chirp’s world completely falls apart. 

I was so engrossed in Chirp’s world that I often forgot this story takes place in 1972. Normally I cringe when pop-culture references are thrown into a story, but this was an exception. References were sprinkled throughout and they always seemed to pop up right when I needed to be reminded that it wasn't 2014. I could really feel the love that the author has for Chirp and I fell in love with her too. Her way of looking at the world is so unique and special that I couldn't put the book down. I also loved Joey. In the beginning you think he’s just another “bad boy”, but as Chirp gets to know him, you realize he is a smart, sensitive boy, who is also a bit of a germophobe. I was so sad when the book was finished because I wanted to know what happened next. How will his and Chirp’s friendship change as they entered middle school? High school? And beyond. 

Nest deals with some pretty heavy themes and Ehrlich does a fantastic job addressing them in an age appropriate and sensitive way. She doesn't wrap everything up in a neat little bow, because that is not how real life is, but I still felt some closure in the end. I can’t recommend this book enough, and because of the sensitive nature of some of the themes, it is a good book for middle-grade children to read with their parents. Nest has really stayed with me (something that doesn't usually happen with middle-grade books) and I look forward to reading many more books from Esther Ehrlich in the future.

**Random House Children's Books and NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to read and provide an honest review.**

Book Review: Star Wars: Jedi Academy, Return of the Padawan

Title: Star Wars:Jedi Academy, Return of the Padawan

Author: Jeffrey Brown

Release Date: July 29, 2014

Rating: ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕

My Thoughts:

Roan Novachez is back, and just in time for the new school year. The Return of the Padawan is the follow-up to Jeffery Brown’s successful Star Wars: Jedi Academy. During his first year of school we watched as Roan adjusted to a new school and learned to make new friends. Finding friends may have been easy, but keeping them turns out to be harder than he thought. 

I’m surprised how much I am enjoying this series. Star Wars references aside, Roan is just a normal boy experiencing the same problems that many kids face in school. As he enters his second year he experiences strict instructors, bullying, and misunderstandings but continues to try to do the best he can. Even when things look hopeless. 

While Jeffery Brown’s artistic style isn’t my cup of tea, it passed the kid test. The handwriting font used in the book was a little hard to read at times, but that also passed the kid test. And ultimately this book is for kids and, according to my son, this series ranks up there with Tom Angleberger’s “Origami Yoda” series—which is high praise. 

For readers who enjoy comics and Star Wars, this is a good alternative to the typical slice of life tale written for this age group. Parents will also enjoy the practical lessons and Star Wars references sprinkled throughout the book. I look forward to seeing what else Roan can get into next year – maybe he and Mr. Garfield will try to get along, or not. 

**I received this book from Scholastic Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

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