The Caged Graves

I read The Caged Graves by Dianne Salerni
A coworker loaned the book to me
5 stars

Set in Catawissa, Pennsylvania in 1867, The Caged Graves is an historical mystery with just enough romance to keep it emotional as well. It is the story of Verity Boone, sent back to live with her father while she waits to marry the man she knows only from letters. She discovers two graves that are covered in cages, opening up a family, and town, mystery. She must rediscover a relationship with her father, form one with her fiance, and learn about everyone in the town she left 15 years before, all while solving the mystery of her family's past.

Verity is a very realistic character. She is a strong character, but not unbelievably so. She pushes things just a bit, wanting to find out more, but not really stepping out of the role of a young woman in the 1860's. The author does a good job of introducing other characters thoroughly, but definitely keeping the focus on Verity.

I have a soft spot for historical mysteries if they are well written. The Caged Graves is a winner in my book. It wasn't bogged down by too much of a history lesson, but it was still there. While I'm not always big on romance, there was just enough here to keep me wanting more. Then there is the mystery part of it. Perfect! I had a hard time putting this one down because I wanted to know what the significance of the cages was. Throughout the book, I felt it was going to be anticlimactic, very easily solved, and just not nearly as interesting as it ended up being. The story kept me interested though, and thankfully the ending was perfect. The author note at the end explaining where the story came from and the true historical tie-in made me love the book even more.

Great for any teen (or adult) that likes historical fiction or mysteries, and especially those that love both.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

I read Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
I checked it out from my library 
5 stars

Kyle Keeley loves games. Sure, he loves electronic games like the PSP, but he also loves board games. His favorite ones are all created by Luigi Lemoncello. Come to find out, Mr. Lemoncello had a hand in creating the new library, and he is allowing 12 twelve year olds the opportunity to get in a day early and stay the night. All the sudden, Kyle wants in that library. It doesn't matter to him that he doesn't really like reading. While it seemed like a hard thing to get in, once he's in there it becomes even harder to get out. Will he be able to solve the puzzles and find his way out?

I am not the target audience for this book as I am definitely not a child. It was absolutely written as juvenile fiction. Still, I loved it! I geeked out on all of the book and library references (since I work in the children's department of a library.) Even though, unlike Kyle I actually love reading, I related to his love of puzzles and games. It was neat hearing about all of Mr. Lemoncello's different board games.

Like everything mentions, this book was similar to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It is even brought up throughout the book. Kids who read that and want another similar book will love this one. It could also be a great way to introduce the classic to kids who read this one first and want more. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library will appeal to so many kids: Kids who love libraries or books, kids who love puzzles, kids who love board games, and probably even kids who love mysteries. Kids who don't like reading might change their minds when they read this one. On top of all that, there was actually a moral to the story.

Bear and Bee

I read Bear and Bee by Sergio Ruzzier.
I checked it out from my library.
5 stars!

After snoozing all winter, the world is springing to life. Bear puts on his flip flops (yes, flip flops! How adorable.) and heads out to calm the hungry rumble in his belly. He comes across a honey bee hive. But bears are afraid of bees! Bear hopes he doesn't see a bee, and thankfully a little friend is there to help him figure out how to get the honey. Bear already has an idea of what a bee looks like in his head, and he is quite surprised when he finds out exactly what his new friend is.

Bear and Bee is a wonderful story about discovering the world around you with an open mind. What you are expecting isn't always what happens, so don't judge things (or people, or animals) before you have all of the details. Add in an ending that teaches how great it is to share. The illustrations are simple and adorable, perfect for reading aloud. The story is short enough to read to young children but funny enough to keep the older children listening. This one made me laugh out loud as well as get that warm fuzzy feeling inside. After one trial run reading it to a group of pretty young preschoolers, I know for sure that this is a story time hit!

That is Not a Good Idea

I read That is Not a Good Idea by Mo Willems
I checked it out from my library.
5 stars!

Written in a style that resembles an old silent film, That is NOT a Good Idea! is the story of a wolf inviting a goose to dinner and the audience that knows what is inevitably going to happen. The kids hearing this story are, of course, a part of the audience along with the chicks. They will be shouting their warning to the main characters. The unexpected ending somehow managed to make this book even better. I can already see the kids' faces when they hear the ending, and hear the parents chuckling in the background at the same time.

I always worry when there is a Mo Willems book that appears on our new book cart at the library where I work. Will it be another gem, or will it feel like another one he just churned out? That is NOT a Good Idea! is definitely a gem; Willems at his finest. I haven't had a chance to read it to a group of preschoolers yet, but I can already tell it will be a hit. It is an easy read-aloud. The illustrations are classic Willems, very appealing to children. The chance for kids to interact with the story is definitely a plus. Adults will appreciate the silent film theme (I love it!) along with the simplicity of the story, and the ending will be a chuckle as well. It's an original story that has a great ending, and it appeals to both children and adults. Win!

Brief Thief

I read Brief Thief by Michael Escofier and Kris Di Giacomo
I checked the book out from my local library.
5 stars!



What do you do when you have to poo and there is no toilet paper? That is what Leon has to figure out. Thankfully there is something nearby that should do the trick. But then his conscious speaks up, and he must correct what he did wrong.

I love this book. It is hilarious; potty humor at its finest. The illustrations are different, not necessarily cute, but very intriguing. They work perfectly for the book. The empty roll of toilet paper on the tree cracks me up. The story itself has a good lesson to it as well as a good laugh. With large, thick pages, children will love exploring this book. The ending was somewhat expected with a funny twist. You will have to read it to find out what happens.

I work at a library and am always looking for books I can read in story time. I think the kids would absolutely love it, but I just can't bring myself to read it. Sitting in front of 20 preschoolers and saying "And now, Leon has to go poo" isn't going to happen. I don't think it is gross, and I don't think parents would care, but I would be laughing too hard to read it. When I try to practice reading it out loud, I lose it at that page. Maybe I will be able to laugh while the children are hysterically laughing as well. I will see if I'm ever brave enough to try, but I'm sure it would be a crowd favorite if I did.

Twerp

Free ARC provided by NetGalley

Twerp by Mark Goldblatt

Julian Twerski is at that awkward age where he is trying to define himself. He is a boy growing up in the Sixties. He is the fastest runner at his school. He is a follower, mostly to his best friend Lonnie. He is smart. Sure, his friends might make fun of his intelligence, but his teachers appreciate it, especially Mr. Selkirk. That is why he is allowing him to write a paper about himself instead of about Shakespeare. Mr. Selkirk  might also want to see if Julian will tell the story of what happened to Danley, the reason why Julian was suspended. Can Julian learn to think for himself instead of letting Lonnie tell him what to do, and will he lose a friendship because of it, and what is the big secret that got them all in so much trouble?

This coming-of-age story is told in an unexpected way, as a paper written to his teacher. It really works here too. I was quite a few of Julian’s stories into the book before I even remembered that this was a paper, and there was a reason he was asked to write it. The point of the assignment was brought up just enough to keep me guessing and wanting to know what he got in trouble for. Before that is finally explained, what you have is a story of a typical 6th grade boy getting into trouble. I am nowhere near a 6th grader or a boy, but I still found the stories very interesting. I loved really getting to know Julian and his gang of friends.

I mentioned that this story was set in the Sixties. That was another part that I kept forgetting. There were definite references that put it in that era, but the story could have been about any 6th grade boy at any time in history. I believe that makes the book even better, something many kids will be able to relate to. An entertaining and heartfelt read for middle grade kids.

Ribbit!

Ribbit! Is the story of a family of frogs that live in a pond. One day they find a surprise, a pig! All the pig will say is “Ribbit!” Is the pig confused? Is he making fun of the frogs? Maybe all of the animals that live nearby can figure out what is going on. Trying to figure it out might actually cause some problems with all of the animals. Thankfully the wise old beetle should be able to figure it all out. Then again, figuring out the problem is pretty difficult when you can’t find the frog. Where will he turn up next? I don’t want to spoil the ending, because it is extra special. It shows how it is okay to think outside of the box or branch out to others you might not normally be friends with. It’s totally okay to be different!

The illustrations in this picture book are sweet. I like the colors. I love that the pig’s nose is a heart on many of the pages. Even the words look cute (I love the font).  It is slightly long to read in story time at the library where I work, but I think it is just cute enough to work anyway. There aren’t too many words per page, and the story is pretty captivating.  It even has humor. The fact that there is a good moral to the story makes it even better. I read it to a group of mostly 4 and 5 year olds. They really listened to it and told me they liked it. It was slightly interactive for them, and that really helped.