Reviews written by CJ Redwine, Site and Staff Manager

This book is ambitious in scope. It introduces children to colors, shapes, patterns, and locations (i.e. under, above, to the left etc.). I read it to my toddler, and she was interested in following the black cat who shows up on nearly every page and in pointing out colors. I...

What I Loved: The world building! Wow. From the very first word, the reader is completely drawn into the world of the Roaring 20's--flappers, glittering wealth, mobsters, bootleggers, and girls struggling to figure out how to be modern, independent women in a world that isn't quite ready...

What I Loved: This was such a compelling story. I devoured it in less than a day, and the hours I spent away from the book were also spent with the story and the characters taking up space in my head, demanding that I finish reading their...

What I Loved: This has to be one of my favorite books from 2012. From the first sentence, I was completely drawn into the story, and it never let me go. The prose is beautiful and direct. The world is solidly built, and I could envision everything...

What I Loved: First of all, I have to say that the cover is really beautiful, and I think it does the story justice. I also enjoyed that the author clearly paid careful attention to Biblical theology when she built her world, and I think that paid...

What I Loved: The concept of a tiny band of humans who posses the ability to understand and control the elements taking refuge on an island shelter because the rest of the world has been destroyed by plague is intriguing. I also enjoyed that there are other...

What I Loved: I found myself very drawn to the premise of this book. I thought about the book while I wasn't reading it and was eager to return to the pages. For me, that was enough to overcome some flaws and make this a book I'd...

This is the kind of book my boys would've loved to read when they were younger. Full of dirt, adventure, mischief, and the kind of trouble boys seem naturally gravitate toward. This reminded me of a boy's Junie B. Jones, though I think girls will enjoy it, too. ...

This book is a good starting place for readers who want a broad introduction to the job of being a dj. There are excellent time lines tracing the beginning of mixing music for crowds from record scratching to modern computer equipment. A handful of djs are featured, though not as...

My kids grew up watching The Veggie Tales, and we've always appreciated the quality, both in content and in production value. These books continue the same excellent standard set by the original Veggie Tales movies. Each story has beautiful, engaging illustrations, a fun, quirky storyline, and an important message at...

This book reminds me (in a good way) of the old set of Childbook Encyclopedias I had when I was little. I think it feels like the Childbooks because it has a similar writing style (fairly dry and informative, but rich in vivid details which as a child I found...

I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations are heartwarming and beautiful. The story, while focusing specifically on a little girl learning how to use chopsticks, will resonate with a broader audience of young readers as every child knows what it feels like to be the only one in a room...

KATIE WOO RULES THE SCHOOL reminds me of books I used to read in grade school. I remember finding each chapter, with its new scenario, endlessly fascinating, and I think young readers will feel the same way about Katie Woo. I especially enjoyed the chapter about...

What I Loved: Just about everything. Howard emerges as a compelling new voice in the dystopian genre with his debut ROOTLESS. I hardly know where to start praising this book. The world building is incredible. I was immediately sucked into this post-apocalyptic world in which society...

What I Loved: Nobody does world building like Julie Kagawa. Seriously. The world in the Iron Fey series is vivid, intricate, and all-encompassing. I especially loved the descriptions of the Iron Fey kingdom. The rules to Kagawa's world aren't hard to learn, and she sticks to them, which I appreciate....